and key religious figures as you can Individually 2mins Compare your list with a partner Share your ideas to extend your individual lists Pairs 3 mins Combine your lists to collate a single definitive group list ID: 650474
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Slide1
Write down as many religious prophets and key religious figures as you can.
Individually (2mins)Slide2
Compare your list with a partner.Share your ideas to extend your individual lists.Pairs (3
mins
)Slide3
Combine your lists to collate a single, definitive group list.In your groups, sub-divide your list by gender.
Groups (3
mins
)Slide4
Religion, Feminism & GenderG672Slide5
1. Feminist ArgumentsDoes Religion Oppress Women?Slide6
Learning ObjectivesDescribe three feminist views on the oppression of women by religion.Explain the two sides of the debate over whether or not the Muslim veil oppresses women.
Identify at least three evaluative points regarding feminist views of religion.Slide7
Women & ReligionSignificant prophets, apostles etc. tend to be male
.
Where women feature, they tend to represent
patriarchal ideas
of femininity
(e.g
. dangerous sexuality, virtues of
motherhood).
Even in Buddhism, the feminine is mainly associated with the
secular, powerless, profane
and
imperfect
.
This is just one reason why many
feminists
argued that religion is
patriarchal
and discriminates against women.
But it wasn’t always this way
...
Is religion unfair to women?
https
://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPwsPf6vpxw
The History of the Divine Feminine
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=udBozZacMRwSlide8
Until around 4000 years ago, men were subordinate to women in religious matters.Humans worshipped nature, and women were seen as being closer to nature.Around the world, effigies
of naked, pregnant mother-goddess figures have been uncovered by archaeologists.
The Fall of the GoddessSlide9
The invasions of such societies by male-dominated cultures (esp. from the Middle East) needed a patriarchal rationale to justify such behaviour.Therefore, male gods and aggressive narratives became increasingly important, culminating in monotheism
–
a single, male, God.
The Fall of the GoddessSlide10
Discuss:
What do you know about the Genesis story – what might the portrayal of Eve suggest about views of women in Christianity?Slide11
“Blessed art thou Lord our God that I was not born a slave. Blessed art thou Lord our God that I was not born a woman.
”
–
Orthodox Jewish Prayer
“
Wives be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the church.
”
Ephesians 5:22-24
Women in ReligionSlide12
Feminist Perspective #1Notions of God are associated with masculinity – there can never be gender equality.
Christianity is a
patriarchal myth
(Daly; 1973),
rooted in male ‘
sado
-rituals’ and ‘torture-cross symbolism’, embodying woman-hating.
http://www.cybercollege.com/antiwoman.htmSlide13
Feminist Perspective #2‘The Second Sex’ -
Simone de Beauvoir
(1953
)
Marxist-Feminist
approach
Religion is used by male oppressors to
control women.
Compensates
women for their
‘second-class’
status:
giving false belief that their suffering will be
compensated for
in Heaven.Slide14
Feminist Perspective #3El
Sadaawi
(1980)
Muslim-feminist
Religion itself does not oppress women, but rather it is the
patriarchal
nature of
monotheistic
religions.
Scripture was written and translated by men, and they have thus used religion to justify abuse of power
(e.g. witch-burnings)Slide15
The Muslim VeilAccording to the Qu’ran, women should exercise religious modesty (‘hijab’) because their seductiveness can lead men astray. Some
muslims
interpret this as meaning the whole body should be covered.
There is ongoing debate in the West as to whether or not the ‘full’ veil is a symbol of oppression
.Slide16
On your mini-whiteboards, identify three reasons for each of the following (based on what you have learned and/or your own ideas):The Muslim veil can be seen to oppress womenThe Muslim veil can be seen as a positive thing that liberates women
5
mins
PairsSlide17
The Muslim VeilAhmed (1992) points out that the veil means that M
uslim women can practise modern ways but still retain their modesty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu9AdvDaLmASlide18
Some other issues include:Many religions are strongly anti-abortion
Some religions have strong views against the use of artificial contraception
Many religions do not believe that women should hold powerful positions (e.g. Women priests)
Many religions believe only in the most traditional forms of marriage (one man and one woman) and that children should not be born out of wedlock.
In
pairs
, identify how one of the above issues could be argued to discriminate against women.
Are there any arguments that each might benefit women?
5
mins
– then feed back
Pairs: DebateSlide19
Evaluation PointsCatholic nuns can be viewed as oppressed or liberated (e.g. same argument as the
muslim
veil)
Gender-neutral language
increasingly used in Christian ceremonies
(e.g. the woman no longer has to vow to ‘obey’ her husband).
Many Christian religions e.g.
Quakerism
have never oppressed women.
Female rabbis
have been allowed in non-orthodox Judaism since the 1970s.Slide20
Evaluation PointsMost converts to Islam are female, and elements of Islam are favourable to women (e.g. females keep their names after marriage)
(
Badawi
; 1994
)
Post-patriarchal
Buddhism is developing in the West, whereby there is no differentiation between men and women
(Gross; 1994)Slide21
Written TaskIdentify and explain two feminist views on the treatment of women by religion [17]
15
minsSlide22
HomeworkIs religion unfair to women?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPwsPf6vpxw
The History of the Divine Feminine
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=udBozZacMRw
Watch one of the above films and write a 500 word summary of the key points on your blog (or to hand in).
Due: This time next weekSlide23
Gender & ReligiosityIf religion is so bad for women, why are so many more women than men religious?Slide24
Learning ObjectivesIdentify two different ways of viewing God according to Davie.Describe five reasons why women are more religious than men.
Give at least one detailed example of a sect founded by a women.
Briefly explain the following:
The popularity of the New Age Movement for women
Fundamentalist attitudes to womenSlide25
Why are Women more Religious?
According to
Miller & Hoffman (1995),
women…
Express more interest in religion
Have a stronger personal commitment
Attend church more often
Discuss: Why
?Slide26
Davie (1994) Within monotheistic religions, women and men view God differently.Women see a God of love, comfort and forgiveness.
Men see a God of
power and control.
Men and Women see God differently…
For Davie, this may be why women accept the monotheistic religions that appear to be patriarchal in nature…Slide27
Activity: IndivudallyStudy Britt’s article on Gender & Religion in your workbooks.
Using the article, describe 5 reasons why women are more religious than men.
(10
mins
)Slide28
Women & NRMsThe ratio of female-to-male involvement in sects is about 2:1.
(Bruce; 1995)
Women are more likely to experience
poverty
– those who suffer
economic deprivation
are more likely to join sects, due to the promise of salvation.
(Thomson; 1996
)Slide29
Group ResearchMany sects were actually founded by women, which counters the view that religion is always patriarchal. In small groups, choose and research one of the following to present to the class.
Seventh-Day Adventists
Christian Science
The Shakers
The Spiritualist Movement
15
mins
Research!Slide30
Women & NAMsThe New Age Movement places emphasis on nature and
‘the natural
’.
Women tend to gain higher status and prestige in many
NAMs…
In many cases, they may be seen as
a return to the
Goddess-worship
religions of the past…Slide31
Women & Fundamentalism Fundamentalism has attempted to reverse the increase in women’s independence.
Religious fundamentalist groups in the USA use
terrorist tactics
to close abortion clinics; opposing the right of women to control their fertility.
Fundamentalist
groups around the world insist on conserving/reinstating traditional feminine
positions
(e.g. mother, housewife)
https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dPbvxrv3bYSlide32
Women & Fundamentalism“The desire to restore fundamentalist religious values and social practices is associated with the fear that any real increase in women’s freedom of choice and action will undermine foundations of tradition, religion, morality and, it could be argued, male control.”
(Cohen & Kennedy; 2000)Slide33
EssayOutline and evaluate the view that religion is a patriarchal force that oppresses women [33
]
http://webplayer.clickview.co.uk/?
p=QjB5z&v1=home.clickview.com.au