Liberationist, feminist, and womanist theologies aims and goals are not simply to understand biblical texts and traditions in light of their historical contexts, but to highlight the structures of power that marginalize and suppress subjects; they also emphasize the effects of these structures on the lives of the dominated persons. Brazilian Paulo Freire asserts that the oppressed are manifestations of dehumanization and internalizes their oppression. Consequently, they are divided in and among themselves. This paper will address the concerns of gender oppression, internalized oppression and the subjugation, exploitation, and violence against Hagar. As a scholar who engages in a hermeneutic of privileging the lived experiences of African women
Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, The Poisonwood Bible, explores numerous themes and ideas , standouts being feminism and religion. The Missionary Position: Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible, and Singing a New Song from the Conqueror's Music: Religious Hybridity in The Poisonwood Bible both deeply analyse Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible’s stance on religion and how the book portrays colonialism and religion and its effect on others. Outline each critical text’s stance on your topic.
Throughout my selected text, Johnson focuses on the church along with the subsequent androcentric image of God, and how it impacts woman around the world. She explains that throughout history, with the help of the church’s patriarchal nature and society’s values as a whole, woman have been seen “as a ‘defective male’…that must live in obedience to her [male counterpart,]…[ and who are often also referred to as the] ‘second sex’” (Johnson 92). This
The status of women in Palestine during the time of Jesus was very decidedly that of inferiors. The women is, ‘in all things inferior to the man,’ as stated by first century
Haig Bosmajian is the writer of The Language of Oppression. He received a PhD from Stanford University and was a professor in the Speech/Communications Department in University of Washington. This book The Language of Oppression brought Orwell Reward to him in 1983. After Bosmajian finished scholarly research on the language of oppression about Nazis Germany and especially the language used to dehumanize the Jews, he considered the same dehumanized language in other conditions, such as sexism. Therefore, in introduction of The Language of Oppression, Bosmajian argues, "While names, words, and language can be, and are, used to inspire us, to motivate us to humane acts, to liberate us, they can also be used to dehumanize human beings and to 'justify'
“We’re never, ever, ever going to be able to fly as high, unless we’re both in support of each other” is what Emma Watson, actress, model and humanitarian, said during a speech as the U.N. Women Goodwill Ambassador to introduce the launch of the “HeForShe” campaign, where the “solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all”. Feminism, the act of advocating for female rights in order for them to be equal to those of men, has been an issue for hundreds of years that is sadly lacking present-day progression. In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, five females narrate their experiences in Congo during the sixties under not only the Belgian’s rule, but more terribly, under the tyranny of Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher on a mission to convert “arrogant” Congolese people into faithful Christians. Ironically enough, Nathan’s wife, Orleanna, and four daughters, Ruth May, Adah, Leah and Rachel, whom were formerly blind followers of him realize that their patriarch is actually the imprudent and arrogant one. In the end, one by one, they dynamically turn on Nathan and stand up for themselves. The Poisonwood Bible challenges the oppression of women by bringing light to female strength and capability, pointing out gender inequalities and strengthening the regard for female voice.
When Tarek gets detained by the NYPD in the subway station, and Walter tries to intervene on his behalf, Walter is told that all he can do is make a statement in the station. Walter Vale does everything in his power to help Tarek get free. Even though Walter never had any contact with the immigrant population before, he feels very connected to Tarek over the bond that they share in music, and he helps him despite his ethnicity and race. Walter hires a lawyer to try and get Tarek released, and he visits him frequently. When Walter visits Tarek, he sees how the people are discriminated against and even with all his influence, Walter feels powerless in this situation. Walter was a man of privilege living in America and he never experienced the feeling of such powerlessness in a situation before. This feeling of powerlessness makes Walter fight for what he believes in and he tries everything in his power to help Tarek and set him free.
Since the dawn of early civilisation and subsequent traditional gender roles, one of the most prominent issues with which society struggles is gender inequality. The Book of Negroes illustrates Aminata’s worries as she is provided only one option: to entertain men with her body. “...I wondered how I would earn enough for food, clothes and repairs for my shelter. ‘What?’ Sam said. ‘You think rebels don’t have brothels? As long as there are fighting men, there will be work for girls like Rosetta - and work for you as well.’” (Hill 312) British soldiers and American rebels both sexualised the bodies of black women to the point of encouraging the prostitution of young girls. In a similar context, a 2008 study conducted by researchers from Wesleyan
It is true, perhaps, that women are the subset of humanity whose rights had been the longest stripped of them, and who had been abused the worst and for the longest time. Even today, many people believe that women still do not have the equality that ought to be afforded them. Since women first started making steps to approach that ideal equality, they have used various means, including literature, to further their cause. Both Mary Prince’s The History of Mary Prince, as well as Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen, use language of Christian rhetoric to simultaneously cast their characters and themselves as sinners and the
Hildegard’s gender is of course not an accident. Throughout history, we have claimed Hildegard as the first Christian thinkers to deal seriously and positively with feminine issues, as well as the challenges posed by and for women in a patriarchal society. She formulated her thoughts within the traditional framework of christian symbols, through the great reflection on the great feminine representations and essence of Eve, Mary, and Mother church. In our current struggles of spirituality and gender, Hildegard can be a guide. Her visionary forms fade into one another, but within all of them and behind them all, shines neither women nor man, but the living light. By using Hildegard of Bingen as a central figure in 12th century religious practice, we can then use Chritianity as an example to compare and contrast women’s experiences in religious practice in the 12th century and the 21st century.
As a huge part of the book revolves around religion, what shocked me most about Mendes life in slavery was that her capturers and ‘Masters’ were muslim but so was Mende. Being Muslim an islamic law is “ Only children of slaves or non-Muslim of war could become slaves, never a freeborn Muslim”. Her “masters” thought they were very good muslims but would beat her and degrade her by calling her a “yebit” (slave). When
Although in its larger context, this pericope focuses on the succession of King David and his son’s quest for kingship. As seen from a feminist viewpoint through a structural, historical-cultural, and textual analysis, of 2 Samuel 13:1-39 pericope on how Tamar’s father and brother diminished her rape by her brother Ammon by diverting the fundamental issue of this texts incest, rape, and rejection of this young
The Bible is controversial on the matter of gender equality. There are numerous contradictions about the status of women in Christian society. Historically, the most prominent interpretation has been rather negative toward women. The Christian Church, with principally male authority, emphasizes the idea that women are inferior to man. They focus on Eve’s sin leading to a punishment that “her husband will have authority over her.” (Drury, 34)
The rigidity of gender norms and gender roles is analogous to those in the New Testament and provides insight on how the society present in the story uses religion to present women as a monolith. Due to biblical expectations, women are constrained from making autonomous decisions, thus forcing them to follow a moral code. In the bible, women are groomed to become child bearers and “pure” wives (Titus 2:4-5), an idea shared in the book. This promotes them as having no sense of self-ownership, which objectifies them as characteristics, not humans with nuanced emotions nor ideals. An example of this is Purisima del Carmen. After she got married, Purisima’s teaching career ended quickly because of
Blood Wedding by Frederico Garcia Larco is an ingenious depiction of values, norms, expectations, the effect they have on society and human beings and by default, explores human nature and the will of the individual. Larco simplistically yet graphically conveys these aspects through a marriage and a feud between two families, both of which are focuses of the play. Another tool he uses is the imagery and personification of several aspects of nature to convey a certain essence of humanity within nature, namely the moon and Death. Through these he implies that man also has a certain disposition towards nature in his thoughts and actions. This later becomes a major basis for developments in the plot of the play, when the Bride and Leonardo act on their true feelings and decide to elope. Thus nature is not only a setting, but also a major theme that acts as a contrast to the urban setting that is filled with oppression.
Throughout time, issues with equality have denied groups some of the most basic human rights. A common example of this is the right to one’s own body. The statement that people have the rights his/her own body is broad and rightfully so. It encompasses matters ranging clothing they want to wear, who they have sex with, and even what gender they want to be. In the film Difret, the ideas of gender equality, rape culture, and the right to one’s own body are highly prevalent. Addressed through the use of a documentary about marriage by abduction, rape, and a fight to regain freedom twice - once from the captors and then from the legal systems - these ideas present the viewer with one story about Ethiopian culture.