Using Material from Itema and Elsewhere, Assess the View That Women Are No Longer Oppressed by Religion.

Malala Yousafzai, 18 year old Nobel Prize winner and women’s rights activist, once exclaimed: “I raise up my voice- not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard...we cannot succeed when half of us are held back”. The idea of speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves is extremely important when it comes to striving for change, so being able to express the needs of marginalized people is a great and awesome power. Yousafzai’s quote specifically connects to women’s rights, therefore it can be used to support the feminist movement seeing as she is advocating for the equality, in treatment and opportunity, of men and women. Feminist beliefs do not only apply to society, but to theology as well, seeing as the teachings of the bible are extremely influential in the day to day lives and values of religious people. The text that I chose to highlight this idea comes from Elizabeth A. Johnson’s book Quest for the Living God, chapter 5 ‘God Acting Womanish’ because it directly connects spirituality and feminism.

Feminists argue that women’s oppression is shown in almost every religion as they criticise that in almost all the religions, the gods are male although Karen Armstrong holds strong arguments against this and shows that from the start were not always about male dominance. The earth mother was a women/goddess and female priesthoods were found throughout the east around 6000

Religion is powerful in that it controls followers’ behaviours and beliefs throughout their entire lives; it is a form of social control. Catholicism is one of the most widely known religions influencing more than 2 billion people around the world (Ross). Within Catholicism not everyone are seen as equals; men have greater privilege than women. The bible and church are from a male’s point of view (Christ 86) and passages within the bible are used to enforce a sexual hierarchy. In fact, the oppression of women begins with the first story in Genesis about creation, which portrays females as being inferior to men and even of an evil nature. This one passage is the main source of justification of oppression of woman in the church (Daly 13).

backs them with direct support form religious text that identifies women as having a much more prominent role in religion than even today.

Based on gender,women are tend to be more religious than men by hold their beliefs more firmly, practice their faith consistently, and work more vigorously for the congregation.Women also tend to be more open about sharing personal problems and are more

Women have been repressed for a long period of history. Only recently have women started to gain respect as equals and individuals. While women’s rights have advanced in many ways in the past 50 years alone, it is obvious that there is a significant disconnect in the advancement of women in the church. The promotion of gender equality is a slow and painful process, and has barely begun to progress worldwide. Attitudes towards women as leaders in the church, and in religion in general, are rooted in Biblical interpretations of women’s involvement, not only in leadership in the church, but also in marriage, society, and government. The role of gender in religion is one that is often ignored; yet the issue should be addressed in that most religions, particularly Christianity and Catholicism, place women in submissive roles. This encourages the gender gap in society as a whole.

In denominations outside of the United States, circumstances are very different in terms of a woman’s place in society. In Islam, where the dominating religion is Muslim, women are very confined. The women are able to worship the god of the Muslim religion in public but do not have a place of leadership in any way. This cultural aspect is very connected to the way that Islamic people live life every day. Women are regularly found at home and are given purpose when they have children and a husband to care for. Women are not normally given a higher purpose than this and are not usually given tasks that would require going above basic standards.

Religion is belief that essential cultural norms, myths, rituals, symbols, tradition and discipline will give one hope and balance, but also cause division, in this life, enable one to transcend death. There are many different religions that people all around the world believe in. Religion is a major aspect in most people’s lives. Women in particular are very religious. A journalist from WorldReligionsNews.com, Kelly Frazier wrote, “According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, religion is a significant part of women’s lives: 86% of women in the United States are religiously affiliated, 63% say that a religion is an important part of their lives, while 44% attend religious services at least on a weekly basis.” Women are vital

Using at least three examples covered in class discuss how gender has implications for religious devotees.

Sexism in the Catholic Church can be described in various ways. Sexism in the Catholic Church can

As the society continues to strive for gender equality within the work force, there is neglect in one specific component of culture: religion. Female marginality is very much prominent in the Catholic Church. As women around the world strive to create a greater voice in corporation, there should also be goals toward a greater feminine voice in Catholicism. Understanding female role in Catholicism and analyzing prominent females in Catholicism enables women of the future to develop a greater influence in the church. Women should seek for female advocacy in the Catholic Church by examining female roles in Catholicism, exceptional women in Catholicism, and traditions of Catholicism.

Religions are threaten daily by the way other people think and how the world is ever changing. Two of the many challenges facing religion today is how women have become independent and same sex marriages. What draws my attention more out of the two is women becoming more independent, because I find myself being independent. Some religions do not believe in women working to help provide for their family; todays time it can sometimes take two incomes to make a decent living. I myself consider the women’s right movement as being a great benefits. Many societies have restricted women from being able to purchase land, getting a better education, having a career, being able to travel, marrying/divorcing, rights to vote, and being in a political roll.

I believe religion and women’s rights have a strong connection that should be addressed. In some religions and in society, women are oftentimes stereotyped, mistreated, or abused. However, how would a women be able to live a life full of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment if she experiences oppression and violence? I realize that not every religion believes in mistreating and oppresses women, but there are still news and stories being broadcasted about discrimination towards women. Although, in some branches of Judaism, women are now allowed to become Rabbi’s in leading services and teaching others about their religion. Overall, regardless of religion, gender, race, or color, women should still have equal rights and freedoms that the men have. Just like men, women can also make a difference in the world helping to promote healthy

“Religions derive their power and popularity in part from the ethical compass they offer. So why do so many faiths help perpetuate something that most of us regard as profoundly unethical: the oppression of women?” All across the world, women are oppressed in various regards - socially, politically, culturally, sexually, etc. Does religion as a whole contribute to the oppression of women? Many would view that some religions neglect the rights of women. This is mainly due to the large male influence that has been always been present in most religious systems. Congo warlords use scripture to justify rape, brides are burned in India as part of a Hindu ritual, and young Afghan girls who try to go to school have acid thrown in their faces. This

THESIS: Should women be permitted to lead religious worship, such as music; should women be permitted to be a pastor; should women be allowed to hold a high administrative office; should women be allowed to serve and care for others? Women are human beings, and all humans were created to serve each other; however, mankind may have culturally set barriers and limitations on women which would not benefit women to serve in certain roles.