Women Praying at the Western Wall

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.

To this day the women’s suffrage movement ignites women in the present to keep those right burning. Alice Paul and her fellow women suffrages demonstrated through speeches, lobbying and petitioning Congressional Committees, with parades, picketing and demonstrations, and with arrest that lead to imprisonment. These women express courage that women still uphold for years after their legacy has passed on, such as the article “Women’s Strike for Equality,” by Linda Napikoski, in the demonstration that was held on August 26, 1970 on the 50th anniversary of women’s suffrage. As well as an article “Women to Protest For Equality Today,” by United Press that talks about on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the women’s suffrage and “declared war on firms that Damage the Image,” of the fair sex. Alice Paul, set the stage for inspiring women to fight for their rights everywhere across the world.

In this essay I will explore the different schools of feminism such as Marxist, liberal and radical feminism, who share the view that women are oppressed in a patriarchal society but differ in opinion on who benefits from the inequalities. Each school of feminism has their own understanding of family roles and relationships which I will assess through this essay.

When reading Lynn Japinga’s Essential Guide to Christianity and Feminism, there are many different lessons that you can take from it, ranging from lessons on what it means to be a feminist, what it takes to be considered a practicing Christian, and the many critics that both Christians and feminists face. Much like The Bible, the lessons you take depends on how you read it and what of your own knowledge and experiences you bring into the analysis. As someone who is on the forth year of sociology and gender studies programs, I went into the reading with a preconceived view on what it means to be a feminist and with knowledge of the potential dangers that women within Christianity face.

“Because of countless millions of women, who planned, organized, lectured, wrote, marched, petitioned, lobbied, paraded, and broke new ground in every field imaginable, our world is irrevocably changed. Women and men in our generation, and the ones that will follow us, are living the legacy of women’s rights won against staggering odds in a revolution achieved without violence” (para.1)

WOW- the women’s involvement in religious societies an advancement in which women were given major roles. Comparing the late half of the 19th century to the early colonial America, women’s role in religion had advanced. This was significant because not only were women involved in missions but their missions help people around the globe. This was important because with women’s involvement, the mission of the organization can be viewed as a mission that accepts everyone.

With the institution of religion being so steeped in patriarchal ideals throughout history, Reform Judaism has proven to be a beacon of acceptance for Jewish women looking to live fulfilling lives in both the private and public spheres. Within North America, Women of Reform Judaism has lead women to to become active citizens and stand up for worthy causes. As well, the introduction of female congregational leadership has presented a fresh opportunity for spiritual enrichment. In Israel, which is governed by traditionalism, Reform Jewish people worldwide are in support of equality at the Western Wall- supporting an organization called Women of The Wall. Even though religion is on a decline within Western society, Reform Judaism has grown to

The author of each article is a feminist scholar and female practitioner of the represented faith. The result is a refreshing and insightful collection of actual women’s experiences as both members of their chosen faith and as devout feminist scholars. Thus, Her Voice, Her Faith is an eloquent contribution of the “proper” religious scholarship Gross advocates.

The woman as a divine being and a consolidator of every belief that adheres to divinity is defined and explained in both Karen Christina Lang’s Images of Women in Early Buddhism and Christian Gnosticism and in Elaine Pagels’ The Gnostic Gospels. As analysis of religious beliefs, the works define the religious and cultural relevance of the woman in the origins of both Buddhism and Gnosticism, as well as the effects that the patriarchal society has changed in this original belief system. Both literatures assert that the role of the woman in religion serve the purpose of being the divine – or the evidence that Gnosticism is a symbol of the feminine, of celebrating the woman as the most significant element that created the world view as well as beliefs. The traditions set forth by both Buddhism and Christian Gnosticism all adhere to the celebration of the woman, her power, her purity, and her importance in shaping the world, and the men who have to purposely oblige to this belief and to create the tradition which the community should follow. Hence, both Lang and Pagels identified that woman, in her own vestal powers, is the main exhibitor of religious participation as well as the symbol of wisdom in humanity.

In the final chapter of Objectivity and Diversity, Harding puts feminist discourse in conversation with cultural context and religiosity; particularly, I’m intrigued by the future of religious feminism in contrast with the more popular secular feminism. Secularism is an issue that Western feminism grapples with frequently, tending to adopt secular views because of rampant misogyny in religious institutions. This Western secular approach, however, is especially problematic because lends an oppressive characteristic to a movement that otherwise seeks to eliminate oppression; it also irreparably reduces feminism to a one dimensional body of Western secular knowledge. This type of free market feminism is quite indebted to the patriarchal, classist, and racist concept of “secularism” as a superior institutional ideology and continually propagates capitalist forces that oppress women. Nonetheless, it frequently derides religious feminism is for perceived conflicts of interest and the historical role of misogyny in most religions.

In fact, it is crucial to recognize the improvements the Church has made in recent years; if this were not 2015 but rather, 1915 or earlier, the Church probably would not have even uttered the word “woman” in a positive light. Furthermore, based on personal experience, feminists do tend to castigate the Church, focusing on the bad and not on the good. However, the Church has made respectable strides regarding its take on feminism and womanhood. This progress, although it is not easily seen, is entirely visible when looking at documents written by Pope John Paul II such as Mulieris Dignitatem, “Letter to Women”, and “Culture Equality Is Urgently Needed Today.”

Because a writer’s voice is influenced by personal history, it is difficult to leave identity out of writing. Mattingly and Wallace & Alexander’s essays show that they are passionate about their respective subjects. Mattingly documents how historical memorials of women’s achievements have become less significant and shifted away from prominent locations. She argues that power and influence determine the public spaces that monuments fill. Traditional masculine themes of war and military action are tied to power and are typically left in place. Even though her essay focuses on a history that most readers are unfamiliar with, she ties the piece to more modern concerns by showing the probability that marginalized groups today will be pushed

“You cannot be a humanist unless you are a feminist. You either advocate equality for all or you are a misanthrope” (Michael A. Sherlock). From women’s suffrage to abortion laws feminism has evolved with contemporary battles and a variety of approaches. The

Judaism is a very complex, deep and meaningful religion. It includes many commandments and laws. Women and men have specific “instructions” and rituals that each one has to fulfill according to their gender. Judaism expects a specific behavior from men and another one completely different from women. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explain the different roles of men and women and the more important commandments they have to accomplish based on their gender.

My paper studies the three most significant and most commonly known western religion Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in terms of the role that the woman played and a brief synopsis of the religions itself. Religion is a system of human though which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner’s experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity, or ultimate truth. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are the only religions that are based on a single creator and that are why they are called western religions. These three religions are monotheistic faiths practiced by about half of the world’s population. Believers of the three religions are found on every continent