Theories of Religion - Feminism

Question 1

How do feminists argue religion is patriarchal?

Answer 1

God is portrayed as male - reinforcing men are more powerful

Characters in religious texts predominately male
Women who are in the texts tend to be:
-portrayed in a negative light
-secondary to males
-in traditional gender roles

Most religious leaders are male, most followers are female

Question 2

How do feminists argue religion is a patriarchal conservative force?

Answer 2

Gender paradox

Stained glass ceiling

Sexual apartheid: De Beauvoir

Oppression in monotheistic religions: El Saadawi

Question 3

What is the gender paradox?

Answer 3

women are the main ‘consumers’ of religion, but they are marginalised by it

Question 4

What is an example of the gender paradox?

Answer 4

e.g. in buddhism, male monks have higher status than female monks (men are seen as superior)

Question 5

How does the gender paradox reinforce the idea that religion is a patriarchal conservative force?

Answer 5

Shows religion is a patriarchal conservative force because it helps prevent social change by dulling the patriarchy women experience and if they are unaware of this then they won’t challenge the patriarchy they are experiencing and social stability will remain

Question 6

What is the stained glass ceiling?

Answer 6

an invisible barrier to achieve leadership positions in religion - women are unable to break through it

Question 7

What is an example of the stained glass ceiling?

Answer 7

e.g. in the Roman catholic church, women cannot be priests

Question 8

How does the stained glass ceiling reinforce the idea that religion is a patriarchal conservative force?

Answer 8

Shows religion is a patriarchal conservative force because it keeps women subordinate to men by not allowing them any power or say, therefore religion continues to oppress women as they cannot challenge it or make changes

Question 9

What is the sexual apartheid?

Answer 9

refers to the idea that religion encourages segregation of men and women

Question 10

What is an example of the sexual apartheid?

Answer 10

e.g. in Orthodox Judaism women sit separately to the men at the back on balconies or behind screens

Question 11

How does the sexual apartheid reinforce the idea that religion is a patriarchal conservative force?

Answer 11

Shows religion is a patriarchal conservative force because men use religion to oppress women and women are compensated for their lower status through the promise of Heaven

Question 12

What are monotheistic religions?

Answer 12

where they believe in one male God

Question 13

What is an example of a monotheistic religion?

Answer 13

e.g. In Islam, authority belongs to the man, men are allowed to have as many wives as they like and can divorce but women cannot

Question 14

How do monotheistic religions reinforce the idea that religion is a patriarchal conservative force?

Answer 14

Shows religion is a patriarchal conservative force because men as seen as superior to women and women are therefore not allowed any power

Question 15

In what ways do liberal feminists argue religion is liberating for women?

Answer 15

Women are breaking through the stained glass ceiling

Equality in some religions

Muslim women and the veil as liberating: Watson

Question 16

What evidence is there of women breaking through the stained glass ceiling in the Church of England?

Answer 16

In Christianity, Libby Lane became the first female bishop of The Church of England in December 2014 and in Rose Hudson-Wilkin became the first black female bishop of The Church of England in November 2019

Question 17

Why might women breaking through the stained glass ceiling support the view that religion can liberate women from patriarchy?

Answer 17

Women are gaining more power within religion which allows them to make changes which allows women to be equal to men which should help reduce oppression and patriarchy within religion

Question 18

Why might radical feminists still argue religion is patriarchal despite evidence of women breaking through the stained glass ceiling?

Answer 18

Would argue it’s not enough, as many monotheistic religions don’t allow female leaders such as the Roman Catholic Church

Question 19

What evidence is there of greater equality in Sikhism?

Answer 19

Women are able to participate in all religious and social activities in the in the Gurdwara and both men and women worship together.

Question 20

Why might radical feminists argue, that despite greater equality in Sikhism, religion remains patriarchal in the UK

Answer 20

Argue that women in the Roman Catholic Church still face patriarchy, and the story of Adam and Eve reinforces the social inferiority of women

Question 21

How might the veil worn by many Muslim women be seen as liberating them from patriarchy

Answer 21

Wearing the veil allows them to cope with and reduce male oppression and means they avoid the male gaze

Question 22

Why would El Saadwi criticise the view that Muslim women wearing the veil are liberating from patriarchy?

Answer 22

Argues women in Islam are still victims of male aggression and violence due to patriarchal ideology underpinning the monotheistic religion in Islam

e.g. authority belongs to the man