MW Seminar assigment II

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

This article aims to look at the church’s role in the formation and up-keeping of gender inequality, and how it shaped and constrained gender equality through a stereotypical lens. Harmful and traditional cultural practices contribute to women’s suffering and often result in violence in the patriarchal context. This caused women to renegotiate their identities amidst the church’s views on women and their accepted social roles. Secondly, focus will be placed on gender inequality in the African context. Lastly, I will argue that the church has to confront its views on gender inequality and how it can sanction women’s equality, whereafter I will propose a metaphor for the church as the tree of gender equality.

Gender and Diversity Issues in Religious-Based Institutions and Organizations, 2016

In this chapter we focus on the growth of "new religions" and new religious movements in Latin America and attempt to find explanations for this growth. Although other explanations for the increase in religious plurality exist, we focus on the role of women in this development. The expansion of movements such as Pentecostalism is challenging the centrality of Catholicism in many Latin American countries. Basically, we therefore aim to answer the following question: Why has Pentecostalism grown so much in some Latin American countries while Catholicism has experienced a certain decline? One possible explanation for this is the role of women in this expansion, which has fostered greater social cohesion within families and communities. Pentecostalism has led to a certain empowerment of the women living in precarious conditions, affording them greater visibility and importance within their communities and giving them a role in the re-education of behaviours that are rooted in male domination.

The world’s religions continue to eliminate women from the top positions and seem determined to restrict them to the “nurturing” role, reasoning it as a setting more “natural” to them. The patriarchal perspective will define women and make sure to keep them securely in their place. It has been over two thousand years since the birth of Jesus Christ set in motion the chain of events, which led to the creation of Christianity and also would be one of the most determinant roots of female oppression.

(Bruno-Jofré, R and Bastian, J-P.) (Eds.) Protestant Educational Conceptions, Religious Ideology and Schooling Practices: Selected Papers. University of Manitoba., 1994

2001

2004

Women are stepping out of the restricted space of domes­<br> tic walls to wider horizons in life, thus affirming their personhood<br> and equality with men. The very integrity of the church and the<br> credibility of its mission demands a new understanding of where<br> women stand and how women and men together can make of the<br> church a sacrament of God's vision for humanity. This re-imagining<br> is not something that would happen by itself. It calls for a construc­-<br> tive and innovative move on the part of the church to address this<br> question openly.<br>

Aschendorff, 2024

The essays presented in this volume address the question posed about the role of women throughout the history of the Church: which female figures had the opportunity, and under what circumstances, to express themselves and act freely, thereby exerting their influence in the family, social, spiritual, political, or cultural spheres, but above all, in the ecclesiastical realm. It explores the resources available for their education and training aimed at developing the functions to which they had access. The result is a broad historiographical panorama, characterized by a unique profile, due both to its extensive range - covering almost two thousand years of Church history - and to its openness to less-explored geopolitical contexts. Stimulating reflections on lesser-known figures and events that challenge established historiographical paradigms are not lacking. One of the most important aspects of the volume is its interdisciplinary nature; within the book, we find research conducted by specialists from various fields: history, biography, archaeology, patristics, and archival studies. A strong aspect of the book lies in the authors’ efforts to measure the gap between an often negative and limiting paradigm of women’s roles and their actual condition in a world that, in any case, was imbued with Christian values.

Introduction to EIAL on Catholicism and Society, 2019

The issue of women and church has been a crucial one for last five decades. Many people have written on this issue and many women have fought against the male hegemony in the church and society. In this process a feminist interpretation of the Bible has been produced by many feminist writers. The real issue before us today is whether Bible considers women as equal to male or not, or is there any kind of inferiority suggested for the female part of humanity? Jesus was neither a feminist nor did he start any movement on behalf of the marginalized women in his time, but one thing is sure that he treated them as equals to men and incorporated them in his ministry, obviously not bringing any havoc in the patriarchal society; Mary is an apt example of this. Paul, considered as the second founder and the most important propagator of Christianity, has so much to say regarding the role of women in the church and society, though not as universal norm but obviously within the contexts he was writing. Many consider Paul as an inconsistent in his views regarding women. He restricts women from speaking or teaching in the church, yet he allows them to prophesy. He advocates man to be the head of the woman, yet says that both are equal in Christ. In spite of all the restrictions laid by him, he commends women for their zeal in the ministry and associate many of them in his ministry. The early church history has been suspicious about the role of women in church and society and many of the church fathers have considered women inferior to men. But at the same time church history has witnessed many women being very active in the ministry and leading the church and society. One thing we need to bear in our mind that today's context is entirely different from the past history. Today technology and science have brought radical changes and challenges before us which were unknown even before ten years. In today's context the role of the church is not only related to the religious activities but also to the secular world. In present scenario, it is impossible to neglect the role of women in the church and society as they have become increasingly significant with their male counterpart. But at the same time we find that many advocate the inferior position to women and deny leadership and pastoral role to them. In many cases their voices are suppressed and they are marginalized and often, unfortunately, on biblical basis. Many societies still consider women inferior to men and because of that their full potential is not being used. In this context church has a very vital role to play in liberating them from patriarchal hegemony and bring out their complete potential to be used in church and society. Introduction The present era has witnessed a real revolution in the roles of women and men. To some extent this revolution is a result of fast societal and cultural change. For example, the rapid process of urbanization has moved the population from the farms with their relatively clear and traditional roles for women and men, into the increasingly modern cities, where traditional identities have been distorted. This shift and its associated turmoil have had some positive results. Women have never enjoyed more opportunities than these in any time of the history. Their valuable inputs to society are increasingly acknowledged. At the same time, dramatic changes in male-female roles have also created perplexity and doubt. Perhaps this perplexity and doubt have influenced the church too. In the context of the feminist movement, the movements for the equal rights, and connected sociological and political developments, several Christian denominations have involved themselves in discussions of the role of women in the life of the church. Should churches ordain women for pastoral ministry? Should church polity be revised that women may serve as elders and deacons? Is there any ecclesiastical position from which women should be kept away? These and other similar questions have been prominent on the theological agenda of numerous church bodies.

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture, 2015

Symposium. Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, who was visiting the Philippines at the time of the RTD, graciously accepted Dr. Porio's invitation to join the RTD. Ms. Sanchez, who was the key organizer of the Symposium, and Dr. Lambino joined the RTD as discussants and resource persons. Fr. Luis