week 12 – religion and spirituality in women’s lives

Religion has been a looming influence on women throughout the rise of Western culture. There is a long history of religion being used to control women, though women – and men- are now working in many religions to rethink past mandates and allow women to worship as equal to men.

In most religions, a monotheistic God is assumed to be male. Where does this leave women? While there may be revered women in some religions, they may not hold the same power or sanctity as men. I hope the idea in the NPR piece is as eye-opening to you as it is to the author’s students. The NOW Store (and various other leftist/liberal organizations) sells the following bumper sticker:

While this is offered in a humorous light, think about it. What do you think a female God would think of the ways she is portrayed/worshipped?

The assigned readings for this chapter cover the status of women in any religions. You will read about the history of women’s treatment in the name of religion and ways that women are working for equality. The readings on Judaism and Islam may give you more insight to beliefs often overlooked or twisted in modern America. The last reading on witchcraft may introduce you to the “real” witchcraft – Wicca – not the devil-worshipping cult often portrayed in pop culture. Some anti-feminists make outrageous claims about Wicca. Is it because Wiccan tenets are so different than their own hierarchal beliefs? Pat Robertson famously said, “Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” This is another example of the ways feminist beliefs are ridiculed and sensationalized, as we studied in the first chapter. Does this hatred and fear of women’s power also lie behind the resistance of Islam to allow women to worship with men, the refusal of the Catholic Church to ordain female priests?

Photo courtesy Carutapera | PixelAlibi

We all come from a variety of religious backgrounds. Please think about your experiences and share the ways – both empowering and oppressive – in which gender has been dealt with in your religious history.

Chapter 12 readings

Textbook readings:

• Chapter 12 introduction, 3rd ed.: p.666 (I swear!) -679; 4th ed.: p.669-682
• Reading 94/91 “Introduction to The Woman’s Bible“, Cady Stanton, 3rd ed.: p.680; 4th ed.: p.683
• Reading 95/92 “God Says Yes to Me”, Haught, 3rd ed.: p.681; 4th ed.: p.684
• Reading 98/95 “The Islamic Bill of Rights for Women in Mosques”, Nomani, 3rd ed.: p.689-694; 4th ed.: p.692-697
• Reading 99/96 “Standing Again at Sinai”, Plaskow, 3rd ed.: p.694-697; 4th ed.: p.697-700
• Reading 100/97 “Everywoman Her Own Theology”, Ostriker, 3rd ed.: p.697; 4th ed.: p.700
• Reading 101 “Witchcraft and Woman’s Culture”, Starhawk, 3rd ed.: p.698-700; 4th ed.: p.701-703

Supplemental readings:

• Listen to the clip Madonna’s Cross Raises Thorny Questions Donna Freitas, NPR’s All Things Considered August 16, 2006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5658956
• Hildegard von Bingen: The Biography of a Feminist NunBiography researched by Charles Moffat, 2002. http://www.feministezine.com/feminist/HildegardVonBingen-FeministNun.html
• Faith Positions on GLBT Americans Human Rights Campaign http://www.hrc.org/issues/religion/4955.htm
• The Push to Ordain Women Priests Gains Ground Reiss.  Time.  September 25, 2010. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2021519,00.html
• Lubna Hussein, Hero.  Pollitt.  The Nation.  August 10, 2009.  http://www.thenation.com/blog/lubna-hussein-hero

Advertisement