The Messenger: Women and
Empowerment
Suffocating Social Presuppositions:
• Joan of Arc violates social constructions regarding
women in religion:
•
God chooses a
woman-prophet
•
A woman can be a
political force
•
A woman can be
victorious in the “manly art” of warfare
•
A woman is EXPENDABLE
once she has served the only cause that counts: the male cultural agenda!
The Messenger: Negative
Stereotypes about Women
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Women lack authentic
spiritual power
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If women appear to be
spiritually powerful, it must be:
•
the work of the Devil
•
because she is
“confused”
•
the result of
psychological or emotional turmoil
•
Post-traumatic stress
syndrome (seeing her sister raped and killed)
•
obsession with their
sins (2 Tim. 3:6-9)
The Messenger:
Myth & History
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The basic historical facts on Joan of Arc are
accurately portrayed in the movie
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Does the
movie fail mythically?
•
Self-esteem and empowerment?
•
Women as paradigmatic figures?
•
Inspiration for future women religious leaders?
•
Resolving gender-conflicts?
Doctrine and Interpretation: Stages in Doctrine Development
Original events
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seen as divine in origin
•
charismatic leaders teach
•
sacred rituals developed
•
miracles occur
•
prophetic events happen
•
a new reality is created
•
a seed of a new religion is planted
Doctrine and Interpretation: Stages in Doctrine Development
Oral then written myth
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the original account of the Holy Events
•
oral myths are told for many years
•
letters might circulate describing events
•
early written accounts emerge
•
often these accounts serve the particular needs of
unique communities
•
over time, a canon of accepted myths is
agreed upon = becomes Sacred Text!
Religious Doctrines
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Religious Doctrines are human interpretations
of ancient holy events expressed in myths that are usually embodied in sacred
texts.
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Sacred myths may be divinely inspired
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This is a question for the faith community, not religious
studies
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Doctrines are humanly inspired and REFLECT
CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
How Christianity “absorbs” patriarchy & hierarchy
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Patriarchy: gender supremacy for males and masculine
qualities
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Hierarchy: domination-subjugation relationships
characterized the culture of 1st century Palestine
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A ruling-class concept of hierarchical power
for men governs and guides social constructions in Jesus’ time
Jesus’ Egalitarianism
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Jesus’ ministry radically disrupts the domination-subordination
hierarchical social constructs of his time
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Jesus has an open and egalitarian relationship with
women shocked the social and religious establishment of his time
Jesus and Women
JESUS:
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Hangs out with women: (Luke 8: 1-3)
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Contrasts the faithlessness of the social and
religious establishment with the faith of poor widows and outcast women (Luke
21: 1-4; 7:36-50)
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Performs first miracles for women: (Matt. 8:14; Mark
1:30-31; John 2:1-11)
Jesus and Women
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Violates Jewish law
regarding a menstruating women as unclean (Luke 8:43-48)
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Violates Jewish law
forbidding exchanges between a man and a women not his wife (John 4:27)
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Women are first
witnesses of his resurrection (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10, 22-25; John
20:1ff)
SERVICE: Jesus’ Deconstructive
Ministry
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Traditional social constructs of God as Father
supported:
•
Sexism in the Church and society
•
Hierarchicalism in biblical religion
•
Male ruling-class power over subjugated groups
•
Gender supremacy for males
Service as a New Paradigm
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Jesus presented the
image of service to overthrow a ruling-class concept of hierarchical
power
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The principles of
Christian community are founded upon a role transformation between men and
women, rulers and ruled
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Luke 10:38-42 –
inclusive teaching for women
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Matthew 23: 8-11 – no
church hierarchy
Paul and Women
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Paul is the first interpreter of the life and
teaching of Jesus
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Writes 13 letters that interpret Christian doctrine
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Paul is a:
•
Theological radical (Galatians 3: 28)
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Social conservative (Col.3: 18 – 4:1)
Paul and Women
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Paul’s conservative attitude towards women is driven
by:
•
His own rigid religious upbringing (Saul, the
Pharisee)
•
His sense that the world was coming to an end
(apocalypticism)
•
Corinthians 14:34: negative statement about women
was probably edited in later
Patriarchy Takes Hold
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The Pastoral Epistles: 1 &2 Timothy and Titus
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Letters attributed to Paul that are actually written
after his death
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Key themes are correct doctrine and the
establishment of church hierarchy
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1 Tim. 2:11-15; 2 Tim. 3:1-9
Doctrine, Interpretation, Sexism
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Constantine revives the Old Testament laws of cultic
purity
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The Christian ministry becomes a social caste of
male priests
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Women are defined as “unclean” and excluded from the
sanctuary
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Male = purity; female = pollution
Doctrine, Interpretation, Sexism
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Medieval scholastic theology adopts Aristotle’s
definition of women as “misbegotten males”
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Thomas Aquinas believed that women were biologically
defective, inferior by nature, and more prone to sin
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Women, therefore, can not lead the church
Religious Doctrines:
Key Functions
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Doctrines bring order, focus, and tone to myth, ritual, teachings, parables, etc.
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Doctrines determine who or what is important (men,
women, events, etc.)
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Doctrines are belief systems that provide specific
answers to profound life questions
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Doctrines determine appropriate religious
experience
Religious Doctrines
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Definition = the institutionalization of answers
about the unexplainable
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Death, suffering, change = problems that cannot be
resolved in terms of common sense or scientific knowledge
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Faith = a religious way of knowing the
truth based on the authority of a church, sacred text, religious
leader, tradition, etc.
The Doctrinal & Ethical Dimensions of Religion
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Doctrine = belief
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Ethics = behavior
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Religious behavior impacts on society
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Religion is a major determinant of human behavior
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Religion is a major determinant of cultural
experience, for good or ill!
Religious Ethics
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Religious ethics is that aspect of religion
concerned with proper patterns of action in the situation and
circumstances of the human life cycle and social relations
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Ethical behavior is guided by laws, customs,
morals.
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Religious doctrines inform or guide laws,
customs, and, morals.
LANGUAGE: Godspeak for Everyone
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Language is crucial to the development of a person’s
self-esteem and empowerment
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Language has the power to affirm or alienate a
person’s identity and define a person’s relationships
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Patriarchal society uses dualistic categories for
building concepts
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Women are put in an inferior position
LANGUAGE: Godspeak for Everyone
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Religious myths emphasize the attributes of a male
deity
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Women feel devalued because the language excludes
them!
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The challenge: how do we find language that
adequately describes the characteristics of divinity?
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God must BE male/female
LANGUAGE:Godspeak for Everyone
God’s opposing characteristics:
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transcendent yet immanent
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impersonal
yet personal
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sustainer yet destroyer
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source of identity; guide to relationships
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force/energy yet nurturing friend
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God yet Goddess - GO INCLUSIVE!
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
Original version = “Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matt. 28:19
Revision = “Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of God the Father and
Mother and of Jesus Christ the beloved child of the Holy Spirit”
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
Roman Catholic invocation to prayer:
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“Let us pray to the
Father, who, through the Holy Spirit, has given life to Jesus, his son, and has
made him source of life for us.
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“Let us pray to our
loving Creator, who, through the Holy Spirit, has given life to Jesus the
Christ, the source of life for us.”