Women in western religion
Women in western religionWomen in Religion
My intent of this paper is to give the reader knowledge and understanding of women in three different religious traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic. I will compare and contrast on these three different religions and the role of women in each.
Christianity
The Bible and the church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of woman's emancipation. Women, considered a lower class than the men, wanted this subjugation changed. Part of the reason for the subjugation of women is that the Bible could be interpreted in many different ways to suit the needs of the interpreter. The interpretations of the Bible are in part responsible for the belief that women are of a lower class than men. We see examples of these beliefs when we look at the church, the daily lives of women, and the media. Looking at 1 Timothy 2:11-12, we see why our religious society could be interpret the Bible this way: Let a woman learn in silence with all submission, and do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. We must look at the historical context of the passage.
Written approximately 2000 years ago, many parts of the Bible seem outdated. The passage portrays a time when women were property and were "trained" to be weak and fragile. This stopped only about thirty years ago. Before this time, society taught women from birth to be submissive to men. What does this mean to us today? It means that although American society is no longer training women to be submissive, the problem is still present in our belief system. Many churches do not believe that women should be part of the clergy. This is because they interpret parts of the Bible, such as 1 Timothy 2:11-12, as saying that only men should preach.
Along with the belief that women must be submissive and silent, there is also the belief that women are the cause of men's downfall and therefore are evil. In the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, God tells Adam and Eve that there is one tree in the garden of which they must not eat. Deceived by the devil, Eve eats fruit from the tree and then persuades Adam to eat it. This act historically displays the deception of man by woman and has put women in a very bad light. I Timothy 2:13-14 states: "For Adam was formed from Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression." Therefore, the basic belief that women are the cause of men's downfall is obsolete.
Unfortunately, the women of our day find it difficult to effectively work in the ministry because culture, the church, religious traditions, family responsibilities, fear and economic powerlessness restrict them....
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