Feminist theology is a movement, generally in Christianity and Judaism, to reconsider the traditions, practices, scriptures, and theologies of their religion from a feminist perspective. Some of the goals of feminist theology include increasing the role of women among the clergy and religious authorities, reinterpreting male-dominated imagery and language about God, determining women's place in relation to career and motherhood, and studying images of women in the religion's sacred texts. At Wikiversity you can learn more and teach others about Theology at: The School of Theology Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ... Feminism is a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies that are concerned with cultural, political and economic practices and inequalities that discriminate against women; some have argued that gendered and sexed identities, such as man and woman, are socially constructed. ... Image of a woman on the Pioneer plaque sent to outer space. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Look up Career in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up mother in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Many religions and spiritual movements hold certain written texts (or series of spoken legends not traditionally written down) to be sacred. ...

Prior to feminism, in some circles and within some denominations women were considered as morally inferior to men and the source of many temptations, especially sexual infidelity. Women were believed to be dedicated to childbearing, their homes, and husbands and therefore had no part in preaching or writing. Men were considered more like God, essentially making women completely inferior to men. Some denominations still prohibit women preaching, and believe that a husband is an authority set over a wife. A religious denomination (also simply denomination) is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity. ... A temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. ... Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a partner other than the lawful spouse. ... A term used to describe women who choose to leave the workforce (typically in white collar career positions) in order to pursue childbearing. ... Look up home in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Husband may refer to: the male spouse in a marriage a husband pillow. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... For other uses, see Wife (disambiguation). ...

Methodology

Feminist theology attempts to consider every aspect of religious practice and thought. Some of the questions feminist theologians ask are:

• How do we do theology? The basic question of how theologians may go about creating systems of thought is being reinterpreted by feminist theologians. Many feminist theologians assert that personal experience can be an important component of insight into the divine, along with the more traditional sources of holy books or received tradition. (The relevance of personal experience to the policies of groups of people is a familiar notion to veterans of the feminist movement.)

• Who is God? Feminist theologians have pioneered the use of non- or multi-gendered language for God, holding that language powerfully impacts belief about the behavior and essence of God.

• Where are women in religious history? Feminist historical theologians study the roles of women in periods throughout history that have impacted religion: the Biblical period, the early Christian era, medieval Europe, and any period of import to a particular religion. They study individual women who influenced their religion or whose religious faith led them to impact their culture. The work of these scholars has helped feminist theologians claim historical figures as their predecessors in feminist theology. For example, Sojourner Truth's "Ar'n't I a Woman?" speech pointed out, "Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman. Man had nothing to do with him!" Elizabeth Cady Stanton produced the "Woman's Bible," excising the traditional Christian text of all references she thought contradicted the positions of women's rights.

hhh At Wikiversity you can learn more and teach others about Theology at: The School of Theology Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... The feminist movement (also known as the Womens Movement or Womens Liberation) is a series of campaigns on issues such as reproductive rights (including abortion), domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. ... Gender in common usage refers to the sexual distinction between male and female. ... Sojourner Truth (c. ... Sojurner Truth Aint I A Woman? is the name given to a speech, delivered extemporaneously, by Sojourner Truth, (1797-1883), born Isabella, a slave, in New York State. ... Elizabeth Cady Stanton (November 12, 1815 – October 26, 1902) was an American social activist and leading figure of the early womens rights movement. ...

In Christianity

Main article: Christian feminism

Christian feminism, a branch of feminist theology, seeks to interpret and understand Christianity in the scope of the equality of women and men morally, socially, and in leadership. ...

In Judaism

Main article: Jewish feminism

Jewish feminism is a movement that seeks to improve the religious, legal, and social status of women within Judaism and to open up new opportunities for religious experience and leadership for Jewish women. ...

In the Bahá'í Faith

Main article: Bahá'í Faith and gender equality

The Bahá'í Faith has as one of its main teachings the the principle of the equality of men and women.^[1] The Bahá'í teachings suggest that for humanity to advance, that each gender, though not identical in function, must work in unison with each other and allow the healthy functioning of society.^[2]The Bahá'í teachings state that gender equality has positive results for everyone, not only women, and that the benefits that result as society improves the station of women, also results in positive results for men.^[2] One of the main ways that the Bahá'í Faith believes that gender equality can be achieved is through the Bahá'í belief in universal education, which requires the same academic and spiritual education for both girls and boys.^[2] One of main teachings of the Baháí Faith is gender equality; that men and women are equal. ... Seat of the Universal House of Justice, governing body of the Baháís, in Haifa, Israel The Baháí Faith is the religion founded by Baháulláh in 19th century Persia. ...

The history of feminism in Bahá'í history begins with Tahirih, an early Babi leader,^[3] and the history contains many other prominent women including Ásíyih Khánum, Bahiyyih Khánum (who is the only woman who was the head of a large religion, even if briefly), Munírih Khánum, May Maxwell and Rúhíyyih Khánum.^[4] With this early spiritual leadership of women, the effort of recognizing the equality of women and men has been on ongoing internal and external rallying point for Bahá'ís. The history of the Baháí Faith represents over 150 years of growth, and this article will attempt to provide more of the details than is possible in a more general overview of the Baháí Faith The religion claims to be part of a long religious tradition begun by Adam, and... Táhirih is the religious title of Fatima Baraghani (1814-1820, died 1852 - birth date uncertain, as birth records were destroyed at her execution), an influential poet and theologian of the Bábí faith and a revered example of courage in the struggle for womens rights. ... The room where The Báb declared His mission on May 23, 1844 in His house in Shiraz. ... Ásíyih Khánum (1820-1886), later and more widely known by her title Navváb, is Baháulláhs first and most well known wife. ... Baháulláh (Arabic: ‎ Glory of God) was the founder and prophet of the Baháí Faith. ... `Abdul-Bahá `Abdul-Bahá `Abbás Effendí (May 23, 1844 - November 28, 1921) commonly known as `Abdul-Bahá (abdol-ba-haa Arabic: ‎ ), was the son of Baháulláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Baháí Faith. ... May Maxwell, 1923 in Egypt with her daughter Mary. ... Amatul-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khanum Amatul-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khanum (1910-2000), born Mary Maxwell was the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Baháí Faith from 1921-1957. ...

Among the more recent projects which sees the principle of advancing the role of women to equality are the Bahá'í-inspired Tahirih Justice Center and the Barli Vocational Institute for Rural Women in India. Layli Miller-Muro founded the Tahirih Justice Center in 1997 following a well-publicized asylum case in which she was involved as a student attorney.^[5] Layli later co-wrote a book with the client she had aided and used her portion of the proceeds for the initial funding of Tahirih. As of 2003, the organization had assisted more than 4,000 women and children fleeing from a wide variety of abuses.^[6] The Barli Vocational Institute for Rural Women was founded in 1985 in India and offers a six-month program for tribal women at its facilities in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.^[7] Through June 1996, a total of 769 rural tribal women have been trained at the Institute;^[8] the women came from 119 villages, and after returning home to their cities or villages 45% of them established small businesses, 62% are functionally literate or semi-literate (which has motivated people to send their children to school), 42% have started growing vegetables, 97% are using safe drinking water, all the former trainees and many of their male relatives have given up drinking alcohol, and caste prejudices have been eliminated.^[8] The Tahirih Justice Center, known simply as Tahirih, is a United States-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that serves immigrant women and girls who are fleeing from gender-based violence and persecution through pro bono direct legal services and social and medical service referrals. ... Layli Miller-Muro (left), the Executive Director of the Tahirih Justice Center, alongisde Fauziya Kassindja, the Togolese woman that Layli represented as a student attorney. ...

In Islam

Main article: Islamic feminism

Some Muslims generally reject the term feminism because they link it with Western promiscuity, sexual freedom, and negligence of childbearing. Nevertheless, feminism has so profoundly influenced Islam, especially among Western Muslims, that Muslims as a whole do not realize Islam was ever not feminist.^{[citation needed]} Muslim literature, especially in proselytizing, emphasize the complementarian view that men and women are different but equal. A symbol of Islamic feminism, incorporating the Crescent Moon and Star of Islam into the female symbol Islamic feminism is a form of feminism that aims for the full equality of all Muslims, regardless of sex or gender, in public and private life. ... Complementarianism is a view of the relationship between the genders that differs from Gender egalitarianism in that it believes that each gender is distinct and has, at least in some setting, different yet complementary roles. ...

However, critics of Islam claim that the Qur'an and Muhammad are misogynist and cannot consistently be reconciled with feminism. These include polygamy, wife beating (under certain extreme conditions), the existence of houris in paradise, the lack of female imams and prophets, and demanding that women's first responsibility is to bear children. This page is an incomplete list of prominent critics of Islam, whether it be the religion as a whole or some aspect of it. ... The term polygamy (many marriages in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology and sociology. ... Islam advocates a harmonious relationship between husband and wife. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Islamic view of angels. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... There is a current controversy among Muslims on the circumstances in which women may act as imams—that is, lead a congregation in salat (prayer). ... Prophets of Islam are human beings who are regarded by Muslims to be prophets. ...

Other religions

In the latter part of the 20th Century, feminism was influential in the rise of Neopaganism in the United States, and particularly the Dianic tradition. Some feminists find the worship of an all-loving goddess, rather than a god, to be consonant with their views. The collective set of beliefs associated with this is sometimes known as thealogy and sometimes referred to as the Goddess movement. See also Dianic Wicca. Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is any of a heterogeneous group of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient, primarily pre-Christian and sometimes pre-Judaic religions. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dianic Wicca. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture For the 1934 film, see, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Thealogy is literally the study of the Goddess (Greek θεά, thea, goddess + λόγος, logos, study). In 1993, Charlotte Carons definition of thealogy as reflection on the divine in feminine and feminist terms appeared, but the term actually originates in the writings of Isaac Bonewits in 1974. ... The contemporary Goddess movement emerged as part of the re-emergence of spirituality in the late 1960s and as a recognition of the need for the worship of the Great Goddess to emerge into the mainstream rather than be confined to the status of a mystery religion, or limited to... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Gender and God

Main article: Gender and God

Others who practice feminist spirituality may instead adhere to a feminist re-interpretation of Western monotheistic traditions. In those cases, the notion of God as having a male gender is rejected, and God is not referred to using male pronouns. Feminist spirituality may also object to images of God that they perceive as authoritarian, parental, or disciplinarian, instead emphasizing "maternal" attributes such as nurturing, acceptance, and creativity. This entry discusses how religions deal approach the issue of Gods gender. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

See also

• Liberation theology
• Postmodern Christianity
• Weak theology
• When God Was a Woman

Liberation theology is a school of theology that focuses on Jesus Christ as not only the Redeemer but also the Liberator of the Oppressed. ... Postmodern Christianity is an understanding of Christianity that is closely associated with the body of writings known as postmodern philosophy. ... Weak theology -- in close association with deconstruction-and-religion -- is a school of thought within continental philosophical theology that has been heavily influenced by Jacques Derridas style of theorizing known as deconstruction. ... When God Was a Woman is the U.S. title of a book (©1976 ISBN 0-15-696158-X) published earlier in the U.K. as The Paradise Papers. ...

Bibliography

• Pamela Sue Anderson, A feminist philosophy of religion: the rationality and myths of religious belief (Oxford; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 1998)
• Pamela Sue Anderson and Beverley Clack, eds., Feminist philosophy of religion: critical readings (London: Routledge, 2004)

Pamela Sue Anderson is Official Fellow, Tutor in Philosophy and Christian Ethics, Dean, and Womens Advisor of Regents Park College in the University of Oxford. ... Pamela Sue Anderson is Official Fellow, Tutor in Philosophy and Christian Ethics, Dean, and Womens Advisor of Regents Park College in the University of Oxford. ...

References

ISSN, or International Standard Serial Number, is the unique eight-digit number applied to a periodical publication including electronic serials. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Unclipping the Wing: A Survey of Secondary Literature in English on Baha'i Perspectives on Women by Trevor R. J. Finch
• Directory of Bahá'í Articles on Gender Equality