Gender and Society Flashcards
What quote in Galatians supports gender equality?
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
What are the Essentialist and Existentialist views on the relationship between biological and gender?
essentialist- distinctive feminine and masculine characteristics, which are intrinsic to biology or nature, are not the product of society
Existentialist- according to this aproach, notion of feminine and masculine characteristics is socially constructed
What are the views of Plato, Aristotle and ST Thomas Aquinas on male and female gender roles?
Plato- argued “only males…. are created directly by the Gods and are given souls”, believed women shoudl not be treated as the possession of men
Aristotle- argued that women are naturally inferior to men, due to his limited reproductory knowledge, and the males ability to produce semen, he was unaware about females having eggs and referred to them as “defective”
Aquinas- believes women are inferior to men in both physical strength and intelligence, believed God made women as inferior to men
What are Tradditional Christians views on different types of Family?
emphasise the importance of teh type of family in teh Bible. Heterosexual and married, may accuse soem Feminists from changing the idea of love between a couple from selfless Christian love to one based on the sexual aspects of the relationship, men and women are made different, but equal
use genesis 3 to argue women are weaker willed than men and that men should take teh lead in decision-making
What is the stance if Catholic Christians on different types of Family?
believe families should be heterosexual and married, condemns co-habitation, does not permit divorce on any grounds
is ambivalent about Feminism, raises place and dignity of women, which is applauded but is suspicious of its secular agenda
What is teh stance of Liberal Christians on different types of Family?
believe that love should remain at teh centre of the discussion, argue love is a reflection of Gods love, failure to endorse same-gender parents is a social issue, not a faith issue, as Jesus himself welcomed those who did not fully conform to society
What are tradditional Christian teachings on motherhood/parenthood?
view motherhood as essential part of a womans identity and purpose, they read Ephesians in a literal sense, emphasising the role of a woman as a wife and mother
What is the Catholic stance on Motherhood/parenthood?
outlined in Mulieris Dignitatem, states taht motherhood is an immense priviledge given by God at creation, seen as part of the “order of creation”, Catholics argue women are linked to the creation of the first humans and to mary as teh mother of the worlds redeemer.
What is the Liberal Christian stance on Motherhood/parenthood?
removes the idea of motherhood from the definition of women, in line with many moves within third-waves feminism, it understands gender roles in less black and white terms, in recognises that Mary may have been a role model, but not for everyone,just like peter wouldnt be a typical role model for all men
What is the role of a Husband and a wife set out in Ephesians 5:22-23?
To lead their wife, just like Christ leads teh Church-they are to be the “head” of the wife
“love”, their wife just like Christ
loved the Church
It takes a radical view of husbands too- they should be prepared to give up their life for their wife ( just as Christ did for the Church)
Women- “submit” to their husband
“respect” their husband
What is the traditional Christian interpretation of Ephesians 5:22-23?
That men ought to be the primary decision-makers and have a God-given authority over women and need to take care of their wives and to love them. As woemn need to “submit” themselves to their husbands and “respect” them as men are superior
What biblical evidence woul Traditional Christians use to support their views on gender roles?
Eve being the first one to sin
women being described as “the weaker sex” in 1 Peter 3:7
ideas of women not having authority over a man 1Timothy 2:12
What is a Liberal Christians interpretation of Ephesians 5:22-33?
would point out that Paul also wrote about teh equality of men and women as in Galatians 3:28 Paul states that all people are one in Christ, many of the churches he set up were run by women e.g, Phoebe, Priscilla and Lydia. also that in context Pauls letters would be seen as radical due ot eh perceived roles of men and women at teh time he was writing.
How does Mulieris Dignitatem define gender roles?
takes the basic Christian notion of gender that male and females are made equally in teh image and likeness of God, rejects views on man as active principle states that men and women are made equally creative and active but in different ways, that marriage is a mutual relationship of equals, but that women are not permitted to take on male role as it would confuse rhe genders and undermine the dignity of a woman as a mother
What is the focus in Mulieris Dignitatem on giving themselves to others?
That humans find themselves fully by giving themselves to each other and to God through doing this
Marriage involves the total giving of a couple to each other, involving an openness to procreation as the text describes motherhood as a “gift of self” and an “expression of spousal love”
