RS GCSE Christianity and Islam Two Chairs Exchange RS GCSE Christianity and Islam

Gender difference and women’s rights in religion(s)

Starter: what might each woman think about the other?

Research I: St Paul on the role of women Ephesians 5:22-33 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.  

Research II: Qur’an on women Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.  

Research III What the Koran really says about women http://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/koran-carla-power/ Christian Feminism is not an oxymoron https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/21-february/comment/opinion/christian-feminism-is-not-an-oxymoron

Pair Work A Two Chairs Exchange about religion and women's rights:   Group A split into pairs. In each pair imagine yourselves as a humanist and a Muslim feminist. Write a dialogue that they might have, using the core principles of the two Chairs Exchange Group B also in pairs, write a similar dialogue between a humanist and a Christian feminist.

Rearranging the chairs… Group A students to work with a partner in Group B Can Islam teach Christians about positive ways to think about women and vice versa? Feedback to whole class on discussions …

Essay title ‘Men and women do not have equal rights in Christianity and Islam.’ Evaluate this statement. In your answer you: should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view should refer to differing religious arguments may refer to non-religious arguments should reach a justified conclusion. Without referring to the Two Chairs idea directly, try to bring out differences and similarities between Christianity and Islam. Try to compare and contrast what you have found out about how the two faiths view genders and their rights. Try to avoid black and white statements about either faith (avoid: ‘one faith always treats women favourably, the other faith only supresses women’). 12 marks