1. Think back our last lesson.
Joseph and his Technicolor dream coat. Listen to the song carefully make how is Potiphars wife is portrayed?
How are men portrayed in religion?
What are the impacts (according to feminists) for women as a result of this portrayal?
Whose theory can we link this to?
Potiphers wife

2. Evidence of patriarchy
Religious organisations are mainly male dominated e.g. orthodox Judaism and Catholicism forbid women from becoming priests.
Religious laws and customs
Often give women fewer rights than men e.g., in access to divorce, dress codes etc. They may also experience unequal treatment e.g., female genital mutilation and punishment for sexual transgressions. Many religions legitimate and regulate women's traditional domestic and reproductive role e.g., the Catholic church bans abortion and artificial contraception.
Sacred texts largely feature the doings of male gods and prophets and often reflect anti- female stereotypes e.g., Eve.
Places of worship often segregate the sexes and marginalise women in acts of worship e.g., not being allowed to preach or to read from sacred texts. Taboos that see menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth as polluting may also prevent participation.

3. But religion doesn’t always equal patriarchy
Woodhead (2002)
Not all religions are patriarchal. The are religious forms of feminism- ways women use religion to gain greater freedom and respect.
The position of women in some religions is changing e.g., since 1992, the Church of England has admitted women to the priesthood. Other protestant denominations, Reform Judaism and Sikhism all allow women priests.
The hijab is often viewed as oppressive by western feminists, but to the wearer it could be a sign of liberation.

4. Oppression is in the eye of the beholder?

5. Religious organisations Woodhead
Studies
Evaluation
Feminist
Religious organisations
Karen Armstrong/Woodhead – exclusion from priesthood
Male domination/abuse in sects
Places of worship
Segregation
Restricted involvement
Holm – devaluation of women
Sacred texts
Stereotypes/gender roles
Expectations (Mother Mary , Eve, Delilah  )
Qur’an ‘men in charge of women’
Religious laws/customs
Fewer rights for women
Genital mutilation/veiling (‘mobile prison’ Burchill)
Domestic/reproductive expectations
Sexual expectations (marriage/virgin)
Daly – male/sado rituals
Simone de Beauvoir – compensation
Anderson & Gordon – witchcraft
Armstrong – decline of the Goddess
Woodhead
forms of religious feminism- gain status
Veil = symbol against oppression
El Sadawi – religion is not problem…only men hijacking organised religion
Holm & Bowker – forerunner of feminist movement (orgs led by women)
High levels of female religiosity
Women and NAMs
Female priests now
Fundamentalism offers protection/respect
Women rabbis since 1972
Quakerism – fair

6. Evaluating Feminism
Some religious groups have been founded and led by women. In the 19th century Ellen White founded the Seventh Day Adventist Church and Mary Baker Eddy, the church of Christian Science.

7. Feminist Theories- What is meant by the term patriarchy?
How are some places of worship ‘oppressive’ to women?
In which religions are women ‘excluded’ from leading services and holding positions of authority?
Identify an example from a sacred text of a male figure who is respected - seen as inspiring, wise.
Identify an example from a sacred text where a female character is seen as devious or untrustworthy
How may images in sacred texts ‘ideologically’ reinforce traditional gender roles and expectations?
Identify 2 other ways that religion ‘controls’ women
What does the case study of ‘witch hunting’ tell us about the treatment of women by Christianity in the past?
How may ‘veiling’ be seen in terms of patriarchy?
Identify 3 examples of where religion is ‘non-patriarchal’ and a source of liberation for women.
Which religious organisations are attractive to women and why?
How is the Feminist view similar to the Marxist view?

8. Homework
Analyse two explanations for why feminist scholars see religion as patriarchal (10 marks)