1. Timed ten mark question
Outline and explain two roles of religion in society. (10 marks)
15 minutes
End

2. Questions YOU will answer today
Learning goals: To understand and evaluate the feminist theory of religion
1 – Can you summarise the evidence in support of the feminist theory?
2 – Can you discuss the ideas of three key feminist sociologists?
3 – Can you criticise the feminist theory of religion?

3. The feminist theory of religion
Feminist sociologists see society as patriarchal, i.e. based on male domination and female subordination.
Many feminist sociologists regard religion as a patriarchal institution that reflects and perpetuates this inequality between men and women.
They see religious beliefs as a patriarchal ideology that legitimates or justifies female subordination.

4. Gender & Religion: Feminist Contribution
In order to examine the topic of gender & religion it is crucial that you consider the work of feminists. Feminists (in general) tend to see Religion as patriarchal and therefore religious beliefs reflect patriarchal ideology and help to legitimise female subordination while promoting male dominance in society.
Before examining evidence for this, it is important to remind ourselves that different types of feminists contribute to this argument…
Liberal Feminists: These feminists hope to promote equality within religion by removing obstacles that prevent women gaining positions of authority in religion such becoming priests
Radical Feminists: Religion is patriarchal and benefits men. There is a need to recapture the centrality of women in religion from earlier times.
Marxist Feminists: Religion acts as the ‘Opium of the People’ and thus compensates for women's ‘Double Exploitation’ as both working class and female.

5. Evidence for Patriarchy in Religion?.....
Religious Scriptures & Texts:
> Women often occupy invisible and/or subordinate positions to men
> They largely feature male gods and prophets & are usually interpreted and written by men.
> Often contain anti-female stereotypes while men tend to be the key players in the texts.
E.G:……
> In the Judaeo-Christian tradition Eve was created from one of Adam’s ribs – immediately making Man the more important sex.
> In Genesis, Eve is responsible for humanity’s fall from grace and expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
> Eve also led Adam astray and thus laid the basis for original sin.
> Christ’s 12 apostles were all men
> Women are usually either mothers, wives or whores e.g. the portrayal of Mary Magdelene
> Aldridge (2007) points out how in the Qur'an women are legally inferior to men and must submit to their husbands.
> De Beauvoir (1953) sums this up by stating that in most religions ‘man is master by divine right’.

6. Questions YOU will answer today
Intended learning: To understand and evaluate the feminist theory of religion
1 – Can you summarise the evidence in support of the feminist theory?
2 – Can you discuss the ideas of three key feminist sociologists?
3 – Can you criticise the feminist theory of religion?

7. Evidence in support of the feminist theory of religion
You have 10 minutes to read the 3 pieces of evidence
I will then select students to SUMMARISE each piece of evidence– choosing a different student to explain HOW this SUPPORTS the feminist theory
You will complete this section of the summary sheet as the evidence is summarised by your classmates

8. Three key sociologists
Complete this summary section whilst we go through them:
Karen Armstrong (1993)
Nawal El Saawadi (1980)
Simone de Beauvoir (1949)

10. Karen Armstrong (1993)
Women have not always been subordinate to men within religion.
Early religions often placed women at the centre.
For example, earth mother goddesses, fertility cults and female priesthoods were found throughout the Middle East until about 6,000 years ago.
However, from about 4,000 years ago, the rise of monotheistic religions saw the establishment of a single, all-powerful male God, such as the Hebrew’s Jehovah, and male prophets such as Abraham/Ibrahim, the first prophet of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

11. Nawal El Saadawi (1980)
An Egyptian Muslim feminist concerned with the oppression of women in the Islamic Arab world.
Women are sometimes seriously oppressed in Islamic states.
She herself experienced FGM.
While religion may be used to oppress women, it is not the direct cause of their subordination, but result of patriarchy coming into existence in the last few thousand years.
Then patriarchy began to influence and re-shape religion.
Men reinterpreted religious beliefs to favour patriarchy, so religion now contributes to women’s oppression.
Like Armstrong, El Saadawi sees the rise of monotheism as legitimating the power of men over women.

12. Simone de Beauvoir (1949)
Pioneered a feminist view of religion, portraying religion as an instrument of male domination.
Men control religious organisations claiming that their authority comes from God.
Some religions portray women as being closer to God, but only if they are passive and do not question male authority.
Religion then gives women a false belief that their suffering will be rewarded in heaven. Religion therefore gives women a form of false consciousness, which keeps them in their place.
It deceives women into thinking they are equal to men, while in reality they are disadvantaged as the ‘second sex’.

13. Check your peer’s learning
SWAP!
Answer your partner’s question and then hand it back for them to check it
Write a question about the ideas of a key feminist sociologist

14. Questions YOU will answer today
Learning goals: To understand and evaluate the feminist theory of religion
1 – Can you summarise the evidence in support of the feminist theory?
2 – Can you discuss the ideas of three key feminist sociologists?
3 – Can you criticise the feminist theory of religion?

15. Criticising the feminist theory
Complete this summary section as we go…

16. It should not be assumed that all religions are equally oppressive to women
There have been some successful challenges to the patriarchal structure of organised religion:
Gender-neutral language has been introduced in many hymns and prayers
The requirement in the Christian marriage ceremony for the bride to promise to ‘obey’ her husband is now optional.
Judaism has allowed women to become rabbis in its non- orthodox denominations since 1972.
Women have never been oppressed in Quakerism.
Sikhism The most equal of the major religions since all positions are equally open to men and women and Sikh guru’s campaigned for women’s voting rights in India.

17. Religious forms of feminism Evaluating the radical feminist view
Linda Woodhead (2009) criticises feminist explanations that simply equate religion with patriarchy and the oppression of women – it is not true of all religion.
There are ‘religious forms of feminism’ – ways in which women use religion to gain greater freedom and respect.
E.g. the hijab worn by many Muslim women, to the wearer it may be a means of liberation.
Sophie Gilliat-Ray (2010) – some young British Muslim women choose to wear the hijab in order to gain parental approval to enter further education and especially employment.
For them, the hijab is a symbol of liberation that allows them to enter the public sphere without being condemned as immodest, its also a chosen symbol of their own faith.

18. Women also use religion to gain status and respect
Elizabeth Brusco (1995; 2012) found in Colombia, belonging to a Pentecostal group can be empowering for some women.
Despite the strong belief in traditional gender roles, women are able to use religion to increase their power and influence.
E.g. a strongly held belief among Pentecostals is that men should respect women. This gives women power to influence men’s behaviour by insisting that they practice what they preach and refrain from ‘macho’ behaviour.
Similarly, women make use of activities linked to the church, such as Bible study groups, to share experiences and find support.

19. Piety movements Rachel Rinaldo (2010)
Women use religion to gain status and respect in piety movements too.
Piety movements are conservative movements that support traditional teachings about women’s role, modest dress, prayer and Bible study.
They include Pentecostal and evangelical groups, and some forms of non-Christian religions.
Even within conservative religions, women may sometimes find ways to further their own interests.
However, it is middle-class urban women who are most likely to join piety movements. These women may already have other resources, such as education and income, with which to pursue their goals.

20. Liberation Protest Organisations
Quakers and the Unitarians (smaller Protestant Christian groups) are often committed to gender equality and women play leading roles.
E.g. a third of Unitarian ministers are female.
The Church of England, the official state church in England, has had female priests since 1992 and female bishops since Over a fifth of its priests are female.

21. Muddiest point
Are you unclear about any of the criticisms of the feminist theory of religion?

22. Questions YOU will answer today
Intended learning: To understand and evaluate the feminist theory of religion
1 – Can you summarise the evidence in support of the feminist theory?
2 – Can you discuss the ideas of three key feminist sociologists?
3 – Can you criticise the feminist theory of religion?

23. LEARNING-CHECK! 3-2-1 Tell your partner!
THREE pieces of evidence in support of the feminist theory
TWO key feminist sociologists
ONE criticism of the feminist theory