Women in Western Religions Today

By: Janel Alimboyoguen, Gwyneth Calipjo, Julia Conley, Elly Guadarrama

Overview

• Women in Judaism today (Orthodox vs. Liberal)

• Women in Christianity today (Catholic vs. Protestant vs. Orthodox)

• Women in Islam (Theocracy vs. Democracy)

Women In Orthodox Judaism

• Study Torah or ordained as a Rabbi or Cantor?

• Covered Hair• Kosher Kitchen• Separation• Touching Other

Men

Liberal Judaism

• Study the Torah• Rabbis• Bat Mitzvah• Separation?• High Office

Positions

Rabbi Pauline Bebe

Women in the Hebrew Bible

• God as a Mother Caring for her Child- Isaiah 49:14-18- Isaiah 66:10-13

Worksheet Question #1

• According to Proverbs, how is the ideal wife expected to behave and how does it compare or contrast with the view of the ideal wife today?

• Puts family first, kind, giving, worthy of praise, smart, strong, more than a pretty face, never idle, always working for the good of the household, fears God.

Women in the Catholic Church

• Priests?• Nuns• Separation?• Have a Role in Every

Aspect of Society• Most perfect human

being was a woman: Mary

Protestant Women

• (Baptist & Lutheran) ordained first woman in 1929 & 1992

• Priest and Preachers• Conservative Protestants• Separation?

Women in Orthodox Christianity

• Access to Altar• Gospel Reading• Baptismal• Religious Education• Choir• Priesthood

Women in the New Testament

• Women and Men are Equal- Galatians 3:23-29- 1 Corinthians 11:3-16

• Women Must Remain Quiet- 1 Corinthians 14:26-40- 1 Timothy 2: 1-15

Worksheet Question #2

• Do you feel that the role of women today is in line with the selected readings in the NT?  Explain you answer.

• In most aspects, women are fairly equal to men. However, in some branches the is still exclusion from the clergy.

Women In Islam (Theocratic Gov’ts)

• Theocracy: Afghanistan (Taliban), Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia (Islamism)

• Beating• Hijab• “Iran Cracks Down on Women’s Day”

Women in Islam (Democratic Gov’ts)

• Democracy: USA, Indonesia, India, E. Europe

• Separation?• Dress• Duties• Dowry• Political Power• Active Participants

Women in Islam

• Difference between Islamic Beliefs and Cultural Beliefs- Mistreatment

• Qur’an: story of Adam and Eve • Surah 65: 1-11• Women are independent individuals and

accountable for their own actions on the Day of Judgement.

Women in PowerClergy and Religious Scholars:

- Education- Official Position in a Masjid (Mosque)- Imam?

National leaders:- Muhammad- Islamic Law- Aisha

Example of historical role models for Muslim women as leaders:

- Razia Sultana: short-lived third major independent Muslim ruler of the Sultanate of Delhi in India

- Mamluk Queen Shaiarat ad-Dur: ruled for a few years in Egypt.

Worksheet Question #3

• What is the basis for the hijab in the Qur'an?

• Surah 24:31 (modesty)

Leading Women in Western Religions Today

Judaism: Tova Hartman

• Professor of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializing in Gender Studies

• Founder of Kehillat Shira Hadasha in 2001

Shira Hadasha

• Embraces women’s commitment to halakha (Jewish religious law, customs, and traditions), tefillah (prayer), and feminisn

• Response to the role of women in the synagogue.

• First Partnership Minyan• Controversy

Christianity: Barbara Harris

• First woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican Communion

• Noted for her liberal views and her outspokennes.

• Ordained a deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1980.

• Ordained Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts on February 11, 1989.

• Currently serves as Assisting Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC and publishes The Witness magazine as president of the Episcopal Church Publishing Company.

Islam: Ingrid Mattson

• Earned her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago in 1999. Her research is focused on Islamic law and society.

• Activist• Current President of the

Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

• Raised as a Catholic then abandoned Religion

Summary• Study

- Judaism- Christianity- Islam

• Ordination- Judaism- Christianity- Islam

• Separation- Judaism- Christianity- Islam