Women & ReligionWomen & Religion

The Goddess CulturesThe Goddess Cultures

The Great GoddessThe Great Goddess The political, economic, social The political, economic, social

and religious foundation of and religious foundation of matriarchal society was the matriarchal society was the agricultural year.agricultural year.

Fostered a cyclical view of life Fostered a cyclical view of life birth, death, re-birthbirth, death, re-birth

The Great Goddess or Mother The Great Goddess or Mother Goddess personified Mother Goddess personified Mother Earth as is the supreme deityEarth as is the supreme deity

To survive societies need To survive societies need to produce both children to produce both children and foodand food

They worshiped the Great They worshiped the Great Goddess to receive these Goddess to receive these blessingsblessings

All women are considered All women are considered daughters of the great daughters of the great goddess, are highly valued goddess, are highly valued and hold important and hold important positions including the positions including the head of familyhead of family

During the Paleolithic period, the art During the Paleolithic period, the art forms are directly associated with the forms are directly associated with the stone and bone industries Cave stone and bone industries Cave paintings with animals and statuettes paintings with animals and statuettes of women, often pregnant--have been of women, often pregnant--have been found suggesting the practice of found suggesting the practice of hunting and fertility rituals hunting and fertility rituals

The annual KingThe annual King Transformation of ritualTransformation of ritual Reinterpretations and emergence of Reinterpretations and emergence of

PatriarchyPatriarchy

Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt

Isis is associated Isis is associated with the star Sirius, with the star Sirius, rising just before rising just before the flooding of the the flooding of the Nile and was seen Nile and was seen as a bringer of as a bringer of fertilityfertility

MesopotamiaMesopotamia

Ishtar is a goddess Ishtar is a goddess of fertility, love, and of fertility, love, and war. In the war. In the Babylonian religion Babylonian religion she "was the divine she "was the divine personification of personification of the planet Venus".the planet Venus".[[

Indo-Iranian religionIndo-Iranian religion Ushas is an exalted Ushas is an exalted

divinity and the divinity and the medium of the medium of the awakening, the activity awakening, the activity and the growth of the and the growth of the other gods; she is the other gods; she is the first condition of first condition of realizationrealization

By her increasing By her increasing illumination the whole illumination the whole nature of man is nature of man is clarified; through her clarified; through her humans arrives at the humans arrives at the truthtruth

Graeco-Roman religionGraeco-Roman religion Hera's importance in the early Hera's importance in the early

archaic period is attested by the archaic period is attested by the large building projects in her large building projects in her honor. honor.

The temples of Hera, were the very The temples of Hera, were the very earliest monumental Greek earliest monumental Greek temples constructed, in the 8th temples constructed, in the 8th century BC. century BC.

Was originally the goddess of a Was originally the goddess of a matriarchal people, presumably matriarchal people, presumably inhabiting Greece before the inhabiting Greece before the Hellenes.Hellenes.

Celtic religionCeltic religion BrigantiaBrigantia "high, lofty, "high, lofty,

elevated". Meaning elevated". Meaning "the high goddess". "the high goddess".

Associated with Associated with Spring, plants, animals Spring, plants, animals and fertilityand fertility

HinduismHinduism Devi, the mother Devi, the mother

goddess. goddess. one presiding female one presiding female

force, one in truth and force, one in truth and many in expression, many in expression, giving the world and giving the world and the cosmos the energy the cosmos the energy for motion. for motion.

HawaiianHawaiian HaumeaHaumea a goddess of fertility and a goddess of fertility and

childbirth in Hawaiian childbirth in Hawaiian traditiontradition

DinehDineh

Changing WomanChanging Woman

Creates the dineh Creates the dineh nation by rubbing nation by rubbing her bodyher body

Gives birth to twin Gives birth to twin herosheros

LakotahLakotah White Buffalo White Buffalo

WomanWoman

The Woman's BibleThe Woman's Bible Woman's Bible, written Woman's Bible, written

by famous 19th by famous 19th Century feminist Century feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton and a "Revising and a "Revising Committee", is one of Committee", is one of the first attempts by the first attempts by women to evaluate the women to evaluate the Judeo-Christian legacy Judeo-Christian legacy and its impact on and its impact on women through women through history. history.

Stanton concluded that 'Stanton concluded that 'the Bible in its the Bible in its teachings degrades Women from Genesis to teachings degrades Women from Genesis to RevelationRevelation'.'.

However she and the other contributors found However she and the other contributors found much to admire in the Bible, particularly some much to admire in the Bible, particularly some of the Old Testament women. of the Old Testament women.

While many of her views are still controversial, While many of her views are still controversial, time and advances in womens' rights have time and advances in womens' rights have lessened some of the shock value of this book. lessened some of the shock value of this book.

Stanton doesn't go as far as some modern Stanton doesn't go as far as some modern feminist theologians and proclaim 'God is a feminist theologians and proclaim 'God is a woman', but there are several contributions woman', but there are several contributions which discuss the gender of the 'Elohim' and which discuss the gender of the 'Elohim' and the female aspects of the Kabbalah. the female aspects of the Kabbalah.