Women and Religion Essay

     Since the beginning of the Jewish religion, women have had what seems to be a marginalized role that encompasses almost every facet of life. In many cases within the body of Jewish texts, clear misogynist statements and commentary are made dealing with every aspect of what it means to be female. Within the Orthodox

Women have been oppressed in many religions such as, Catholic, Christianity, and Muslim. Women are viewed as less than men. They are not allowed to express themselves or have control over their own life. In the Catholic religion they believe women should not be allowed to have abortions. They are saying that Women should not have control over their body.

Founded by Abraham and Moses, Judaism is almost 4,000 years old and is based on the Jewish people’s covenant relationship with God. In the traditional Judaism belief, women are viewed as separate but equal to their male counterparts. In other words, although within the religion, women live under heavier restrictions regarding their responsibilities and obligations, their roles are just as important as those of the men. In the Orthodox Jewish religion, women are expected to stay at home and take care of the house and children. They are exempted from all positive mitzvoth that are time –related, because the women’s duties as wife and mother are so

An often controversial issue within politics is how woman are viewed and treated in the Hindu religion. The role of woman in Hinduism is often disputed and positions range from quite reasonable to highly antagonistic. An often overlooked aspect is that, Hinduism is more of a way of life then a Religion. This is because Hinduism requires that we see the same reality in all the diversity of creation; that we see the same Self in all beings. Hindu women within this religion would view themselves as an important part of the family, but this is not shown through the contents of the Manusmriti. The Manusmriti directly translated is “Laws of Manu,” or “Institutions of Manu,” is regarded as the foundational

Traditionally, Christianity has given men the position of authority in marriage, society, and government. The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, and many conservative Protestant denominations emphasize today that only men can be ordained – as priests, clergy, and as deacons. Even though women are not seen as traditional leaders in the church, the majority of Christians have immense respect for women. After all, God chose a woman, Mary, to have the honor of giving birth to Jesus, the Son of God. Historically, women have played very significant roles in religion. Nuns, specifically,

“The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church” ( BibleGateway).    

1 Timothy 2:11–15 states: “11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 for Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Corinthians 14:33–35 states: “33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their

The role of women in Church has forever been scrutinized and misunderstood; although many churches continue to refuse women certain rights, it cannot be overseen the vast contributions women have given to Christianity and vice versa. All forms of Christianity use scriptures to guide their beliefs, theories and practices. For centuries it has been disputed and argued as to how scriptures should mold religious practices with changing times; with this several branches of Christianity have been formed and each branch views women differently according to their scripture translations, guidance, and beliefs. From Early Christian times people have followed and believed many religious theologians,

For example, if a women decided to become a doctor, this would be impossible because she wouldn’t be able to operate on her patient if she was wearing the required dress. Although the Quran states that women are equal to men, there are also man made books, called the Hadith, which put women on the same level as animals. As stated in the Hadith, “Women are naturally, morally and religiously defective.” Although this may sound odd, the more traditional Muslims prefer the Hadith, over the Quran even though it is their religious book.

Today, in current modern society, women and men are continuingly questioning traditional biblical teachings about deity. Even though numerous people claim that God is beyond gender, history constitutes as evidence of referring God to “Him” as masculine and addressing Him as Lord, King, and Father, further providing a strong conditioning factor in our lives, whether one is religious or not. Rituals and duties have been placed in the hands of men, and the hierarchy has been put firmly in place, therefore revealing that their worth has been subordinated and demeaned in the structures of both society and church. Modern feminists and research reveal that this assumption is mistaken. Lady Wisdom’s attributes and various other examples prove why biblical concepts are relevant in light of our contemporary environmental situation and the experience of women.

The stories told about women in the bible illustrate the importance of their role and contribution to society. Although the Bible does not explain God’s relationship with women as with Moses and other prophets, it illustrates love and devotion women had for Him. The stories of the bible describe brave, nurturing, and God fearing women whose decisions impacted the existence of the Israelites.

Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and

the way that a women is to be treated and the way a women should treat her

Women have been involved in Christian ministry since the very beginning of Christianity. It has declined and risen according to the acceptance of the environment. The two papers addressed in this essay document the rise of women ministers in the Holiness movement as well as the decline of women in the modern Pentecostal movement. In response to this decline in women in ministry, Courtney Stewart gave points which the UPCI should tackle to rectify the situation.

Some say that the role of women in Judaism has been misrepresented and misunderstood. Today when people think of women's role in Judaism, they think of them as being of very low importance. Yet, threw the Halakha (Jewish laws) we are able to see how significant the role of women is in Judaism. There are many Jewish feminist leaders in today's society. This is because throughout the years of education and study of Judaism, the women learned that everyone must be respected. Within Judaism the women are considered to be on a separate level. They are on the world for one reason, and the men for another. Yet, within the religion they are considered as equals.