Sexism In Religion

Is Religion Inherently Sexist?

Alba K. Marcano

INTRODUCTION

The Oxford Dictionary defines sexism as “Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex”. While sexism has been present in most aspects of human life both today and in the past, religion remains one of the oldest sources and justifications of this behaviour. However, two religions, Christianity and Islam, present two views of the topic. Both the sexist and non-sexist aspects will be examined and compared in this text in order to prove whether or not these religions are inherently sexist. 85

OVERVIEW 1 – Christianity

Sexism in Christianity has been present from the beginning. In the story of the world’s creation, in Genesis, the woman, Eve,

This is a belief echoed several times in the Gospel by Jesus Christ, according to B. A. Robinson, author of the article Women's roles in the Bible: The status of women in the Christian Gospels. Another example of gender equality in Christianity the ordination of female bishops and priests by the Anglican Church. Michael Adie, the Bishop of Guildford in 1992, states: “the ordination of women is a reasoned development, consonant with Scripture, required by tradition”. Many countries agree with this opinion, and have in fact already ordained women (House of Bishops 2004).

In fact, in both religions, women are thought to be inferior to men. This is a belief backed by religious texts in both religions: in the Bible, Eve is told: “you will be subject to him [your husband]” (Genesis 3:16), while in the Qu’ran, a man is said to be worth two women, in terms of inheritance, bearing witness, etc.: “The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females” (Qu’ran 4:11). This way of thinking is the base for modern-day misogyny in both religions. 100 Yet, both religions are slowly beginning to accept women as something more than wives and mothers. Recently, Christians and Muslims have begun accepting women in the role of religious leaders, in Christianity as bishops, and in Islam, as imams. While women have been able to lead religious prayer in Islam under strict circumstances, such as when the congregation is composed uniquely of women or of close family members, in 2005, Dr. Amina Wadud was one of the first women to lead a mixed-gender congregation in prayer (Elewa and Silvers, 2010). One the other hand, Christian women were not able to be religious leaders until recently because the Scripture was against it: women were specifically prohibited from officiating a mass (1 Corinthians 14:34). Nonetheless, certain branches of Christianity, such as Anglicanism now allow women in positions of power, as mentioned in Overview 1.