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Christian and Islamic Gender Equality
RELIGION AND GENDER INEQUALITY women states
Social change in religion
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Growing up Christian, I am intrigued by other religions that have similar but more rigid dogma regarding Christian values and beliefs and how they live out their stated convictions. I wonder what attracts people to such strict practices and how women and the LGBT community are accepted, viewed and their roles, both traditional and modern in both Catholicism and Judaism. I plan to study the changing role of society in regards to women, the LGBT community and the role of religion in this social change. How do women and the LGBT community influence these religions? Also, what is the influence of gender and sexual orientation on their religious practices and doctrine? My objective is to further understand the role of these two religions as it factors in the role of women in leadership positions within the religion and the acceptance of the LGBT community and how they are changing or not changing their doctrine for this particular social group.
The role of women in society has changed so much in recent years. Women are taking on leadership roles in politics, economics, and more but many religions still have not allowed women to participate or hold leadership roles within the church. Why is this so and is this situation likely to alter given social change? This topic is a subject of considerable sociological debate—the more so in view of the history of these two religions as a profoundly patriarchal.
All religions have something to say about sexuality within the remit of religious control and religious teaching. Both of these religions state tolerance and have been victims of persecutions throughout history, yet their doctrine affirms that homosexuality is wrong. Given social change regarding the acceptance of the LGTB commun...
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...nction but the specific nature and doctrine of a religion may or my not be able to change with society.
Works Cited
Cohen, Steven. "Gay, Jewish, or Both? Sexual Orientation and Jewish Engagement." Keshet Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. .
Dillon, Michele. Catholic identity: balancing reason, faith, and power. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.
Hoge, Dean. "Corpus - A Renewed Community of Faith: Corpus - A Renewed Community of Faith." Corpus - A Renewed Community of Faith: Corpus - A Renewed Community of Faith. N.p., 15 June 2005. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. .
"Jewish Women's Archive." Jewish Women's Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. .
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...eral problem of the male-dominated theological language, liturgy, and religious education denying women a place to celebrate life in the church. The theological language has its roots through patriarchal family terms because of generic masculinity. For example, the word Father referring to “your Father who is in Heaven” (247) allows paternal exploitation to grow.
The views of homosexuality vary all around the world. Some countries accept it, some tolerate it, and others are not so forgiving. In Islam, homosexuality is not a sin; it’s considered a crime under the Islamic law. The Islamic laws view on homosexuality as a sin is formed from the writings of the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad. In this research paper, I analyze the connection between Islam and homosexuality.
Increasing numbers of lesbian and gay people are taking another look at the Catholic Church, which they thought had previously rejected them totally and definitively. Many are discovering in the Church a new spirit of understanding:
The most read and worshipped texts in the world are religious text, especially in the beginning of Western empires, where the bible was the rule book to etiquette in everyday life. Guidelines and laws were often based off of this sacred text. For much of civilization, churches and places of worship have had the most impact on society, contrary to today’s emphasis which focuses more on the entertainment industry. The scholarly article, “Women and The Church: Go Created Women in Her Own Image,” article agrees with this assumption and said, “Of all of the institutions which throughout the centuries have sanctioned and fostered the subjugation of women, the Roman Catholic Church can be charged with being the most influential and therefore the most damaging” ("Women And The Church:...
Christianity and its many sects has a colorful rainbow of different ideals towards sexuality as a whole that all stem from the same central ideal of preserving one’s sexual sanctity. The Bible has stated many varying rules that applies to sex throughout the old and new testament, which can be seen as the reason for these splintering ideals, along with the many different interpretations of these rules. The Christian Religion’s central ideals toward human sexuality was determined by the Catholic Church millennia ago, with the effects of these teachings still seen today.
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Queer theology provides ways of approaching biblical perspectives with new insight. Scripture has historically been used as a means to oppress queer expressions of love. This tradition is now challenged by recognition of different cultural contexts. Further, specific readings that have been used to oppress: notably the Sodom and Gomorrah story; now seen in association with hospitality as opposed to
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Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity. 2nd ed. New York City, NY: HarperOne, 2010.