3.10.4
Discussion Points: Male Saviour & Female God
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Could a Male Saviour Help Women?
Here are arguments for and against the idea that a male saviour could save women.
Arguments for - Biblical examples
- There are numerous Biblical examples of Jesus engaging with women.
- At the Resurrection, arguably the most important event in the Christian story, Jesus first appeared to two women.
- An important event in the Church’s calendar is Pentecost. As described in the Bible, both men and women were present when the Holy Spirit visited Jesus’ disciples and gave them the power to speak in tongues and evangelise.
Arguments for - Galatians
- St Paul letter to the Galatians expresses the importance of all being accepted in the Church: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
- Salvation seems available to irrespective of their sex.
Arguments against - maleness of God
- Ruether argues that Jesus Christ/Christianity cannot save women because Jesus is historically male, as is the Word/Logos of God, and Jesus is deemed the perfect example of what it means to be human.
- If Jesus is the perfect human and Jesus is male, then it's implied that men are superior and only men can be saved.
Arguments against - patriarchal roots
- The foundations of Christianity were developed in a patriarchal society (the Roman Empire). So its rooted will forever be male-dominated.
- Therefore, women will always be seen as second-class citizens and unable to be saved to the same extent as men.
Can the Christian God be Seen in Female Terms?
Here are different responses to the debate about God's potential femininity.
Catholic view
- The Catholic Church talks about how God is genderless because God is presented in both male and female ways.
Ruether's view
- Ruether argues that the image of God is far more feminine than many people actually acknowledge.
- She refers to Proverbs 8 and the language that refers to God as wisdom, which is personified as female.
Daly: male-dominated language
- Daly states that our language about God is male-dominated.
- We habitually use the male pronouns: ‘He’, ‘Him’, and ‘His.’
- When we talk about God, we also use male imagery: He is the King. He is the Lord. He is traditionally seen as ‘Our Father in Heaven’ .
- The biblical and popular image of God as a great patriarch in heaven has dominated the imagination of millions over thousands of years.
Daly's view
- Daly argues that Christianity is inherently male-dominated for many reasons. Some of these are:
- In Christianity, women are blamed for the fall.
- The main idea in Christianity is of God becoming Man. Christianity insists that God was incarnated into a male body.
- Surely, says Daly, this is the very epitome of sexist ideology. It is not enough then to just reform the Church – women must stand against the Church and form an ‘Antichurch’ which is also ‘Antichrist’.
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
2.6Business Ethics
2.7Meta-Ethical Theories
2.8Conscience
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Jump to other topics
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
2.6Business Ethics
2.7Meta-Ethical Theories
2.8Conscience
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Practice questions on Discussion Points: Male Saviour & Female God
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- 1What are the foundations of Christianity? Multiple choice
- 2
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