Down through the ages, women have fared very poorly with the world’s major religions. For example, my own Christian religion has blamed women, through Eve, for sin and death entering the world.
Christianity has not been unique in this regard. All the world’s religions have texts that condone violence against women, advocate that they be subordinate to their husbands and hold them accountable for the chaos that is perceived to threaten moral order.
Yet, all the religions of the world also contain inspiring teachings on compassion and justice. When women have been able to get male-dominated religious leadership to see the connection between their plight as second-class citizens in the city of God and these justice-oriented teachings, positive change has been possible.
But we have a very long way to go.
Why have women fared so poorly in the world’s religions? One souce of the widespread prejudice against women in religion in general may be due to the fact that women’s reproductive capacity is just a little too close to the idea that it is God who gives life. Prejudice against women is related to a desire to control their reproductive capacity.
In addition, women's ability to give birth has caused them to be identified with the earth and material reality, in contrast to a definition of the "spiritual" as "otherworldly." Fortunately, all the major religions also have traditions that affirm the goodness of the planet and the value of this world.
All the major religions certainly need to do a lot of work in order to treat women as equal citizens in the city of God. This work is deeply connected to the need for the world’s religions to embrace physical existence and the goodness of life on this planet. If the world’s religions continue to promote the idea that another world after death is not just possible, but preferable to this world, we will surely end up destroying the physical basis of human life, perhaps even in the name of religion.
On balance, I place my hope that women will one day be treated equally in the world’s religions because I believe the teachings of religion on compassion and justice for all are stronger than those that come from prejudice and fear.
I write this on the day we as a nation celebrate the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1967, in the speech that led to the Poor People’s March on Washington, Dr. King said, “Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Women’s struggle for equality in religion has been long, but we will find justice because I believe that is the will of God who created me.
Please e-mail On Faith if you'd like to receive an email notification when On Faith sends out a new question.
Email Me | Del.icio.us | Digg | Facebook
