Transcript Women in Western Religions Today By: Janel Alimboyoguen

Women in Western
Religions Today
By: Janel Alimboyoguen, Gwyneth Calipjo, Julia Conley, Elly Guadarrama
Overview
• Women in Judaism today (Orthodox vs.
Liberal)
• Women in Christianity today (Catholic vs.
Protestant)
• Women in Islam (Theocracy vs. Democracy)
Women In Orthodox Judaism
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Women should not study the Torah or
be ordained as a Rabbi or Cantor
Many Orthodox women keep their hair
covered in public
Men & women separated
Women expected to keep kosher kitchen
Women cannot touch men other than
their husbands or relatives, for reasons
of modesty
Women refrain from contact with their
husbands while they are menstruating,
and for a period of 7 clean days after
menstruating, and after the birth of a
child (this also includes indirect contant.
For example, a plate would not be
passed on directly, but first put down on
a table so that both do not hold on the
object at the same time.
SIDE NOTES! An Orthodox Jewish woman
swings a chicken over other woman's heads, later to
be slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual in
which it is believed that one transfers one's sins
from the past year into the chicken, in Mea
Shearim ultra-orthodox neighborhood in
Jerusalem ThursdayThe ritual is performed
before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the
holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at
sundown Sunday.
Liberal Judaism
• Women have no obligation
to study the Torah but
encourage it
• Women can be Rabbis
• Believe girls reach maturity
earlier than men (girls can
celebrate Bat Mitzvah as
opposed to not being able
to celebrate womanhood at
all in the past)
• Men & Women allowed to
pray together (sit near
each other…)
• Allowed to hold high office
within the community
Rabbi Pauline Bebe
Wks #1
• According to Proverbs, how is the ideal wife
expected to behave and how does it compare
or contrast with the view of the ideal wife
today?
• Puts family first, kind, giving, worthy of
praise, smart, strong, more than a pretty face,
never idle, always working for the good of the
household, fears God.
Women in the Catholic Church
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Women cannot be priests
Can be Nuns and Deacons
Pray and attend mass together
Women have a role in ever
aspect of society
• “Difference between men and
women contribute to what we do
and who we are.”
• Most perfect human being was a
woman: Mary
Women in the Protestant Church
• (Baptist & Lutheran) ordained first woman
in 1929 & 1992, respectively
• No clergy in many protestant sects, only
have preachers
• More readily accepted as preachers in
different sects
• Men & women allowed to attend services
together
• Anglican- women can be priest
• Liberal (preacher)
Wks #2
• Do you feel that the role of women today is
in line with the selected readings in the
NT? Explain you answer.
• In most aspects, women are fairly equal to
men. However, in some branches the is still
exclusion from the clergy.
Women In Islam (Theocratic Gov’ts)
• Theocracy: Afghanistan (Taleban), Iran,
Iraq, Saudi Arabia (Islamism)
• Women can be beat, but not to the point of
bruising
• Women cover hair & arms, wear hijab
Women Beaten for Unveiling
Women in Islam (Democratic Gov’ts)
• Democracy: USA, Indonesia, India, E.
Europe
• Men & women seperated because of
distraction & modesty
• Encouraged to dress modestly & wear veil
by choice
• Fulfill same duties as men (duties of worship,
prayer, faith, etc)
• Dowry be paid to woman rather than family
• Many women held political power
• Active participants in all aspects of life (i.e.
education, health, charity, equal power in
divorce and marriage, can limit husband’s
authority over them)
Women in Islam
• Know the difference between Islamic beliefs and cultural beliefs in the
different countries.
- When women are mistreated, it may be because of the society they live
in and not the beliefs of the Islamic community.
• Qur’an: story of Adam and Eve
- does not state which sex was made first and both were made
independent of each other
- Eve did not tempt Adam to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree.
Both approached it on their own.
• Women are independent individuals. All human beings will be
accountable for their own actions on the Day of Judgement. If men
were to be responsible for women, then they would be accountable for
the women’s actions as well as theirs on the Day of Judgement.
Islam Women in Power
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Clergy and Religious Scholars:
- Women are encouraged to become as educated as they can in Islam
- Nothing wrong with female scholars. However, education for women lags that of men.
- Right to have an official position in a masjid (mosque): Women may not lead the salah
(most important act of worship) of men unless every man in the prayer s unable to lead it.
- Any woman may be an imam in a salah for a group of women. For a mixed group, only a
man can lead.
National leaders:
- Muhammad was reported to have said that people with a female ruler will never be
successful.
- Some interpretations of Islamic law hold that women should not lead men and are thus
forbidden from working in the government.
- Others argue that Muhammad’s wife Aisha, who both took part in politics and served as
a major authority on hadith, is an example of possible roles for Muslim women.
Example of historical role models for Muslim women as leaders:
- Razia Sultana: short-lived third major independent Muslim ruler of the Sultanate of
Delhi in India
- Mamluk Queen Shaiarat ad-Dur: ruled for a few years in Egypt.
Worksheet Questions
• What is the basis for the hijab in the Qur'an?
• Surah 24:31 (modesty)
Leading Women in Western
Religions Today
Judaism:
Tova Hartman
• Professor of
Education at the
Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, specializing
in Gender Studies
• Founder of Kehillat
Shira Hadasha in
2001
Shira Hadasha
• Embraces women’s commitment to halakha (Jewish religious law,
customs, and traditions), tefillah (prayer), and feminisn
• Response to “the growing need of many religious women and men to
readdress the role of women in the synagogue.”
• First Partnership Minyan: Congregation combined a traditional liturgy
with certain prayer leadership opportunities for women. A mechitza
(physical divider) separates the men and women and runs down the
middle of the room. Response to Jewish law permitting women to be
called to and read from the Torah on Shabbat in services with men.
• Controversy: Rabbis said “anyone who is truly God-fearing will not join
in such a minyan since this is how the breaking of Jewish tradition
begins. Today they do this, and in the future the result will be women
and men praying completely together.”
Christianity:
Barbara Harris
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First woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican
Communion and in any branch of Christianity
that believes in Apostolic Succession (the
Christian Church today is the spiritual
successor to the original body of believers in
Christ composed of the Apostles).
Noted for her liberal views and her
outspokennes.
Ordained a deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1980.
Ordained Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal
Diocese of Massachusetts on February 11,
1989. She retired from her post in Boston in
2003.
Currently serves as Assisting Bishop in the
Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC and
publishes The Witness magazine as president of
the Episcopal Church Publishing Company.
Islam
• Majority of all Muslims in the world live in countries that
have, at some time, elected women as their leaders.
- Indonesia (most populous Muslim-majority country):
elected Megawati Sukarnoputri as President.
- Pakistan (2nd most populous Muslim-majority country):
elected Benazir Bhutto as Prime Minister twice
- Bangladesh (3rd most populous Muslim-majority country):
elected Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina as Prime
Ministers
- Turkey (5th most populous Muslim-majority country):
elected Tansu Ciller as Prime Minister
Summary
• Women In Judaism:
• Women in Christianity:
• Women in Islam: