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Sunstone said:Is there a theological basis for feminism? If so, what is it?
Can it be said of deity that deity is either male or female? And if deity cannot be said to be either male or female, does that imply a theological basis for an equality of the sexes?
An androgynous god certainly does away with the typical Father figure of deity, which in turn does away with the concept of the man being the head of the household etc.Sunstone said:Is there a theological basis for feminism? If so, what is it?
Can it be said of deity that deity is either male or female? And if deity cannot be said to be either male or female, does that imply a theological basis for an equality of the sexes?
JamesThePersian said:There is certainly a (Christian) theological basis for the equality (though not the homogeneity) of the sexes. I'm not sure that that's necessarily the same thing as a theological basis for feminism, though. Most feminists I know do not appear happy simply with equality between men and women but rather do aspire to making women and men the same in every way possible (which is not the same thing). Some even seem to take it further and wish to reverse the prior situation of men dominating women, perhaps by way of some kind of recompense.
Halcyon said:An androgynous god certainly does away with the typical Father figure of deity, which in turn does away with the concept of the man being the head of the household etc.
Because, if God is male and is the Father figure, this naturally places maleness above femaleness. A male created the universe and runs all things, thus males should also be in charge of earthly affairs.Victor said:Why would it do that?
So, if God is lacking in the...ahem...hairy bird department, that means that the "proper" social order doesn't exist?Halcyon said:An androgynous god certainly does away with the typical Father figure of deity, which in turn does away with the concept of the man being the head of the household etc.
Halcyon said:If God is androgynous, father and mother can play equal roles without the woman feeling she is under some kind of obligation to be subservient to her partner.
Well, that's just my theory anyway.
Hairy bird department? :cover:MaddLlama said:So, if God is lacking in the...ahem...hairy bird department, that means that the "proper" social order doesn't exist?
Do you believe "a woman's place is in the home"?
Halcyon said:Hairy bird department? :cover:
Proper social order - define it first. There polyandrous societies out there.
from jewfaq.org :Halcyon said:An androgynous god certainly does away with the typical Father figure of deity, which in turn does away with the concept of the man being the head of the household etc.
i would very much like to know what you base this claim on?JamesThePersian said:There is certainly a (Christian) theological basis for the equality (though not the homogeneity) of the sexes.
Um, i think you're reading me wrong MaddLlama, i'm with you here.MaddLlama said:Why is an equal partnership such a bad thing? Why does a woman have to be subservient to a man? I know I certainly wear the pants in my home, and my home, marriage and life are in good order. I don't see what the benefit is to lowering myself.
Halcyon said:Because, if God is male and is the Father figure, this naturally places maleness above femaleness. A male created the universe and runs all things, thus males should also be in charge of earthly affairs.
If God is androgynous, father and mother can play equal roles without the woman feeling she is under some kind of obligation to be subservient to her partner.
Well, that's just my theory anyway.
Halcyon said:Um, i think you're reading me wrong MaddLlama, i'm with you here.
I don't think women are subservient to men, i'm saying that placing the male gender onto God elevates the status of maleness so that in our societiy, particularly in the past, women may have felt an obligation to be subservient - which i don't agree with at all.
MaddLlama said:This only occurs, IMO, if church leaders suggest that course of action. It has been this way in the past not because god commanded such, but because this was how men thought. Most people, men included don't think this way anymore, so it isn't hard to imagine a Christian woman who does not feel an obligation to be subservient to her husband, or lesser than a man.
Correct.Victor said:So in your mind an androgynous diety who would not intend for differential roles among men and women?
Halcyon said:Correct.
Although i personally don't believe such roles exist anyway. Male-female roles are wildly different in different forms of human society, just because we have certain gender roles in our culture does not make that the norm.
divine said:i would very much like to know what you base this claim on?
JamesThePersian said:Which part, the equality part or the part with respect to males and females having different roles (non-homogeneity)? I can answer both from either Holy Tradition or Scripture. Which would you prefer?
James