РефератыИностранный языкWoWomen And Spirituality Essay Research Paper Try

Women And Spirituality Essay Research Paper Try

Women And Spirituality Essay, Research Paper


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Women and Spirituality


What we find as an original response to existences meaning is the belief in a


greater being or higher power, eg. God, that we serve and obey in the trade


for a fruitful, everlasting life. This can be connected to the theory of the


Earth-Mother. The female in nature was intended to represent reoccurring


life. Ancient people held the belief that they would return to the body of the


womb of mother earth and then be given a new life. This ancient belief is


similar to our own when compared. The view of the religious world can give


meaning and purpose to the lives of the people as it gives them hope. Hope


that if they live their lives as God had intended for them, they will be granted


entrance into heaven, an everlasting, peaceful place. It gives people meaning


as to what they should do with their lives. The religious view also brings order


in people?s lives. Purpose in someone?s life is also introduced in the world


view; they can go to church and have the holy rituals which every religion


practices. This may offer people a sense of purpose in their life. Religion


cannot be contained by a certain definition because religion is, simplistically


enough, what you want it to be. No one can write a definition of religion as it


is really just personal opinion. Religion can be the way you live your life, but


for someone else it may just be another word in their vocabulary. With the


advent of the feminist movement, the role of women in all parts of society has


come under increasing scrutiny. One area of recent controversy is the role of


women in the Christian Church. Some churches whose traditions and


practices are less rigidly tied to Biblical doctrines have begun placing women


in leadership positions such as pastor or teacher. Other churches which


interpret the Bible more literally have been slow to adopt such changes. Most


Commentators agree that man and woman are both equally a reflection of


God’s image; the word “man” here is used as a synonym for humanity. Adam


and Eve were also given joint dominion over creation. The role of the man is


leadership, while the role of woman is as a source of strength and support. If


a person wants to understand the Christian authority of a man over his wife,


he must consider how Christ demonstrated his leadership as head over the


Church. Primarily, he gave his life for his church, not using force or coercion


for her submission. Many people would dispute the Bible’s relevance to


contemporary thought in general, and in particular to the role of women in


worship. If the Bible were not written under divine inspiration, a person or


practice is not bound by its teachings. He or she can therefore pick and


choose whatever corresponds to his/her point of view. However, if the Bible

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is of divine inspiration, then a cautious consideration of passages relevant to a


particular issue must be undertaken. Traditions and customs, that have arisen


after the Bible was written, may thus be carefully scrutinized. Such practices


may or may not prove sound after comparison with scripture. If women are


not allowed to have a voice or some kind of input, the church could be


loosing a valuable resource of wisdom. If a husband does not consider his


wives thoughts and ideas as being important or valid, his family is surely


incomplete, dysfunctional and doomed to failure. Therefore, as the church


strives to realize Gods purpose for women, we must remember the truths of


the scripture and apply them to our present day culture. This will allow men


and women to present the Christian message to our world in the most


powerful way. Feminist ethics has much to offer Catholicism. For one, the


main issues that concern feminist ethics are basically the same ones that make


up Catholic identity. That is, how women and men define themselves in


society, what means are available to them for attaining their ends- in short


inter personal and social relations. Second, the founding principles that guide


feminist ethics are rooted in the tradition of natural law, a tradition well known


to Catholicism. So, while the approach of feminist ethics has been to


scrutinize traditions which seek to oppress women by supporting unequal


social structures, the guiding principles behind feminist ethics still remain well


lodge in natural law. It is in the founding principles of natural law where


feminist ethics and Catholicism meet. And it is also here where lies the main


contribution of feminist ethics for the future of Catholicism. Feminists, argue


for freedom, but only in so far as the common good avoids considering social


dynamics and inter-personal relations. Apart from rejecting unequal relations


that arise from not taking into consideration what makes up human existence,


feminists, like the natural law tradition, believe that a common good is worth


pursuing. So, while on the outset feminists may look like as if they are


breaking away from Catholicism, they are in fact much closer to Catholicism


than one may think. As new challenges bring the Church to question its ethics


and as women and men seek new identities, feminist ethics can help


Catholicism make the transition so that the challenges of modern society can


be met. I believe that Johnson makes an important contribution to Christianity


by showing us that it is possible to remain within tradition while progressing.


Often I find myself thinking if Christianity will ever be able to survive


considering its rigid ethics. The renewal interest in natural law is showing us


that we can continue to press forward while remaining in touch with our


Christian background.

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