Evaluate Feminist Views on the Roles and Functions of Religion in Society Today free essay sample

For instance within Islam, it is written in the Quran that ‘men are the protectors maintainers of women because Allah has made one of them to excel the other. ’ Feminists would argue that this example shows how women are forced to be in the expressive role as the men are religiously promoted as the breadwinners in the instrumental role. However functionalists would criticize feminists, by saying that religious institutions should promote traditional gender roles because they are biologically based and bound to occur. However it could be argued that they are a good thing because it is what we are biologically suited to. The other ways in which feminists see religion as being patriarchal can be shown through their ideas on sacred texts. As most religious stories and accounts of events have been written and interpreted by men. When women are portrayed in religious texts they often reflect traditional gender roles for women. We will write a custom essay sample on Evaluate Feminist Views on the Roles and Functions of Religion in Society Today or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page An example would be from Christianity, were there believe that men were made from god and women from men, this could be interpreted as meaning that women are lower than men because they were not made from god. This acts s a patriarchal ideology as it reinforces the idea that women are inferior, at that the main function of religion is to perpetuate patriarchy. However Marxists would argue that the main function of religion is not to legitimize and perpetuate patriarchy but to legitimize capitalism and inequality. However, in earlier religion women have not always been subordinate to men, as Armstrong argues early religions often placed women in the center such as fertility cults. The rise in New Age Movements (NAM’s), which are types of religious movements that are not dominated by men, are appealing to women especially because of that fact. Because of the ability for women to work and have careers they are having less and less time to attend church, this has meant that women are leaving the churches at a faster rate than men. However it doesnt mean they are forfeiting their religion, but shifting it to the NAM’s which can offer them equality and empowerment that the churches and their traditional ideologies cannot offer them. For instance middle class women have freedom to look for spiritual healing as they already have material security. Armstrong also argues that the rise in monotheistic religions, which caused female suppression, is usually based upon on God such as Christianity and Judaism. Christianity for example portrays God as male through the Holy Trinity, The Father, The Son The Holy Spirit. This links in with the idea that religion reflects traditional gender roles and male power. Similarly Saadawi takes the view that it is the development of patriarchal society that has caused religion to promote inequality. As men have interpreted religious ideas in a way to benefit themselves, which has been the case with the rise of monotheistic religions. However Woodhead argues the opposite, as she believes that feminists are incorrect to assume that religion is always patriarchal as this is not true for all religions. Most monotheistic religions are patriarchal but female followers can use these religions to gain more freedom and respect by promoting gender equality through religious forms of feminism; such as Muslim women wearing the Hijab, it empowers the women wearing it because it prevents them from being reduced to sex objects as they are taken more seriously. In conclusion, it is my opinion that feminists, assuming the main function of religion is to perpetuate patriarchy is correct, as the churches do reflect traditional gender roles and due to society being in a stage of modernity, and women having very different roles, it is clear that monotheistic religions such as Christianity do try to perpetuate patriarchy. The most recent example of this is when women were denied the right to become Bishops, in the Church of England, because of the biblical teachings. Thus highlighting that the patriarchal ideology does exist in society today that wants to legitimize and perpetuate traditional gender roles. The strength of the feminist argument is that they explain how religion can be used as a way of maintaining male domination over women through promoting traditional gender roles. However postmodernists would criticize saying that it is unlikely that religion teaching traditional gender roles has a significant impact; this is because in the postmodern world people have less faith in Meta narratives in religion.