Essay, Research Paper: Women And Spirituality

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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
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.
Word Count: 951


Word Count: 964