The Importance of Women Within Christianity
The Importance of Women Within Christianity
The role of women in Church has forever been scrutinized and misunderstood; although many churches continue to refuse women certain rights, it cannot be overseen the vast contributions women have given to Christianity and vice versa. All forms of Christianity use scriptures to guide their beliefs, theories and practices. For centuries it has been disputed and argued as to how scriptures should mold religious practices with changing times; with this several branches of Christianity have been formed and each branch views women differently according to their scripture translations, guidance, and beliefs. From Early Christian times people have followed and believed many religious theologians, which has led to a negative, insignificant, interpretation of women’s roles, rights and status, within the Christian community. All of these negative connotations towards women have led to a sexist view on the Christian church and religion. If one looks beyond the rights of women within the church, and sees the vast opportunities that have evolved for women from the religious community and their contributions to the Christian community, it is obvious that Christianity has actually given women a name and place in society, and without the women, the Christian community would be at a completely different place. Throughout the international growth of Christianity women have been the majority of followers and participants, in many countries. It is women that keep the religious communities strong. The rights of women in Christianity may not have been, nor may not ever, be equivalent to man; however, despite these inequalities between sexes, Christianity actually helped give women a place in society and contributed greatly to the success of women’s rights. Through the growth and development of Christianity, women were devalued and disrespected: seen as a property of men. This has created a stigma against women in religious
The role of women in Church has forever been scrutinized and misunderstood; although many churches continue to refuse women certain rights, it cannot be overseen the vast contributions women have given to Christianity and vice versa. All forms of Christianity use scriptures to guide their beliefs, theories and practices. For centuries it has been disputed and argued as to how scriptures should mold religious practices with changing times; with this several branches of Christianity have been formed and each branch views women differently according to their scripture translations, guidance, and beliefs. From Early Christian times people have followed and believed many religious theologians, which has led to a negative, insignificant, interpretation of women’s roles, rights and status, within the Christian community. All of these negative connotations towards women have led to a sexist view on the Christian church and religion. If one looks beyond the rights of women within the church, and sees the vast opportunities that have evolved for women from the religious community and their contributions to the Christian community, it is obvious that Christianity has actually given women a name and place in society, and without the women, the Christian community would be at a completely different place. Throughout the international growth of Christianity women have been the majority of followers and participants, in many countries. It is women that keep the religious communities strong. The rights of women in Christianity may not have been, nor may not ever, be equivalent to man; however, despite these inequalities between sexes, Christianity actually helped give women a place in society and contributed greatly to the success of women’s rights. Through the growth and development of Christianity, women were devalued and disrespected: seen as a property of men. This has created a stigma against women in religious
Cited: Bailey, Sarah Pulliam, and Lynn H. Cohick. "Breadwinners and benefactors: Lynn Cohick argues that early Christian women were more active in public life than we might think." Christianity Today 54.1 (2010): 71-318. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials. EBSCO. Web. 2 Dec. 2010 Kung, Hans. Great Christian Thinkers. New York: Continuum, 1994. Robert, Dana L. "World Christianity as a women 's movement." International Bulletin of Missionary Research 30.4 (2006): 180-188. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials. EBSCO. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. Stark, Rodney. "Reconstructing the Rise of Christianity : The Role of Women." Sociology of Religion 56.3 (1995): 229-244. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials. EBSCO. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.