To What Extent Does Christianity Espouse Female Liberation? Essay

For a long time now, religions have been accused of limiting women's role in society. However, many people perceive religion to be inherently hostile in terms of the recent shift in population and development policies. But for others, women affirmation of inherent inferiority is so much integral to world's religions dominant teaching. Some biblical traditionalists or feminist believe that the bible justifies male domination over women. Contrary, there are biblical texts that aim to support feminism liberation that includes, Christ positive interaction with women. Women have been regarded as active since Christianity inception. Going against eastern ethos and customs, Jesus taught, engaged and respected women. However, they have long been fighting for their liberation through seeking leadership in churches through challenging some Christian interpretations that insist on their public sphere segregation and subordination. However, this essay will evaluate ways in which Christians adopts female liberation through biblical interpretation and explore the relationship between women liberation and Christianity.

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Historically, women have been regarded as an oppressed class in society. Women status is one of the most emerging issues that has affected the society in which we live in. Some individuals are considered to be conservative since they oppose each and every change until they are compelled in accepting it. They, however, refused to concede in accepting that women are entitled to enjoy equal rights. Others such as radical feminists are so much radical in extreme theories that suggest that they would set the woman in antagonism to the man. Radical feminists have suggested that women search for power and equality struggle can only be satisfied externally in relationship, marketplace and in monetary terms.

Christianity was introduced to the third world in the colonial period. Third world women have had an ambivalent relationship with Christian beliefs and culture. Christianity has, however, had been integral in colonial discourse. However, Christian women have discovered a liberating vision in biblical teachings. Missionary introduced to them not only the Christian religion and bible but also cultural assumption of gender roles, womanhood, and sexuality. However, long before any kind of feminism, Jesus did establish women liberation. Women liberation is well illuminated in Paul's writing to Galatians where he emphasized that we all share God's glorious new covenant through faith. This suggests that neither Greek nor Jew is a slave, no male or female for all are one in Christ. One of the oldest feminism scripture approaches understood and affirms women's full participation and full humanity in God's people. Evangelical feminists such as Craig Keener and Catherine Clark suggested that the Bible affirms women and the teaching in a church that regards women as inferior seem to be a sexist interpretation. However, this sexism evident in Christian women treatment calls everyone back to high standard and scripture that regards love and positive treatment of human beings. (LaCelle-Peterson, 2008)

In self-understanding and cultural image of women, Feminism maintains that women are human and demands full personhood free development for all. Feminism also suggests that talents and human rights are should not be divided by sex. It indicates that it is necessary that women become independent socially and economically in understanding and valuing themselves as the autonomous, free and responsible subject. Feminism has criticized every institution that exploits and stereotypes the women. In this context, the analysis of feminist suggests that Christianity had not only had a huge influence on sexist ideology and western culture making but also on Christian churches. Christian ethics intensified internalization of feminine attitude that includes submission, humility, meekness self-denying and self-sacrifice that impedes self-assertion development and women autonomy. Christian feminism is fascinated through the vision of wholeness, freedom, and equality that is expressed in bible scripture that suggests that in Jesus Christ there is no Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, Female or male.

The scripture that guides Christian to adopts female liberation concepts, suggests that everyone is created in the image of God as it is stated in the book of Genesis. Moreover, Adam and Eve not only bears God's image but were commissioned by God to carry out his work together. This scripture shows some equality essence. There is an argument that suggests that man was created before the woman which claims that men should have authority over woman. However, in context, the importance of a woman being created the second implies man's need for a corresponding partner and not over authority. In Biblical scriptures, women are featured in a lot of narration. In this scriptures, they were regarded not only as mothers and spouses but as prophets, redeemers, army leaders and individuals who received direct words from God. In Apostle Paul's days, new roles for women seemed to appear they include, political, philosophical, financial ,religious and romantic forces that promoted equality for women. Jesus seems sensitive to social structures that do oppress women.

For a long time now, black women have been at the forefront of the struggle for environmental and social justice. Their activism has more often been in men's shadow space of social movement. This is evident where men often take public roles on the international and national level while women provide local leadership, provides base and engage in behind the scene activism on social built movement. An untold number of this black women engage in fighting for their environmental threat to their homes, families, workplace, and communities. Given that these black women represent a huge number of movements such as the environmental justice movement that provides a context for understanding how their spiritual and faith shapes their activism. This spirituality and faith shapes, anchors their sustain activists, decision ,making and frames efforts of frame environmental justice. (Kirk-Duggan, 2010).

Feminist exists in all religion and are actively engaged in gender equality efforts from a faith and social perspective and in ensuring that women's equality is achieved. What affects black women's tradition is not accidental or benign. However, to suppress knowledge of the oppressed group enables the dominant group to rule, this is due to the dissent absence which suggests that the subordinate group tend to collaborate willingly through being victimized. The effort to oppose black feminism is based on an assumption that recognizes that black community problems will, however, reveal that gender subordination does not contribute to many African Americans conditions. The foregoing single issue framework critique renders claims that racism struggle is distinguishable from the struggle against sexism. (Crenshaw, 1989). Black liberation theology bias on black women questions can only be responded when they assume a hermeneutical additional posture that allows the black women become conscious of what has been made invisible and see to it that their work collides with the invisibilization of their experiences. Through the use of scripture, the theologians should engage initially on identification ascertainment of womanist hermeneutic that involves analysis of the communal, subjective and objective mode of inquiry. (Williams, 1993).

Feminist theology adopts feminist critique through reconstructing gender paradigms in the theological realm. They also engage in a critique that reclaims positive female themes the traditions of Christians and develops them into new ways that apply gender relation that includes humanity, female and male, created both in God's image. Feminism first wave in the US resulted in women emancipation. Where women were allowed to higher education access, voting, and property right. The second wave saw to it that, women in Christian churches in liberal Protestantism acquired access to theology education. Today, Christian theology has made it evident that feminist theology is a global symbol. Christian theologian women across the globe are however concerned with common critique theme symbols of Christianity. (Parsons, 2002).

Opponents of women liberation quote apostle Paul as he suggested that a man is the head of the family ad wife should submit to their husband. Although theologians and scholars differ on this Paul's teachings there is an agreement that this apostle is speaking to the form and structure of marriage relationship. Feminists who are regarded as a radical group in the society believes that female will never achieve freedom or recognition unless they engage in a staged confrontation with men. They have a feeling that men have suppressed the women. This group is the most vocal champion in the female liberation. However, Christian response to feminism is uncomplicated and unmistakable. Christians defend this by a bible scripture that suggests that God created man and woman. Therefore there is a value in every individual regardless of their sex and they need each other for wholeness and companion. Like many other liberation movements, female liberation causes concern and confusion to Christian. Too often, dynamic personalities or angry rhetoric and enthusiasts for attempt cause that enlists devotees who support the liberation. Some individual accuses the bible of female bondage that is reflected in its teaching. However, this charge seems to be ironic as the Bible offers freedom for both men and women. Christian is assured of female liberation as it is suggested in the book of Galatian 3: 28 that states that there is neither female or male for all are one in Jesus Christ. This scripture suggests that there are no sex distinctions before God's position.

Christian teaching has raised a female to human worth new level. Jesus interaction with women reveals an equal and genuine love for all. He entrusted resurrection news to women and Paul is also referred to male chauvinist he found some meaningful roles in his church ministry for women. However, Christians are responding positively to a movement that seeks to liberate women. Although some have declared their equality for women affirmation. Some churches have allocated funds that are meant to advance the lives of women. Moreover, some churches have also ordained women serving as ministers in the church. Women role in the church is, however, undergoing difficult and crucial changes but a woman who serves in the church will have to face many obstacles. (Reimer, 1974). Experience has had an impact on the women's scholarship development category. Women have explored the biblical and theological interpretation impact their experiences. This experience was Christian tradition critique aspects vantage point. It has, however, counted as a significant knowledge resource. There was a need for Christians to be understood from women experience perspective. Further experience is regarded as a way of communicating and capturing some Christian dimensions. The individual experiences astute analysis that mark societal notion interaction between sexuality, family, and gender is able to access Christian values and teachings effects.

Conclusion

Despite the well known antichristian prejudice that is evident in a lot of feminist liberation movement, the liberation of women are in accordance with the Christians teachings. As a result of this teachings, women in the world today enjoy more rights and privileges. Contrary, in the Middle East, where Christianity has a little influence, women are treated as an inferi...