Overview
This lecture covers Christian attitudes to gender and sexuality, focusing on key theological positions from history to the present, including debates over women's roles, celibacy, marriage, divorce, and homosexuality.
Historical Christian Attitudes to Gender
- Saint Augustine blamed Eve—and by extension all women—for the Fall and original sin.
- Tertullian called women "the devil’s doorway," reinforcing women's role in bringing sin into the world.
- Martin Luther advocated that women should remain at home as homemakers and childbearers.
- Saint Paul stated women should be silent in church and not hold authority over men, grounding this in Genesis.
- Aquinas argued men are the normative form, while women are "defective" by nature.
Women and Leadership in the Church
- Catholic Church allows only men to be priests, citing Jesus' male apostles and apostolic succession.
- Church of England ordained its first female priest Angela Berners-Wilson in 1994 and first female bishop Libby Lane in 2014.
- Special provisions (e.g., "flying bishops") allow Church of England parishes to avoid female clergy if they object.
- Methodist Church and Salvation Army also permit female leaders.
Theological Arguments For and Against Women’s Ordination
- Support: Galatians 3:28 states all are equal in Christ; belief in "priesthood of all believers."
- Opposition: Saint Paul’s letters prohibit women teaching; Jesus only appointed male apostles; Catholic teaching stresses apostolic succession and maleness of Christ.
Key Theological Debates & Feminist Theology
- Complementarianism: men and women are spiritually equal but have different social roles.
- Egalitarianism: men and women are both spiritually and socially equal.
- Biblical criticism analyzes scripture's context and language, questioning direct application today.
- Feminist theologians like Mary Daly and Daphne Hampson critique Christianity's patriarchal history, with Daly and Hampson calling for its abandonment, but Rosemary Radford Ruether advocating reform.
- Ruether views Jesus as embodying both masculine and feminine traits, arguing his maleness is not significant.
Christian Attitudes to Sexuality and Marriage
- Celibacy is required for Catholic priests, based on Paul’s and Jesus’ celibacy and focus on kingdom of God.
- Catholic Church values celibacy as wholly dedicating oneself to God; Protestant clergy may marry.
- Genesis 1 commands humans to “be fruitful and multiply,” challenging absolute celibacy.
- Marriage seen as lifelong, monogamous, and for procreation; sex outside marriage discouraged.
- Catholic Church opposes divorce and remarriage, teaching marriage is indissoluble; annulments possible if marriage was invalid.
- Protestant churches (e.g., Church of England) allow divorce and remarriage under certain circumstances.
Christian Views on Homosexuality
- Old Testament (Leviticus) and Paul’s letters used to oppose homosexual acts, though context and translation are debated.
- Catholic Church teaches homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered,” but orientation itself is not sinful; calls for chastity.
- UK law has progressively decriminalized homosexuality, culminating in Equality Act 2010.
- Some theologians argue biblical condemnations refer not to consensual same-sex relationships but specific practices like pederasty.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Apostolic succession — Authority passed from Jesus' apostles to present church leaders.
- Complementarianism — Belief that men and women are spiritually equal but have different social roles.
- Egalitarianism — Belief in full spiritual and social equality for men and women.
- Biblical criticism — Scholarly analysis of biblical texts, considering their language, context, and purpose.
- Celibacy — Abstaining from sexual relations and marriage, especially for religious reasons.
- Annulment — Church declaration that a valid marriage never occurred.
- Patriarchy — Social system where men hold power and women are largely excluded.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review feminist theological perspectives (Daly, Hampson, Ruether) for essay questions.
- Memorize key scriptural references (Genesis, Galatians, Pauline letters).
- Compare Catholic and Protestant positions on women clergy, divorce, and sexuality.
- Complete consolidation booklet questions for practice.