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COMPARISON OF IDEAS OF HAMPSON AND RUETHER - Coggle Diagram
COMPARISON OF IDEAS OF HAMPSON AND RUETHER
Feminist theology
began in late 19th cent, but really challanged church in the second half of the 20th cent against the backgrounds of womens movements
female theoliagans argue christian theology is patriarchal and oppresses women
they seek to counter patriarchal structures within the church
they emphasis the plan and value of women in a gender-inclusive way within the christian tradition
there are 3 strands to feminist theology:
LIBERAL approach that that views chritsianitys patriarchal belies structures as problematic since it denies womens fundamental rights to equality with men
BIBLICAL approach draws upon texts
looks at idea of god having qualities typically associated with women (loving, caring)
draw out womens importance in the gospels
RADICAL approach which claims that the christian story is a patriarchal myth and wishes to speak of god in other gender-inclusive terms
HAMPSON
Is a post-christian theologian
1) its based on the belief that there was a uniqueness to the person of christ, or a unique resurrection: a revelation in history
whereas since he enlightenment, we have come to think that there could be no such interruptive events and its difficult to credit that Jesus' relationship o god could be one of a kind
2) given that christianity is rooted in the belief that there has been a revelation in history, christians necessarily look to the past
but the biblical literature is imbued with patriarchal imagery and suppositions which are thus carried into he present, perpetuating sexism
its iredeemebly sexist
she rejects christianity on 2 accounts:
Hampson thanks the way we seek to express god should reflect human awareness of god, e.g that there us power for healing
thus she will speak of 'that which is god'
she thinks the christian story a myth from patriarchal age, a myth that is nonetheless has carried poeples sense of God, a sense which we must now express otheriwse
Hampson argues that christians took to literature from a past age, in which a oatruarchal outlook is taken for granted
god seen as transcendent and is describes using male metaphors
this casts humanity into a female position and creates gender hierarchy
this then consulates gender hierarchy n the human situation
father-son imagery is dominant- there is a lack of imagery depicting women and men as equal adults
given there was no especial revelation in Jesus there is no particular reason to look at him
the evidence that Jesus create persons with respect, but he didnt see the inbuilt sexism of his society
REUTHER
She is concerned with the biblical message of liberation
she argues christianity is a religious culture which can be re-stated in feminist terms
the traditional doctrine of atonement with its masculine idea of power is replaced with a depiction of jests as aa radical and liberating prophet
she points to gospel references to him siding with the marginalised in society, the most vulnerable of whom were women
the kingdom of god is not a heavenly state but is to be set up on earth as a sphere where justice prevails for all, including the non-human world
like Hampson, Reuther denounces traditional theology as patriarchal and sexist, but has remained within the catholic church
she condemns the patriarchal religious beliefs of both the early and ,medieval church, and much of the modern catholicism
traditional doctrines of the incarnation promote the idea of god as a transcendent, male power-based being
she replaces the term god with god/ess to express freedom from gender
Jesus embodied both masculine and feminine aspects of human nature, so can be seen as androgynous
HAMPSON/REUTHER DEBATE
In a public debate held in London in 1968:
Hampson commented that one could well be religious and feminist
the problem with christianity however is that it is a 'historical' religion
reading pas literature that is considered inspired propels the past into the present
Responding, Reuther claimed christianity is rather an eschatological faith, focused on the future, liberating reign of gos
always reinterpreting itself, its open to feminist restatement
Hampson insisted that christianity is not a simply political/social message
christians believe that a particular revelation has occurred in history- an idea that is now credible
accusing Hampson of fundamentalism, tether commented that she should know mythological language is symbolic and not to be taken literally
Hampson countered that she fully recognised the christians need not be fundamentalists, ut they must necessarily reference this past revelation
if christianity is simply mythological why make use of such a sexist vehicle ?