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Gender and Sexuality - Coggle Diagram
Gender and Sexuality
Developments in Christian thought, including feminist approaches
Debates about female ordination in the Church of England up to and after 1984, the continuing debate today
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1994 decision
Process and key figures
The ordination of women as priests was approved by the General Synod of the Church of England in November 1992
Key figures included individuals from groups like the Movement for the Ordination of Women, campaigning since the 1970s.
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Arguments against
Theological: Some believed that the priest, representing Christ in certain sacramental roles, should be male as Jesus was.
Ecumenical Concerns: Worries about the impact of this decision on relations with other Christian churches.
Post-1994
Continued debate on bishops: The issue of consecrating women as bishops became the next major discussion. This was eventually approved in 2014.
Provision for opponents: 'Flying bishops' or 'provincial episcopal visitors' were appointed to provide episcopal oversight to parishes that opposed women's ordination.
Continued evolution: Some parishes and individuals remain opposed, and the Church continues to grapple with these differences.
Roman Catholicism
Early church tradition
Jesus chose only male apostles, and this has been understood to set a precedent.
Vatican II (1962-1965)
Women could serve in roles such as lectors and later, as acolytes or altar servers in some places.
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Pope John Paul II
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1994 'the Church has no authority authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church's faithful'
Pope Benedict XVI
Decree in 2008 that stated attempting to ordain a woman would result in automatic excommunication for both the women and the one attempting the ordination.
Pope Francis
But, in 2016 he did establish a commission to study the historical role of female deacons in the early Christian church.
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A comparison of the significant ideas of Daphne Hampson and Rosemary Redford Ruether about the patriarchal nature of Christianity is irredeemably sexist and Ruether's ideas about the androgynous Christ and her view that the female nature is more Christlike than the male
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Different Christian views about celibacy, marriage, homosexuality, and transgender issues
Celibacy
Historical views
Early Christianity
Pauline advocacy
1 Corinthians 7: Celibacy allows one to be more fully devoted to the Lord without the distractions and responsibilities of married life
Ante-Nicene fathers
Many church fathers, before the Council of Nicaea, saw celibacy as a means to preserve spiritual purity and to dedicate oneself more fully to the service of God
Ascetic movements
With the growth in monasticism, celibacy became more associated with renouncing worldly pleasures to focus on spiritual growth
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Modern views
Roman Catholicism
Theological defence: Defends the celibacy of its priests as a sign of their total dedication to God and the Church. It is also seen as a way of emulating Christ.
Practical reasons: A priest can dedicate himself more fully to his pastoral duties and can be more ready to serve the community.
Criticisms: Mandatory celibacy has been criticised. Some argue it can lead to isolation, loneliness, and psychological issues. Also, the issue of the clergy sexual abuse crisis it brought into consideration.
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Marriage
Historical views
Biblical origins
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Genesis 2:24 'a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh'
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Homosexuality
Historical views
Biblical passages
Old testament
Leviticus 18:22 'do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestible'
New testement
Romans 1:26-27 'for this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. Their women exchanged relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another'.
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Transgender issues
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Modern views
Affirming views
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Denominational stances
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Taken steps to affirm transgender individuals, including allowing them to serve as clergy.
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Pastoral approaches
Regardless of beliefs, churches and leaders emphasise the need for pastoral care, love, and understanding
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Historical and social factors that have influenced developments in Christian thinking about these issues
The development of Biblical criticism, especially in the 19th century, and the resulting freedom to challenge traditional readings of passages such as 1 Timothy 2:8-15
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Historical context
Enlightenment 17th and 18th centuries promoted rational and empirical approaches to knowledge, emphasising science, scepticism, and reason.
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Key developments
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Source criticism
Scholars proposed the books of the Bible were not the work of one single author, and rather complied from various sources
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Impacts
Religious controversies
Challenge traditional views about the authorship, origin, and formation of the biblical texts
Diverse interpretations
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Differing conclusions about the meaning, sources, and history of a text
Broader access and study
Bible becomes an area of study for also historians, linguists, and literary scholars
Opens up rich, multidimensional explorations of the text
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Historical background on Christianity,gender and sexuality
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