An Overview of the Perception of Woman in Christianity

Sexism as biologically, can be placed on a gender base if it classify through beliefs and perceptions in society. The effect of religion is one of the most important factors in the formation of genderism in terms of interpreting the bases and legitimizing discriminatory movements.

In monotheistic religions based on patriarchal understanding, the perspective of women as a human is a subject that can be examined. In this context, we can examine the gender distinction that exists in the beliefs of Christianity on the basis of creation. “As a derivative of Judaism, Christianity, born in the lands dominated by the Roman Empire, has the idea that everyone is essentially valuable because it is human. Nevertheless, this idea has never been fully accepted. We can say that the tradition of humiliation has become stronger in Christianity.”(Turan and Duman,2018:172) In contrast to religion, which is a phenomenon that functions as a model of understanding a world and placing itself in a certain place in that world, Christianity does not give women this right. The pre-determined maternity and spouse role is imposed on the woman without allowing her to know herself. In other words, women were considered to be functionally and respected as long as they followed the rules of the male-dominated society, as long as they bowed to men.

early church fathers

“Since Christianity is a continuation of Judaism and its inheritance in one sense, the New Testament embodies the traces and influence of classical Judaism and cultures and traditions in the Palestinian geography as well as in various subjects.”(Harman,2010:56)  So, in the light of the New Testament, the teachings of the Old Testament should have been looked at in order to understand the role of women in Christianity. Male domination was at the forefront in both religions. “In the Old Testament, God is masculine and men are his sons, and in the Bible, the Trinity faith (father, son, holyspirit) is the main symbol of religion, and the woman is not given any role at these points.”(Topcan,2010:7)  Here, the symbol of the dominant God is expressed in masculine language and is interpreted as a legitimating source of anti-gender perspective displayed against women in society. Especially in the religious field, the prevalence of male domination and the application of the rules by the masculine language is a result of this situation. As a basic example; The Bible, which covers the Old Testament and the New Testament and forms the basis of the Christian belief, was written with a group of male perspectives called church fathers under the conditions of the age. The most important data that reveals the male-centered structure is the prayer that the Jews still read in their rituals: “Thank God the Supreme Lord of us and the whole world for the God who did not create me.”

the Creation of Eve

“In the holy book about the creation of women in Judaism, “… While Adam was asleep, the Lord God took one of his rib bones and replaced that one with meat. He created a woman from a rib bone he bought from Adam and brought him to Adam. Adam said, “Here, this is bone from my bones, made from my flesh.” said. It will be called “Woman”.”   (Gürhan,2010:59

The creation of the woman was told to the people of that age, whose knowledge level was limited, as a story that they could understand. In this sense, the value of the woman in the society was lowered by emphasizing the clergy that the man was created first. The woman was portrayed as a weak and in many ways missing being.

The story of creation humiliates women and legitimizes their obedience and strengthens the patriarchal world view that still dominates western culture. “Man does not belong to woman, but woman belongs to man, woman was created for man, but man was not created for woman.”(The Bible, 11-12-13)  As in this letter sample taken from the Old Testament, the woman was pushed into the shadow of the man by taking reference to religious texts. In this context, the story of Adam and Eve is perceived as the woman’s obedience. As can be seen, in Judaism, women have no religious value. So, on the basis of both religions, the woman is imprisoned in the family institution, has no say and no respect in any other area.

In terms of gender discrimination, Christianity has sometimes adopted a radical, sometimes reformist and reconciling, and often contradictory attitude. And the image of “seductive Eve” became the most important weapon used by the Church in maintaining and deepening sexism, especially with the establishment of religion after Jesus. In this sense, “The First Sin”, which is of great importance in Christianity, forms the basis of the perspective of this religion on the woman.”(Turan and Duman,2018:172)  The woman fed the forbidden fruit to Adam, causing him to be expelled from heaven, thereby making the human race sinful. In fact, this feeling of guilt imposed on women is a primitive lie of patriarchy that uses it as a religious tong for the sake of its interests. Women are marginalized and shaped within the framework of inferiority. “In this series, the woman must listen to Adam, and to God in Adam. Man is punished not for eating the forbidden fruit, but for listening to the woman instead of God. The strong reaction of God to the woman shows the helplessness within the patriarchal system.” (Rooke,2007:162) The question that must be asked here is how Adam, who is said to be superior to women, was so easily deceived because it was created in the image of God.

Church Fathers.

The clergy and administrators, especially the church, positioned the woman according to the man, based on some religious texts and determined the place of the woman in social life accordingly. Since Christianity sees women as filthy and seductive, the church fathers regard it as an evil to marry the woman who brought sin to the earth and caused the loss of man. “Women may not get married and keep their virginity and dedicate themselves to God, so they may not have to draw the consequences of the first sin that Eve committed.”(Turan and Duman,2018:174) So, single women are recommended to be able to carry the Holy Spirit. It was a middle way for women to keep their virginity and dedicate themselves to God, that is to say, “the fiance of Christ”. Thus, women were entitled to claim a valuation that exceeds this by opposing the existing patriarchal order to reducing them to only one biological being, and in this context, they could attain certain autonomy.  The rights and roles given to women increased, especially during the apostles, and they attended monasteries and religious meetings. “It is not often noted, but many stories of women in the Bible make no mention of a husband or children. Although singleness was exceedingly rare in ancient Hebrew culture, no one knows if Miriam, Mary and Martha, or Mary Magdalene ever married. In a jarring break from the culture (and without diminishing the family), the New Testament anchors a woman’s identity and purpose to her relationship with Jesus rather than to her parentage, her marital status, or her children.”(Baylor University,2013)

blessed Virgin Mary

    Initially, the essential members of the women’s Christian community followed him at the time of Jesus’ deputy and stood beside him when he was crucified. The New Testament ascended when Jesus first appeared with Mary Magdalene, and society was formed around the disciples of Jesus, including both men and women. The negative viewpoint of the woman who gradually gained weight in the scriptures written after Jesus gained strength after Pavlus. Although Pavlus, who plays an active role in the spread of the belief in Christ and is reflected as a 13th apostle in some religious texts, is sometimes interpreted as following an egalitarian understanding, an opposite situation arises when his letters are examined. For example, “…The head of every man is Christ, the woman’s head is man, and the head of Christ is God.” (Topcan,2010:54) discourse decreases the value of women by putting women in a secondary position against men. Pavlus supports making women dependent on men because of the fact that Eve had committed her first sin. And he said: “Just as the church is in the commandment of Jesus, women should be at the command of their husbands in all matters.”(Beauvoir,1993:93)  Passages that legitimize this idea have been used for centuries to prevent women from participating in churches. In this context, the position of the woman in my ball does not go beyond the role of a loyal wife and mother.

“According to feminist theologians, male priests and the authority of the bishops is the result of historical degeneration.” (Topcan,2010:56)  In the fourth century, the masculine sovereignty found a solid ground to spread as the church gradually gained strength within the Roman Empire. The Patristic (church fathers) period, which was at the end of the New Testament period and early in the Middle Ages, was ruled by male bishop theologians. The greatest paradigm of this period was the highlight of the figure of the mother of God, the Virgin Mary, who offered her understanding and love to the believers, the intercession of God and Jesus. Virgin Mary is declared a saint from this point of view, while Eve reflects a woman figure marginalized due to the first sin. “Regarding Christianity, the creation and life of Eve, it accepts the information in the Torah and compares her with Mary. According to Justin, who is the first to compare Mary and Eve among the church fathers, Mary is the symbol of life and loyalty, and Eve is the symbol of infidelity and death.”(Harman,2010:8)

With the Church becoming more and more institutionalized, the direction of accepting and confirming existing inequalities began to dominate. As in the period of the First Age, discrimination against to women continued in the Patriarchy period and some passages that we can give as an example from the Bible were used as a tool to legitimize this attitude: “But I would not let the woman teach and dominate the man. Because Adam and Eve were created first. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived by delusion, but she will be saved by giving birth to children if they stand by faith and love and discretion.”(The Bible, Bab:2)   Or “The woman is in the second degree under the man. Because Adam was created first, and then Eve was created. It was not Adam who was deceived, the woman was deceived and committed a crime. In this respect, it should be the man, not the woman.”(1. Timoteos 2/ 13,14.)  The burning of many women is also among the church fathers and notables, on the grounds that they are witches at the beginning of the persecution of women. According to feminist ideology, it is the reflection of gender discrimination over religion in the Middle Ages, for the weak creation of the woman and the burning of religious inscriptions by citing sources for the reasons that she believed easily. “The fact that the imagination of men, especially clergymen, chose women as targets while creating “enemies”, supported this selection with “scientific” data, wrote books on this subject, and later converted these books into reference books (such as “Hexenhammer” 20).”(Aksan,2013:361)

According to the examinations made in the light of the reforms in the history, the traces of the gender gap that started in the early period of Christianity can be seen in the transition to the modern age. It is said in the prayer that is read even today at the marriage ceremonies held in the Catholic churches,” I have fallen with sin, while my mother who has sin has conceived me. In the light of this information, the arguments of feminists are that religion is shaped under male domination. Accordingly, the perception of religion has been built by men throughout history, and all the rules that shape religious life have been made and implemented by them. With referance to Christian feminist theology, especially the Bible, it was written, translated or interpreted by some men called church fathers in accordance with the conditions of their age.

In this context, it can be concluded that in order to overcome the patriarchal structure that pressures women culturally and socially, the scriptures must be reinterpreted from a women’s perspective. As a result, feminist researchers emphasize the need for women to take equal responsibilities in the public sphere. They are believed to be the result of breaking traditional prejudices, re-questioning the sacred texts interpreted from a masculine perspective, and reorganizing them with a women’s perspective.

REFERANCES:

•  Woman In The Bible, Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University,(2013)
•  HARMAN, Ömer Faruk,The perception of women in Christianity,(2010)
• THE BIBLE, Paul’s 1st Letter to Timotheos, Bab 2: 12,13,14,15.
•  1.Timoteos 2 / 13, 14
•  AKSAN,Yücel, WITCHCRAFT IN EUROPE BETWEEN 1450-1750 YEARS, (2013)
• TOPCAN, Özlem, GENDER IN THE RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS OF JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN , (2010)
• MUSTAFA TURAN & HÜMEYRA DUMAN, THE CRITICISM OF MARY DALY OF CHRISTIAN PATRIARCHAL GOD PERCEPTION, Ondokuz Mayıs University Review of the Faculty of Divinity, (2018)
•  The Bible, Paul’s First Letter, Chapter 11, 12-13.
•  BERKTAY, Fatmagül, WOMEN AGAINST SINGLE GOD RELIGIONS, (1994)