ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islam Vs. Feminism Feminist Theology Feminist theology began to establish itself in the 1970s.

During that decade the journal Concilium was launched to promote feminist theology, the first conferences were held to discuss feminist theology in the U.S., the World Council of Churches held a conference in Berlin on sexism, and Mary Daly published Beyond God the Father.''9 Like liberation theology, to which it is closely linked both historically and theoretically, feminist theology draws upon and criticizes Marxist thought.

Religion is interpreted in such a way that its primary function is seen as liberation, liberation of the poor in liberation theology and of women in feminist theology. Feminist theology may be divided into moderate and radical tendencies. The moderate tendencies advocate reinterpretations of the established religions to purge them of what are considered sexist or androcentric elements.

The radical tendencies advocate a rejection of patriarchal religious thought in favour of the worship of one or more goddesses or even witchcraft. One of the areas of scholarship to which moderate feminists have devoted their attention is the history of the Church.

Feminists such as Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza argue that the early Christians were egalitarians, but that as the Church hierarchy developed, bias against women became institutionalized, and infected many subsequent theological discussions.10 The method employed by Schussler Fiorenza is broadly sociological, and draws upon liberation theology. The conclusions reached are relatively moderate: the feminist critique is to lead to Church reform.

More radical conclusions are drawn by feminists who rely more on psychoanalytic methods. Following C. G. Jung, feminists such as Christa Mulack hold that the unconscious, which is associated with the feminine, is primary, and that male dominated religion has suppressed the feminine in favour of the male. On this view, the Hebrew Prophets are seen as rebels against "the Great Goddess".

Feminist theologians who concentrate on psychology tend to reject equality feminism in favour of a feminism in which the feminine is paramount, or gynocentric feminism. They also tend to reject Christianity rather than call for its reform. While the majority of feminist theologians appear to be comparatively moderate, the radicals constitute a very influential minority.