RELIGION 366: Gender and Religion

Tuesday 3:30-6:00 p.m. Stephen B. Boyd
Wingate 306 Wingate 207
Office Hours: Tuesday 3:00-4:00 ext. 5458

The purpose of this course is to examine aspects of the historical and contemporary interaction between religion and sex roles, sexism and sexuality. The focus will be western Christianity.

Requirements
By March 2 choose an issue or question of interest to you and focus your reading and thinking on it for the rest of the semester. In addition to the class reading, I want you to collect contemporary material concerning your issue from your own religious tradition or any Christian tradition of your choice.

The are two kinds of requirements:

Oral: 1. brief (10 minute) presentations on assigned readings;
2. contributions from the perspective of your chosen historical figure to the class discussions;
3. a presentation on your topic/issue at the end of the course.

Written:
        1. Reading Journal: you are to keep a journal (spiral-bound notebook) in which you summarize the major
arguments of the day's assignments. These will be turned in at mid-term and at the end of the semester.
        2. Short paper (4-5 pages): based on your reading of the primary and secondary sources on an historical figure from the list I will hand out. Each of the primary sources focus on a certain topic dealing with gender and/or sexuality. Summarize the authors position on that topic. Due March 26
       3. Final paper (10-15 pages): in this paper: a. define your issue/problem and why it is important to you; b. discuss what you have learned about your issue from the course readings and your own research; c. report whatever position you think your historical figure might have on your issue; d. report the contemporary position of whatever religious tradition you know best and whether you agree or disagree; e. state your own position; and f. choose an institutional context in which your issue is important and make a concrete policy proposal consistent with your position. Due 5:00 p.m., May 8.

Evaluation

    Journal 30%
    Presentations 10%
    Class Participation 15%
    Papers 45% (1st: 10%; 2nd 35%)

Required Texts

Boyd, Longwood, Muesse, eds., Redeeming Men (RM)
Judith Plaskow, ed., Weaving the Visions (WV)
Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen, ed., After Eden (Eden)

Class Schedule

January   15         Introduction
                                Problematizing Gender
                 22 Theological Perspectives: Mowrey, "The Accomodating Other" (RM, 118-131); Boyd, "A
                             House Divided," (xerox); Eden, Ch. 1
                29 Gender Theories: Eden, Chs. 2&8; Brod, "Making the Case for Men’s Studies" (xerox); RM, xiii-
                            xxii
February 5 Cross-Cultural Perspectives: Eden, Ch.4; Cannon,"Moral Wisdom in Black Women’s Literature"
                            (WV, 281-92); Munir, "Malcom X’s Religious Pilgrimage" (RM, 62-76)
                12 Historical Perspectives: Fiorenza, "In Search of Women’s Heritage," (WV, 29-38); Boyd,
                            "Domination as Punishment," (RM, 19-32); Plaskow, "Jewish Memory.." (WV, 39-50)

Historical Traditions (see the Addendum for primary texts and women’s studies literature)

                19 Biblical Traditions
                          Parsons, "Re-Membering John the Baptist" (RM 176-86)
                26 Early and Medieval Christianity
                        Wiethaus, "Christian Piety and the Legacy of Medieval Masculinity" (RM 48-61)
March     5 Reformation and Modern Christianity
                        Kirkley, "Is it Manly to be a Christian…" (RM 80-88)

Theological Issues and Proposals

                19 Theological Frameworks: Eden, Ch.5; Boyd, "A New Creation" (xerox)
                26 Myth, Ritual, Spiritual Disciplines: Starhawk, "Ritual as Bonding" (WV, 326-335); Moore and
                        Gillette, "Initiation and the Male Spiritual Quest" (RM, 187-96); Brantley, "The Thunder of
                        New Wings," (RM, 209-221); Jocks, "Defending Their People.." (RM, 132-44)
April        2 Human Nature: Eden, 164-83; Keller, "Feminsim and the Ethic of Inseparability," (WV, 256-66);
                        Pollard, "Magnificent Manhood…Howard Thurman," (RM, 222-34)
                9 Images and Language for God: Eden, Ch. 11 and 149-63; Walker, "God is Inside You," (WV,
                        101-104); McFague, "God as Mother" (WV, 139-150); Eilberg-Schwarz, "God’s Phallus and
                        the Dilemmas of Masculinity" (RM 36-47); Mirsky, "Men and the Promise of Goddess
                        Spirituality" (RM, 197-208)

Ethical Implications

                16 Sexuality: Heyward, "Sexuality, Love and Justice" (WV, 293-301); Harrison, "The Power of
                        Anger in the Work of Love" (WV, 214-225); Nelson, "Male Sexuality and the Fragile Planet"
                        (RM, 273-284); Clark, "Gay Men, Masculinity, and Friendship," (RM, 252-62)
                23 Family: Eden, 15 or 13; Longwood, "Changing Views of Fathering" (RM, 238-51); Muesse,
                        "Religious Machismo: Masculinity and Fundamentalism" (RM, 89-102)
                30 Power, Violence, and Ecology: Christ, "Rethinking Theology and Nature" (WV, 314-325); Smith,
                            "Fear and Power in the Lives of Men" (RM, 7-18); Thistlethwaite, "Every Two Minutes" (WV,
                            302-13)

Addendum Historical Texts

The following primary texts, except for the Biblical texts
(for those you can use any edition available to you--New Revised
Standard preferred) are on reserve in the library. For your
presentation, read both the primary and secondary text/s listed
after it (if there is one) and in a 15 minute oral presentation
summarize what the primary text tells you about: the sex role
expectations for both sexes and, with reference to the secondary
text, state whether you think those expectations reflect or
challenge prevailing norms in the text's particular cultural
context; the forms of sexism in the religious and/or other cultural
institutions of the time; and attitudes toward and behavior related
to sexuality. The text you choose may not address all of these
issues, so deal only with the one it does.

Abbreviated References to Books on Reserve:
Spirit: R. Ruether, E. McLaughlin,eds., Women of Spirit
R&S: R. Ruether, ed., Religion and Sexism
Words: A. Oden, In Her Words

Scriptural Traditions
1. Genesis, Chs. 1-2
    Bird, R&S, 41-88
2. Genesis, Chs. 2-3
    Trible, Womanspirit, 74-83
3. Mark, Chs. 15-16
    Fiorenza, Memory, 316-322 (xerox)
4. I Corinthians, Chs. 7;11-14; Galatians 3:28
    Fiorenza, Memory, 205-235 (xerox)
5. Colossians Ch. 3; I Peter 2:11-3:12; Ephesians Ch. 5
    Fiorenza, Memory, 251-269 (xerox)

Early Christianity
6. Augustine, On Continence, in
    Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series I, Vol. III,
    379-393.
    Ruether, R&S, 150-183
7. Augustine, Of Holy Virginity, 417-438.
    (same)
8. Augustine, On the Good of Marriage, 397-413.
    (same)
9. The Martyrdom of Perpetua
    in Words, 26-37.
10. Jerome, Letter 22 to Eustochium
    in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series I,
    Vol. VII, 22-41.
    Ruether, Spirit, 71-98
11. Jerome, Letter 58 to Eustochium, Memorials of Her
    Mother, Paula, in Words, 67-73

Medieval Christianity
12. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica,
    Creation of Man and Woman; Fall
    I, Q. 91-92 (Vol.I, 461-469)
    Suppl., Q. 41-42 (Vol.III, 2711-2718)
    Q. 44 (Vol.III, 2722-2725)
    McLaughlin, R&S, 213-266
13. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica,
    Marriage as a Sacrament
    II-II, Q. 151-155 (Vol.II, 1802-1830)
   Q. 163-165 (Vol.II, 1862-1872)
    (same)
14. Rudolf of Fulda, The Life of St. Leoba
    in Talbot, The Anglo-Saxon Missionaries in Germany, 205-
    226.
    McLaughlin, Spirit, 99-130
15. Aelred of Rievaulx, Spiritual Friendship,
    in Bernard, The Love of God
    McLaughlin, 99-130
    Boswell, Christianity, Social Tolerance and
    Homosexuality, 221-226
16. Maguerite Porete, The Mirror of Simple Souls
    in Words, 158-169
17. Catherine of Siena, On Divine Providence
    in Ray Petry, Late Medieval Mysticism

Reformation/Early Modern
18. Luther, Genesis, (on creation and fall)
    in Works, Vol.1, Genesis, 68-71;115-140;198-209;219-21
    Douglas, R&S, 292-318
19. Luther, "The Estate of Marriage" in Works, Vol.45, 11-49
    (same)
20. Luther, Table Talk (on gender issues) in Works, Vol. 54
        Nos. 49,55,250,255,414-15,445,1237,1348,1630-31,1658-
        59,2807b,2847b,2867b,3267,3508,3528-
        33,3777,3921,4105,4364,5247,5494,5496,5500,
        5524,5537,5557.
        (same)
21. Margaret Fell, Women's Speaking Justified and George Fox,
        An Encouragement...to Women's Meetings, excerpts in
        J. Irwin, Womanhood in Radical Protestantism, 179-
        187.
      Huber, Spirit, 153-182
      Irwin, "General Introduction", in Womanhood
22. Teresa of Avila The Interior Castle in Words, 223-230

Modern
23. Jarena Lee, The Life and Religious Experience of Jarena
        Lee in Words, 276-81
     William Andrews, Sisters of Spirit
24. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, The Women's Bible, in Words, 314-
        20
25. Karl Barth, Chruch Dogmatics, (creation, marriage)
        Vol. III/4, 163ff.