In one of my classes we were touching on the issue of ordination of women (in order to work as a pastor you need to be ordained). In several (conservative) christian circles women is seen as inferior to men, and the role of the pastor is perceived as a role that should be taken by men only.
My teacher (who is writing his PhD on this topic) shared some of his thoughts and conclusions with us. One of his main points was that how we perceive the role of men and women is strongly determined by the culture we live in, and the philosophy that is dominating in that specific culture. Christians may use “theological arguments” without realizing that these arguments do not have their origin in scripture but in for instance Greek philosophy.
Without attempting to go into the whole debate of whether women should be ordained or not, I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned with you (this is from my teacher’s newly written paper. I hope he doesn’t mind). I found the 19th century definition of woman quite interesting (and amusing, if I may use that word…).
“In Greek times it was Aristotle who held that females were ‘misbegotten‘ males ‘weaker and colder in nature and we must look upon the female character as being a sort of natural deficiency‘. In the time of scholasticism, the Christian middle Ages didn’t free themselves from this kind of perception.”
Then he continues to write about how Aristotle’s idea came to dominate future theological thinking. And then he writes (and notice this definition!): “Thus, it is again not surprising that further in the 19th century we find in Godey’s Lady’s Book, a magazine for females in America, the following definition of a woman: the connecting link between man and the inferior animals, posessing a central rank between the mysterious instinct of the later and the unattainable energies of the former” (this definition was from Godeys Lady’s Book, 1840.).
There are also other definitions from this time, like: “Man is an intellectual, speculative and productive being, while woman is an emotional, instinctive and receptive being.“
…
I guess parts of these ideas concerning men and women are still alive today. Men are perceived as being the rational and strong ones, while women are perceived as being the emotional and “needy”. Isn’t that how the stereotypes of the genders often are presented?
So, what should the conclusion be? That Aristotle was correct? Or are we strongly influenced by false ideas from way back that just don’t seem to go away?
