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Language, Gender and Religion: an Investigation Into Some Gender Language, Gender and Religion: An Investigation into some Gender- Specific Issues in Religious Texts, and the Impact of Language on the Role of Women in Judaism, Christianity and Islam Lejla Mezit Supervisor Anne Karin Ro This Master’s Thesis is carried out as a part of the education at the University of Agder and is therefore approved as a part of this education. However, this does not imply that the University answers for the methods that are used or the conclusions that are drawn. University of Agder, 2011 Faculty of Humanity and Education Department of Foreign Languages and Translation SAY: "If all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's words, the sea would indeed be exhausted ere my Sustainer's words are exhausted! And [thus it would be] if we were to add to it sea upon sea." (Qur’an 18: 109) 0.1_SUMMARY Name: Lejla Mezit Title: Language, Gender and Religion: An Investigation into some Gender-Specific Issues in Religious Texts, and the Impact of Language on the Role of Women in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Master Thesis in English University of Agder Spring 2011 The thesis begins by providing background information about the concept of gender within the linguistic, feminist and religious context. Possible definitions of the difference between sex and gender are offered and the position of gender issues in the realm of language is discussed. In continuation an introduction to religious feminism and its different types is given. Before the discussion of the core of the thesis, a presentation of the research investigation included in this work is given. Its aim and methods applied are elaborated. The central part of the thesis can be divided into four parts which are interconnected. First, different linguistic aspects of the gender discourse are outlined. During this process religious texts of the three Abrahamic religions are in focus. Issues like inclusive and exclusive language, gender-neutral scriptures, the connection between religion and linguistics, the hermeneutical philosophy and the translation of the Word of God are discussed in detail. As the interpretation of religious texts regarding gender has influenced the lives of women for millennia, much attention and space are given to the various interpretative approaches to some misogynic texts in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The issue of gender in the respective religious traditions is treated generally, with special focus on texts included in the survey in order to offer a theoretical basis for the elaboration of the results of the research investigation. The gender of God, a controversial, even provocative, topic, is treated in a separate chapter as it is considered significant among religious feminists. In the course of this chapter the linguistic reasons for the masculinisation of God inherent in the Semitic languages were discussed. Furthermore, the alleged necessity of a male God and the possibility of a male saviour to save women are questioned. The interesting female aspects of the Divine in the three Abrahamic faiths are touched upon, as well. The thesis is concluded with the elaboration of the results arrived at in a research investigation conducted among today‘s Jewish, Christian and Muslim women. Their responses are presented in the light of the three previous chapters and contrasted to each other. 0.2_ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all, I want to thank God for endowing me with the wish to seek knowledge and for making this wish come true! During my first year of the master studies programme at the University of Agder I had a consultation with Anne Karin Ro regarding one of the papers we had to hand in. While I was sitting in her office and looking around me, I noticed a folder titled ―Language and Religion‖. Being a religious person and a student of linguistics, I consider these two topics to be central to my life and education. I felt a strong wish to look into this folder. In the following semester I was given the opportunity to do that together with Anne Karin Ro and my fellow students in a course called ―Language and Religion‖. This was a most interesting and enriching experience, and it was during this course that I decided to write a thesis about one of the numerous aspects of religious language. I would like to thank Anne Karin Ro for giving me the opportunity to look inside the ―folder‖ of religious language during her course and during the writing of my thesis. I am grateful for her guidance, patience and, particularly, for her deep understanding of my private struggle of raising four children. I thank also all my informants for their time and engagement, but my special thanks are dedicated to two women who made my investigation among the Jewish women possible and offered me support and advice during my work: Lynn C. Feinberg and Arna Desser. Finally, I would like to thank my family: my parents for teaching me that the pursuit of knowledge is the noblest task of a human being, my husband for supporting me and babysitting our four children while I was struggling with my studies and my children for being a motivation and comfort when times got difficult. Sandefjord, May 2011 Lejla Mezit 0.3_TABLE OF CONTENTS 0.0a Cover 0.0b Qur‘an 18: 109 0.1 Summary 0.2 Acknowledgements 0.3 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction and Presentation of the Thesis 1 1.1 The Aim of the Study 1 1.2 The Organisation of the Work 2 1.3 Thesis 2 1.4 Background Information and Clarification of Terms 3 1.4.1 What is Gender? 3 1.4.2 Gender and Language 5 1.4.3 Religious Feminism 6 1.4.3.1. Types of Religious Feminism 8 2.0 Data and Methods 9 2.1 Questionnaire and Texts. 9 2.1.1 Initial Approach 10 2.1.2 Types of Interviews 10 2.1.3 Types of Questions in the Questionnaire 10 2.1.4 The Texts as Open Questions 11 2.1.5 Direct and Indirect Approach 11 2.1.6 Quantitative and Qualitative Approach 12 2.2 Study Participants 12 2.2.1 Choice of Informants 12 2.2.2 Organisation of the Informants 12 2.2.2.1 Age 13 2.2.2.2 Denomination 13 2.2.2.2.1 Jewish Study Participants 13 2.2.2.2.2 Christian Study Participants 14 2.2.2.2.3 Muslim Study Participants 14 2.2.2.3 Nationality 14 2.2.2.3.1 Jewish Study Participants 14 2.2.2.3.2 Christian Study Participants 14 2.2.2.3.3 Muslim Study Participants 14 3.0 The Linguistic Debate within the Gender Discourse 15 3.1 Silenced through Language 15 3.1.1 The Inclusive Male Pronouns 15 3.1.2 The Generic Man 16 3.1.3 Inclusive vs Exclusive Language 16 3.1.4 Gender-Neutral Scriptures 17 3.1.4.1 The Bible 17 3.1.4.2 The Qur‘an 19 3.2 Religion, Language and Gender 20 3.2.1 The Importance of Religion 20 3.2.2 Linguistics and Religion 21 3.2.3 History of Linguistics 21 3.2.3.1 Characteristics of Language inherited from Antiquity 22 3.2.3.2 The Three Ways 22 3.3 Hermeneutical Philosophy 24 3.3.1 General Hermeneutics 24 3.3.2 Ontological Hermeneutics 25 3.3.2.1 The Fusion of Horizons 25 3.3.2.2 The Reader-ResponseTheory 27 3.3.3 The Hermeneutics of the Qur‘an 27 3.3.3.1 The Five Sources of Tafsir 28 3.3.3.2 Closing the Gates of Logical Reasoning 28 3.4 Exegesis of Translation 30 3.4.1 Translating the Holy Books 30 3.4.2 How to Translate? 31 3.4.2.1 Dynamic and Formal translations 31 3.4.2.2 Fidelity in Translation 32 3.4.2.3 Implicit and Explicit Meanings 32 3.4.2.4 Multiple Choice in Translation 33 4.0 Theoretical Background for Gender Issues in the Three Abrahamic Religion 34 4.1 Getting the Word Right 34 4.2 Gender in Judaism, Christianity and Islam 35 4.2.1 The Basic Questions 35 4.3 Judaism and Women 36 4.3.1 The Creation of Man and Woman 37 4.3.1.1 Genesis 1 37 4.3.1.2 Genesis 2 and 3 38 4.3.1.3 Roots of Biblical Misogyny 38 4.3.1.4 Redeeming Interpretations 39 4.3.1.5 Genesis 3 41 4.3.2 Other Jewish Gender Controversies 42 4.3.2.1 The Covenant 43 4.3.2.2 The Morning Blessings 45 4.3.2.3 The Defamed Bride 47 4.3.3 A Jew, a Feminist or Both? 50 4.4 Christianity and Gender 52 4.4.1 Major Issues 52 4.4.2 The Original Sin 53 4.4.2.1 The Concept of the First Sin 53 4.4.2.2 The Woman and the Transmission of the First Sin 53 4.4.3 Christianity and Family 54 4.4.4 Women in the New Testament 55 4.4.4 Paul‘s Misogyny 56 3.4.4.1 Paul‘s Double Mission 57 4.4.5 Adapting Jesus‘ Message 58 4.4.6 The Church Fathers 59 4.4.6.1 The Fear of Sin 59 4.4.6.2 Tertullian and Woman‘s Guilt 59 4.4.7 The Woman‘s Place 60 4.4.7.1 Do Women Have Souls? 60 4.4.7.2 The Purpose of Woman 61 4.4.8 Towards a Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics 62 4.5 Islam and Gender 63 4.
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