Be Part of the Solution

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND BUSINESS STUDIES Department of Humanities

Gender Sensitivity in Confirmation Work

Johanna Rostek

2021

Student thesis, Master degree (two years), 30 HE Religious Studies Master Programme in Religious Studies

Supervisor: Ann-Kristin Eriksson Examiner: Jari Ristiniemi

Abstract

The following research explores female authority's experiences with gender roles in faith and church and the subsequent handling of gender sensitivity in confirmation work. The qualitative study is conducted based on empirical data to answer the research questions. The chosen feminist standpoint theory assists in identifying the sampling consisting of female authorities as participants who are in charge of the confirmation work. The theory examines resources to create a standpoint through feminist experiences as knowledge, creating feminist solidarity and agency. The constructionist thematic analysis identifies and establishes repeating patterns in combination with the participant's answers and the theory. The lived experiences are gathered through online questionnaires and analyzed and interpreted through the lens of the feminist standpoint theory. The qualitative study shows that women make various experiences based on gender roles in faith and church. Majorly challenging is the normalization of male-dominated structures and concepts. Still, the participants form standpoints concerning the significance of gender-sensitive confirmation work. The study's outcome shows that mainstream knowledge can be opposed by creating feminist knowledge, solidarity, and agency. A broad audience is addressed because the result can be generalized into several fields.

Keywords: Gender Roles, Gender Sensitivity, Protestant Lutheran Church, Confirmation Work, Knowledge Production, Feminist Standpoint Theory

Table of Contents

Abstract ...... 1 1 Rationale...... 4 1.1 Research Aim ...... 7 1.2 Research Questions ...... 7 1.3 Keywords ...... 7 1.3.1 Sex...... 8 1.3.2 Gender ...... 8 1.3.3 Gender Sensitivity ...... 9 1.3.4 Gender-Wise Correct Language ...... 9 2 Background ...... 10 2.1 Reformation ...... 10 2.2 Enlightenment ...... 13 2.3 Pietism ...... 14 2.4 Protestant Lutheran Church in Germany Today ...... 15 2.5 Confirmation Work in a Northern German Context ...... 17 2.6 Gender Studies and Religious Studies ...... 19 2.6.1 Women in Christianity ...... 19 2.6.2 Feminism...... 21 2.6.3 Feminism in Religion ...... 22 2.6.4 Feminist Theology ...... 23 3 Theoretical Framework ...... 24 3.1 Feminist Standpoint Theory ...... 25 3.1.1 Feminist Knowledge ...... 28 3.1.2 Feminist Solidarity ...... 30 3.1.3 Agency ...... 30 4 Methodology ...... 32 4.1 Method ...... 32 4.2 Research Design ...... 32 4.3 Sampling...... 33 4.4 Data Collection and Analysis ...... 34 4.5 Tools and Material ...... 37 4.6 Discipline ...... 38 5 Ethical Considerations ...... 38 5.1 Worthy Topic ...... 38 5.2 Rich Rigor ...... 39 5.3 Sincerity ...... 39 5.4 Credibility...... 40 5.5 Resonance...... 41 5.6 Significant Contribution ...... 41 5.7 Ethical Research Practice ...... 41 5.8 Meaningful Coherence ...... 42 6 Time Frame ...... 42 7 Literature Review ...... 43 7.1 Confirmation Work ...... 43

7.2 Feminist and Religious Studies ...... 44 7.3 Knowledge Production ...... 45 7.4 Theory ...... 45 8 Discussion and Analysis ...... 46 8.1 Gender roles in the Church and Faith...... 47 8.1.1 Alleged Gender Roles in the Church ...... 47 8.1.2 Alleged Gender Roles in Faith ...... 51 8.2 Resulting Handling of Gender Sensitivity in Confirmation Work ...... 55 8.2.1 Role Models ...... 55 8.2.2 Language is Power ...... 62 8.2.3 Association ...... 67 9 Conclusion ...... 72 10 Bibliography ...... 78 11 Appendix ...... 84 11.1 Questionnaire ...... 84 11.2 Email ...... 86 11.3 Consent Form ...... 87

1 Rationale

Inequality, discrimination, and oppression based on gender is a current issue. That topic left alone is worthy of being researched but would go beyond the scope of one Master's thesis. Besides, research studies and reports are being done. Albeit, there is another critical debate that illustrates the need for research; inequality based on gender in religion. Naturally, this topic is not unknown to us either; unfortunately, this topic is left alone.

Woodhead (2004) introduces Christianity as the world religion with the most significant adherents globally. Therefore Christianity is widely spread and differs in doctrines and denominations in different cultures. Important epochs such as the Reformation and the Enlightenment alongside famous, historical individuals fostered new developments within Christianity in the Western sphere. Over an extended period, rather new developments started to grow in the name of Protestantism, feminism, and feminist theology in a western context. Heelas et al. (2005) mention the increasing need to bring religious thought together with current happenings such as the revolution of industry, enhanced knowledge in science, the surge of cultural plurality, but simultaneously towards individuality and subjective life.

Gunew (1992) states, the turn to subjectivity paved the way for a new way to produce knowledge. Prevalent Christian doctrines are transformed into human experiences and questioned ethics, morality, values, and knowledge over centuries (Gunew, 1992). It increased the desire for an egalitarian system, the participation of the individual, own decision-making, freedom, and independencies of the state and church, and other institutions. In the wind of change, not only men were critical of the church's authority and power (Woodhead, 2004). Riswold (2009) states that women played their part in challenging the mainstream knowledge in Reformation, Enlightenment, or countermovements as Pietism or Ecumenism until today. That itself may not surprise, but how come we do not know these women in contemporary times? In history classes, we get in touch with historical figures as Martin Luther and Immanuel Kant. We are familiar with the big men of history but nowhere to be found the big women of our history. For instance, Elisabeth von Rochlitz, who countered her Catholic family, created a great network around her and acted as an adviser in the Reformation. Also referred to, Argula von Grumbach, who engaged intensely in the Lutheran Church's progress and advocated for Lutheran people, made advances to discuss with academics openly and, therefore, acted against her Catholic spouse. In times of the

Enlightenment and late Enlightenment, several personalities engaged in a variety of areas. Anna Amalia von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel engaged and promoted cultural life. Just as much as Friederike Caroline Neuber and Luise Adelgunde Gottsched. Feminists of modern times are, for example, the Catholic Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, who showed that women have been of significance in Christian history right from the beginning. In 1958 ordination for women was allowed, and Elisabeth Haseloff was the first woman who took up the pastorate for the Protestant Lutheran Church in Germany (Riswold, 2009). Efficacious women seem not as visible in historical scripts. Reasons may be that proactive, political, or critical women were not accepted, duties of the household and children were time-consuming and possible illiteracy because of the lack of education for girls and women. Besides, it was common to archive scriptures written by men, but that did not count for women's work (Rademacher- Braick, 2017). Male-dominated structures are prevalent for a long time and impacted several fields, and influenced mainstream knowledge. Learning about these structures raises the question of whether we still have these structures and what should be done about them?

The upcoming questions inspire me to think beyond; how are these structures experienced today, and how is it possible to illustrate the connection between gender and religion. Alak (2020) outlines the strong but dynamic interrelation between gender and religion, but it is not widely discussed or even practiced in the church. Predominantly, religion and gender are closely entrenched, that both can affect the development of identity (Alak, 2020). The apparent gender inequality in religion made by dominantly male Gods, the masculine language in the Bible, scripts, stories, figures, and the resulting male dominance in faith and religious institutions is a current issue. However, old views on gender and their position in society seem to not fit into nowadays life. We recognize the alienation of young people from religion and the church (Alak, 2020). Previous research, for example by Mojola (2018), figures out the challenge that young individuals do not have many connection points with religious institutions. Especially for female individuals, it lacks possibilities to identify with the storytelling of the Bible, individuals, or experiences made by the individuals in the Bible (Mojola, 2018). Ultimately, these aspects must be reflected upon and illuminated in academic research. Therefore I stress the importance of research on gender and religion, especially in connection with young individuals (Aune & Vincett, 2010).

Grasping the history of Christianity and the role of women is a difficult job. Nevertheless, the interest increased, especially in today's situation. While preparing for the master thesis, I

stumbled upon several studies and researchers who connect gender and religion in the light of contemporary times. Mustafa and Westerduin (2021) illustrate the deep connection between the two intersectional factors of gender and religion in the public sphere. The book turns attention to the process of knowledge production, the accessibility, and who partakes in its production. That begs the question of how to involve more people with different factors in the production of knowledge and give access to it. The book by Auga (2020) connects the topics of knowledge production, experiences, and language. The author initiates a discussion of gender-sensitive language, what it could mean and how it could be practically engaged in church service, songs, prayers, intercessions, and Sunday schools. She gives the impulse that language is a form of power and that we must be reflective, raise awareness and act responsibly upon it. Through language, she states, we can fight violence and hierarchy, thus creating a new reality in the church's environment. Herewith the relation was made to acknowledge experiences as knowledge and the importance of language as the tool for how we transfer this knowledge. Auga (2020) criticizes the binary and heteronormative ideology and the implied gender roles as gender order. These structures create harmful modes of thinking due to the oppressor and the oppressed's involved roles and advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is vital to enter new paths of inclusive knowledge to oppose these structures. Finally, it caught my attention that the church service is not the only space to contribute to a gender-sensitive community, but the confirmation work as it brings together young individuals. Most importantly, Auga (2020) suggests the church itself inherits the power to fight these structures and represents a part of the solution against inequality.

With the question of how experiences influence our actions, I started looking for previous research on experiences with gender roles in faith and church and their possible influence on confirmation work. I realized that only a little research was done. Exactly this research gap encouraged me to explore how to challenge mainstream knowledge and seek alternatives on how experiences can be produced and can influence issues like gender sensitivity. In focus are the female church authorities and their experiences on structures in their faith and church, and the impact on the confirmation work. With the support of the feminist standpoint theory, I illuminate the strength of a standpoint. Guided by the theory, I focus on their experiences with gender roles in faith and church and how this affects their handling of gender sensitivity in confirmation work. To explore their experiences as unique knowledge that can create solidarity as a group and agency for the individual presents the possibility of creating a

standpoint. Women of faith open new ways of knowledge production and highlight the significance of being part of the solution regarding gender-sensitive confirmation work.

1.1 Research Aim

The research aim and questions guide the following thesis, keep the work's frame, and support the red thread throughout the study.

“Explore the female church authority's experiences with gender roles and the resulting handling of the topic within confirmation work to create gender sensitivity in the Protestant Lutheran Church.”

1.2 Research Questions

● How do the female authorities experience gender roles in faith and the church? ● How do authorities handle gender sensitivity in confirmation work?

1.3 Keywords

To understand the meaning of the thesis, one must understand the used terms and the German context. As I speak about gender sensitivity, the thesis sometimes refers to a binary system because it only deals with men and women, male and female characteristics, and outcomes based on these characteristics. Diverse sex and gender are left out. That does not mean that only men and women exist. Individuals can inherit a mix of different biological or gender characteristics, do not reflect any of these characteristics, or identify with feel belonging to the opposite biological or gender characteristics. To narrow down the thesis, men and women, male and female characteristics, are chosen, and more importantly, I identify the participants as female pastors, female ministers, and female deacons. I do not want to be inappropriate or discriminating, but I do highlight gender and resulting gender roles out of a reason. Important here is that the definitions are based in a German context. Sex, gender, gender sensitivity, and gender-wise correct language do not have one English equivalent. Hence, it is significant to highlight the definition for a better understanding of the reader since I am writing in English but mean the German context. On the one hand, the descriptions give a basic understanding of the terms because that understanding is not self-evident. Thus, the definition is an assistance for the reader. Besides, these definitions are not given to the participants before answering the questionnaire. On the other hand, I must stress that these

definitions provide only a basic understanding, and additionally, it is the understanding of the author and other authors. Therefore, the reader must emphasize that these definitions do not have to apply to everyone. That is why everyone must reflect on these terms, create an understanding and meaning for oneself.

1.3.1 Sex

Sex, here the biological sex that is given at birth by the bodily characteristics "either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male especially based on their reproductive organs and structures" (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). By emphasizing only the binary gender, a diverse set of characteristics are left out. Nevertheless, it is essential to reflect on the point that sex, determined at birth, predetermines some aspects of our life. This biological feature determines how we experience life theoretically but also practically. Based on sex and the resulting social gender of a person, social constructs are formed, norms in a community, what is expected of that individual, and possible and impossible. "[...] the body exists in a socially mediated universe" (Correa & Petchesky, 2013, p. 134). The determined biological sex of an individual can have specific outcomes on the social gender. Since we adapt social constructs to sex, advantages and disadvantages are created. One must see the interconnection of the two terms because "[...] constructions of gender rest on clearer biological criteria […]" (Hill Collins, 2013, p. 384). (Ayala & Vasilyeva, 2015).

1.3.2 Gender

"[...] gender is a world-view-structuring experience" (Hartsock, 2013, p. 354). In English, one can differentiate linguistically between the biological sex and the social gender. There is only one term for the English equivalent sex and gender in German, 'Geschlecht'. Within this thesis, the term gender is being used to illustrate social gender. The social gender is mainly constructed by cultural and societal factors and directs the norm, the essence of the gender, and how the individual should act. In the words of Butler (2013), gender "[...] is an identity tenuously constituted in time-an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts'' (Butler, 2013, p. 462). Additionally, gender includes "[…] the stylization of the body […]" (Butler, 2013, p. 462), which implies to behave in a specific, gendered way, move and talk conform to the norm of the gender. Underlying is a system that gets created and performed, which can advantage or disadvantage someone based on gender and put someone in the

position of the oppressor or the oppressed. In the following, the connection is illustrated that "[...] the category of woman is, by definition, to be in an oppressed situation" (Butler, 2013, p. 466). That is due to "[...] patriarchy because it appropriately captures the notion of hierarchy and male dominance […]" (Hartmann, 2013, p. 194), which is not only valid today in a Western context, but also historically and globally valid throughout time. Gender determines the norm of how the individual must act, behave and look in society, hence, predetermines alleged gender roles (Butler, 2013).

1.3.3 Gender Sensitivity

In this thesis, gender sensitivity connects diverse terms like gender justice, equality, equity, inclusiveness, tolerance, participation, empowerment, and awareness. These key points together form gender sensitivity. Aksornkool (2011) explains that individuals and groups, society, or communities use different terms for similar experiences they make. These experiences differ and must be examined in location, culture, time, and society. That is why the term gender sensitivity is used here as an umbrella term to cover and unite the interpretations of the experiences and wishes of the participants. Significant is that gender sensitivity includes all forms and belongings or not belonging to sex or gender. Acting sensitive towards gender does not mean disadvantaging either advantaging specific gender. Gender sensitivity includes participation in all forms of gender and acknowledging and appreciating differences and similarities. That can be done by learning about knowledge production, questioning and criticizing mainstream and possible oppressive knowledge, and promoting awareness of an individual's various realities. Herewith comprehension increases on power, power relations, and possible unequal access of power. Different individuals in charge can act as a facilitator to encourage this process and development. Here especially educational institutions are outlined because they have direct contact with young individuals. One example of sensitivity towards the topic is gender-aware language (Aksornkool, 2011).

1.3.4 Gender-Wise Correct Language

Language is one discussed topic in gender sensitivity. That is why the term 'gendern' is often mentioned in this thesis. Therefore, I add a short description of the word to make the following text comprehensive. As we have seen in the other keywords descriptions, we must be careful with some terms in English and German translations. 'Gendern' or 'Gendering' means to write and speak gender-wise correctly. It is derived from the English word gender

but is Germanized into 'gendern' or 'gendering'. This guidance on speaking and writing gender-aware emphasizes a different linguistic usage to show equal treatment in a linguistic form. That is particularly important in the German language as German is a male-dominated language (Romaine, 2000). Nevertheless, 'gendering' underpins that linguistics, or language, influences what we can imagine, how we think, and what we suppose is the norm. It is not argued that language alone is constructing power or power relations. Still, due to its influence on imagination and behavior, it illustrates the power through its impact on knowledge production (Romaine, 2000).

'Gendering' presents alternatives to all nouns and pronouns that only suggest the male version of the term, are differently written or have different symbols added. There are several ways of how to visualize the male and female versions of the word in linguistics. Here I exemplify the word Pastor as it is the same word in English and German. There is the internal I 'Binnen-I' (PastorIn), and the 'Paarform' (Pastorin and Pastor), or the short version (Pastorin/Pastor). Another relatively new version assists in including non-binary concepts. Examples are the asterisk shape (Pastor*in), the gender gap (Pastor_in), or the gender colon (Pastor:in). Placing an asterisk or a gap illustrates lived realities other than male and female. Another form of gendering is the neutralization of gender by using indeterminate, gender-neutral plural forms of the terms instead of visualizing gender in one's linguistics. 'Gendering' is discussed in different areas as politics, science, and social life but not legally binding. Due to the variety of choices on speaking and writing gender aware in the German language, gendering faces criticism. As the German language is male-dominated, 'gendering' has quite an influence and a broad scope (Windisch, 2020).

2 Background

2.1 Reformation

To understand the women's position in religion and faith, we must look into religion in its history, context, and events. We cannot take contemporary faith and the church without seeing the bigger picture just as much as we must understand the developing role of women in religious terms and history to make sense of nowadays circumstances. That is the reason to start in the epoche of Reformation until today. Beginning at this point of time helps understand the Christian faith and the Protestant Lutheran Church's development and leads to women's experience in this particular denomination. Especially interesting in the epochal

terms of Reformation, Enlightenment, and the counter-movement of Pietism is that the developments are still visible today and took on significance in contemporary times.

Obtained by Mörke (2011), in Reformation, many academics, priests, and philosophers appear who contributed to Reformation, and one of them is Martin Luther. Next to many others, he demanded allowance on the Catholic and Protestant Churches to act side by side. An actual starting point is not clear; therefore, I make use of the 16th century for the time frame of the Reformation because the reforms had their implications on a political, socially, cultural and religious sphere and had their influences on the whole of Europe during a long period (Mörke, 2011). In the context of religion, "[...] it is possible to speak of a single Reformation in which several doctrines, soteriology, ecclesiology, sacramentology, and anthropology, were revisited" (Moore, 2015, p. 89). The reform movement ended with the separation of the Christian Church in the Western sphere. Herewith was the Lutheran Church born and led the way for many changes in the direction of the Protestant Lutheran Church (Mörke, 2011).

Found in Kim et al. (2018), the newly formed denomination differentiated itself from the Catholic Church. The Lutheran movement demanded that the only source of faith is the Holy Bible and not the faith in established traditions formed and practiced by higher-ranked authorities of the church. Secondly, they claimed the separation of state and the church and pushed towards the doctrine of the two kingdoms. Justice should be done by the sole faith of a person, not by work righteousness, penance, nor paying the letters of indulgence invented and written by the church. Additionally, the Reformation tackled the authority of highly regarded religious people as Priests, Bishops, and the Pope. Martin Luther fought against the doctrine of transubstantiation, questioned sacerdotalism, and demanded to reduce the sacraments (Kim et al., 2018). Leppin (2013) names the traditional seven sacraments: the eucharist, penance, ordination, baptism, marriage, last rites, and confirmation. Other reformists debated against this drastic reduction. For example, the sacrament of Baptism for adolescents was under threat because, regarding many reformists, infants cannot agree nor disagree with a particular faith. Therefore the performed infant baptism was criticized (Leppin, 2013).

Moreover, Kim et al. (2018) state that the confirmation and the Eucharist illustrated the closeness sufficiently with the divine in the reformist's view. Eventually, the reformists settled on infant baptism, and the following religious education gives the adolescents another

chance to learn and affirm their Christian faith. Moreover, it uncovered another call for a change of mind that baptism should provide the right for ordination, therefore women and men. Further, not the ordination should give someone prestige, but talent, education, and effort. This development opened the idea of women's ordination and blazed the way for the significant connection between the Protestant Church and education. Besides making the service available, accessible, and comprehensive for the community, the Bible was translated into colloquial German. Therefore, the reformists, for instance, Martin Luther, ensured that everyone could follow the service and compare it to the Bible's word. As a result, the individuals and the community turn into participating members who understand the scripture, compare and give feedback, criticize and create understanding. In the following years of the Reformation, the people of the Protestant Church recognized the difficulty in defending biblical texts, for instance, the story of creation in their modern times. They made use of biblical criticism to analyze the scripture (Kim et al., 2018).

The role of women is known to a lesser extent. Still, women played their part in the Reformation. It is not just that the Reformation paved the way for new religious freedom. With the new reform, a new picture, role, and value laid on women. That is one crucial point why women fought for the reform. It not only changed spiritual life but also included a vast range of sociopolitical principles. Katharina von Bora, for example, is not only the spouse of reformist Martin Luther. She provided shelter for many wanted protestants, besides managing her own family, just as much as Katherine Schütz Zell did. Many more outstanding personalities were acting as a guiding force in times of Reformation. The Reformation did bring changes in personal and spiritual life and is an entry point into the educational system for women, which was one significant change and possibility for women (Moore, 2015).

There are several perspectives on the time of the Reformation, and not all of them are positive. Further, it is vital to keep in mind that this part only highlights essential points for the thesis and leaves out other important facts. Indeed, I cannot capture the whole history of the Reformation. Besides many outcomes, the Reformation served as a forerunner for a changed perspective on women and the educational system, giving the possibility to be critical with religion, biblical texts, interpret scriptures more individually, and create one's understanding. The Reformation illustrates a crucial time for the Protestant Church in Germany because it predetermined new ways of the Christian religion. It also paved the way for further developments like the Enlightenment and women's role in Christianity.

2.2 Enlightenment

The Enlightenment is another movement that strongly influences people's lives in the 17th and 18th centuries until today. It affects political, social, cultural areas, research, and science such as epistemology, philosophy, art, and religion. In times of Enlightenment, Germany and the rest of the world went through significant changes. One crucial engine of the Enlightenment was the turn to human reason. Industrialization offered new chances and challenges, further secularization, transforming educational systems, for example, compulsory education, and the constitutional states, hence, modernization. Traditional theology was questioned, and the fight against arbitrary structures and religious authority towards egalitarian concepts became louder towards skepticism against wisdom, intrinsic knowledge, and truths into the direction of human rational reason and rights. It strived to rethink existing structures and turned to natural science for reason and knowledge. They claimed civil rights and universal human rights, the emancipation of women, and education (Kim et al., 2018). Among influential followers is the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. The philosopher also coined the meaning of Enlightenment as men or humankind's emergence from self-imposed immaturity (Ferrone, 2015).

Even though the Enlightenment aimed at a tolerant religious policy, O'Brien (2009) explains that a further rupture between the denominations, Protestant, and Roman-Catholic was visible. As addressed, the Protestant movement engaged and connected faith with education. As O'Brien (2009) impressively combines, education is an essential base for people to discuss because it provides people with new knowledge and language. That opens doors to discuss topics, exchange experiences, and raise awareness about similarities and differences. Therefore it gives a disadvantaged group the possibility to create a feeling of togetherness and empowerment. Receiving education and language changed the understanding of solidarity between women and their sense of agency. "But it is to say that Enlightenment philosophical and historical inquiries created a framework and a language for understanding the gendered structures of society without which nineteenth-century feminism would not have been possible" (O'Brien, 2009, p. 2).

Interestingly, as Kim et al. (2018) add, it is not only about religious education. In general, they focused on education for the church parish that gave them advantages in research and many academic fields. Not only did religious people and academics turn to the new knowledge and research, but the population also gained broader access to education and

received the tool to question religion and especially religious authority further. Developments in science tackled the sacred knowledge and the church's power and formed a new cultural life and worldview. The claim for emancipation was actual for different groups like women, but also Jewish people demanded more rights. The epoch of the Enlightenment played an essential role in the feminist movement. Even though it did not start only in times of Enlightenment, it grew and got stronger (Kim et al., 2018).

Not all academics share general debates about the Enlightenment as a significant step towards secularization in contemporary times. As Butler et al. (2011) explain, the Enlightenment developed a new way of the public sphere, a redistribution of power and authority by religion towards secularism. Indeed, these changes awakened further distinctions between classes, people, and the population (Butler et al., 2011). That is why, in hindsight, the time of Enlightenment and their developments do not only have advocates. Critical voices saw the claim for universalism, universal rights as unfeasible "[...] [the Enlightenment's] talk of universal rights remained oblivious to inequalities in gender, race and class" (Barry, 2001, p. 9).

2.3 Pietism

Another countermotion within the Protestant reform, visible throughout Christianity and in the epoche of Reformation through Enlightenment, is Pietism. On the one hand, Pietism is intertwined within the Protestant movement as it arose from the protestants. On the other, Pietism opposed the secular way of life and focused and insisted on righteousness, godliness, and devoutness. This subjectivity contradicted the universal thought of the Enlightenment and led to tensions. Pietism in times of Reformation and Enlightenment went through different influences and immense progress. Pietism held on to the divine liturgy and the religious life and emphasized the culture of emotion. One example is the renewal of the confirmation rite. Especially after the thirty years war, Pietism and its rite of confirmation grew and increased again. The movement of Pietism, moving back to a stronger sense of devoutness, brought confirmation back into the Protestant Church due to the new focus on individual piety and religious experience (Matthias, 2015).

Indeed, this movement had its impact on society and, therefore, women. In the 17th century, the developments brought up a new way of self-definition, constructs and led to female agency. Gleixner (2015) points out that women were much more involved in communication

and discussions. Therefore the author stresses that Pietism held an attraction for women because they were involved in activities outside the family and household in communities where men and women were allowed. In the following centuries, these tendencies changed, and also Pietism experienced different groups who moved in different directions, separatists or radicals. The newfound access to communication in letters, scriptures gave women entry to reflect upon their experiences, status, and reality. "The Pietist subject was able to legitimize actions in dissenting with family, authority, and environment by means of religious self- authorization" (Gleixner, 2015, p. 429). Today we benefit from these changes because we have much more archived scripts from women of the time. Gleixner (2015) makes an interesting point that the Pietist's outbreak of gender roles and order is connected to the fight against political order. This statement gives a small insight into how tight these structures can be connected and influence each other (Gleixner, 2015).

2.4 Protestant Lutheran Church in Germany Today

Nowadays, the two most essential denominations in a German context are the Catholic, Roman Catholic in a Western context, and the federation of Protestant Churches 'die Evangelische Kirche', an association between regional churches. Besides, we can distinguish between liberal protestants and conservative protestants, Lutheran and Reformed Protestants. Within these Christian groups, we have several movements such as the Protestant Lutheran Church, Pentecostal Church, Charismatic Christian Church, Evangelical Church, and Fundamentalist Church. The Christian Church is divided into a set of several denominations that place importance on different values. One main difference is the authority's question: In God, or the human hand, enlightened by God, or the subjective experience by the individual (Woodhead, 2004).

Further, as Woodhead (2004) points out, the Protestant Church was engaged in new ways of thinking and therefore corresponded to the developments of its time in the 19th century. For example, the Protestant Church was the first denomination to ordinate women for high ranks and positions in the church. One indicator was Martin Luther's idea that baptism gives people the chance of ordination and not class or status. That brought the possibility for women to ordinate. The rise of industry and scientific knowledge challenged the belief and knowledge of many religious people. Instead of seeing the new recognitions by, for instance, Darwin, as hostile to spiritual knowledge, they intended to respond to it. "Liberals rejected the ideas that God's truth could simply be read out of the Bible and the writings of the church fathers and

applied to the world in a deductive manner, and they believed that reason, free thought, and the scientific method could be made friend, not the enemy, of Christian belief" (Woodhead, 2004, p. 97). Due to this approach, it was possible to believe in scientific and religious truth and implement these two realities into people's life. In the same breath, we must make a difference between knowledge and values. New scientific innovations derived knowledge but still male-dominated knowledge. Values, though, were still very much driven by religion. These significant social, cultural, and political changes gave a new push to rethink Christian dogma and doctrines (Woodhead, 2004).

Religious people and the church had to respond to the increasing criticism of the working class. Industrialization awoke many innovations and progress, but it also increased the gap between rich and poor, upper and lower class. Awareness was rising that social justice was not addressed for everyone in the population. Whereas before, people fled into piety, gratitude, and silence in front of the church. Now people got into a position to claim more justice for themselves by the church (Kim et al., 2018).

In the starting 20th century, the Lutheran Church was the dominant movement in Europe and Germany. Here it makes sense to distinguish between Christian churchgoers and Christian believers. The increasing desire for a subjective life and subjective experience, participation, and authority of one's own decisions and agency, and therefore life, widened the gap between the church and the religion and religious faith. It became clearer that faith is seen as something subjective, fitting to everyone's experiences and values. Indeed, the church did not fit into these values and experiences of the people. That is why I point out the difference between church and churchgoers and religious people or people of faith. Just as Heelas et al. (2005) point out, the subjective experience by the individual gained the upper hand, shaped by the rapid changes of the time, and, therefore, had an immense impact on religious sentiment.

The divided time of Germany was another challenge for Christians in Germany. Not only were the people divided, but the Protestant Church also. German land was distributed to other nations and countries, which made communication between the churches nearly impossible. That brought along the profound change in growing diversity within the Christian Church and the resulting ever-increasing number of denominations in Germany and worldwide. Ecumenism focused on creating a new bond between the denominations, develop an understanding and reunite. They discussed the different positions on the sacraments such as

the eucharist, baptism, the nature of the ministry, and the doctrine of justification. Most of the Protestant denominations joined the ecumenist movement. New movements as feminist theology and liberation theology increased, and the traditional picture of the family, the gendered social role of the men and the women, binary concepts, and opinions on different queer or activist movements in that time were challenged (Woodhead, 2004).

2.5 Confirmation Work in a Northern German Context

This part deals with the confirmation work and the event of the confirmation itself. This description undergirds an understanding of the concept and importance for the church and adolescents. The study is in a Northern German context because we find different approaches and concepts of confirmation work throughout Germany. Throughout the thesis, I do not use the term confirmation classes but instead, confirmation work. As the confirmation work made significant development in the last years, it is a part of youth work today (Simojoki et al., 2018).

The confirmation is a service of consecration into the Protestant Lutheran Church and other Christian denominations. It is practiced in all regions in Germany, but the regional church keeps a particular frame for the districts. It is unique to the Protestant Lutheran Church to perform the confirmation 'Konfirmation' whereas the Catholic Church conducts the Catholic confirmation 'Firmung'. It is tied in with infant baptism in the early years or Baptism before or during the confirmation work of the adolescents. To participate in confirmation work and the confirmation, the adolescents are baptized before, commonly, the parents and godmother/godfather agree to that rite. With the confirmation, the adolescents consciously affirm their membership in the church and the Christian faith, and they can visit services and get to know the church congregation. After the confirmation they are a member of the church, they are allowed to be a godmother/godfather, have an allowance to marry in the Protestant Church, and actively participate in the voting for the parish council (Kim et al., 2018).

Throughout Germany, we can find different ways of preparation and execution of the confirmation work. In the north of Germany, in the Protestant Lutheran Church, the adolescents are around 14 years old when they participate. At 14 years, the adolescents obtain the age of religious maturity. From this age, adolescents can decide about their religious identity without the agreement of their parents or caregivers. The education lasts around nine months to two years which is depending on the chosen model. Often the church offers a one-

week camp for the confirmands to train social engagement, spending time and bonding to the peers, the church authorities, and faith. Commonly the priests, ministers, deacons, and volunteers of the church, plan and conduct the confirmation work. Different topics are covered as biblical texts, preparation of service, discussions on concepts of God, life and death, hope and friendship, and life in the church are being discussed. Moreover, they are encouraged to join services (Kim et al., 2018).

Collins-Majo and Beaudoin (2010) mention that institutional religion declines for adolescents in general. Christensen et al. (2010) look at adolescents who grew up in religious families and conclude that the number of participants is stable. Even when the Protestant Lutheran Church has many confirmands, there is no security that these adolescents adopt the Christian faith for their identity and carry that in their later life (Christensen et al., 2010). In Germany, "[...] around 30% of all German 14 year-olds (which is more than 90% of Protestant young people) were confirmed in 2007 […]" (Christensen et al., 2010, p. 274). Indeed, that is a high number, which brings doubts to the scene. Criticism for confirmation work and confirmation is related to the adolescent's low grade of actual interest in the church and the Christian faith. On one side, statistics show that the adolescents registered for confirmation time because they were baptized as infants. The statistic also showcases that they registered for confirmation because of the celebration with family and friends and the gifts and financial gifts in the end (Christensen et al., 2010). On the other side, at the end of their confirmation work, the adolescents state to understand better what the Christian faith entails. Certainly, we can see by the research that the Protestant Lutheran Church has a high number of participants in their confirmation work. Nevertheless, one must consider the themes and subjects that are taught. "In order to keep confirmation work on a successful path a lot of innovative ideas are needed" (Christensen et al., 2010, p. 283). Thus the motivation to create new topics in confirmation work is prevalent, but the view on the essential connection between gender and religion is lacking (Christensen et al., 2010).

In general, there is research done on the area of confirmation work. Nevertheless, when it comes to gender, gender sensitivity in confirmation work a gap of research, and therefore knowledge is visible. Researchers conducted a study on gender issues in religious education (RE) in schools with female students. The arguments indicate that the girls put religion in the past and as something 'others' are engaging in. This study is fascinating here, even when it is based on RE. Around the age of 10 to 15 years, the girls did not relate to religion or even had

a negative picture. The outcome represents well that the girls were aware of the lack of women's story or negative illustrations in biblical texts, ones they were asked and had to reflect about it. The stressing problem is that they were not asked before. Having these incisive masculine concepts of the divine can impact an individual's faith. Young girls have trouble identifying with male Gods, masculine language, stories, and scripts. That displays that gender and religion are not widely discussed in RE and therefore withdraws the possibility for the adolescents to create a connection to faith and create a positive picture for women in religion. That is possible for people in charge to start and guide the adolescents through this kind of subject. Beyond that, they figured in their study that it also involves the chance for non-normative gender performance. In doing so, marginalization, intolerance, and unequal treatment are challenged. The study outcome shows that female and male students still have a fixed picture of gender performance and behavior (Heynes, 2010). Aune and Vincett (2010) agree and stress the lack of material on gender and religion and add that researchers must discuss the difference between female and male religiosity and religious identity.

2.6 Gender Studies and Religious Studies

2.6.1 Women in Christianity

The position of the women in Christianity is a long story, and one must emphasize differently and, to some extent contradicting sides. To illustrate these two contradicting sides, one can take a look in the New Testament in which Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (King James, 1991, p. 2482). Also, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (King James, 1991, p. 2417). Exemplified through these two contradicting phrases, we see how women are practically involved in the traditions and rituals of the church but marginalized through the male-dominated framework (Woodhead, 2004).

For one thing, as quickly mentioned in the introduction, Christianity is not primarily known for the empowerment of women. Through a high emphasis on masculinity, for example, predominantly male Gods and disallowing the worshipping of Maria in the Protestant faith, the masculine representation of God, the bearded Jesus and symbols of the throne, and a crown which symbolizes power and authority in the hands of men. The male language like

the Lord, The Son, the Creator, Master, and King do not leave much space for second- guessing about either sex or gender, other than masculine. Masculinity represents divinity. Consequently, men represent God and the church (Woodhead, 2004). "Christianity benefits men by setting male self-identity on the strongest possible foundation: the image of men is reflected from God himself" (Woodhead, 2004, p. 134). A male-dominated concept of faith also influences the structures of the church and vice versa. If men hold the exalted position, there is not much space for female authorities to receive the same place (Heynes, 2010).

Another contradiction outlined by Woodhead (2004) is that we recognize the submissive position of the women, but still, by number, most of the Christian members are female. Women were and are overrepresented in the church in comparison to men. Here we can name a few reasons. Achieving and holding a high position in the church, men came to power, whereas they did not have any chance before. Nevertheless, not every man who entered church could hold a position of power, but those not reaching the higher position refused to engage in the church. Whereas women settled better with their subordinated rank, enjoyed community and valuation of being a mother, the caring one, housewife, and a spouse. Apart from that, we must ask why women have been and still engage in the Christian Church. One possible explanation is that power and authority have different meanings for women and men. Faith can be detached from status, power, or authority and experienced subjectively. Regardless of economic status, ownership, and class, everyone can be a person of faith (Woodhead, 2004).

Moreover, women felt valued as the core of the family, loving and caring mother. Women missed this kind of reward for their effort from their spouses, and the church appreciated this vital effort. Besides, a positive effect of participating in the church is the possibility of entering a community. Wherever women had trouble finding peers, friends, or women in a similar position, the church offered precisely this possibility of solidarity. The church was a place where women could assemble without their spouses or other men. That is especially true in times of Post-Reformation but can be seen as a trend until today. Not to overlook is the Protestant's focus on education. Here women were welcome to learn reading and writing that improved women's literacy, not only in a religious way (Quinsey, 2012).

Though, one must recognize that the hierarchical structures of the church itself forced women into the position of submission. We must reflect critically upon the process in which women see it as normal to worship a male God. It also leads to an inevitable normalization process to

obey the men in general. Further, even when women have received validation as caring, this position also made them less likely to keep any higher rank in the church. Even when holding a higher position, she must defend this position, work in two fields as the carer at home and the church's professional. Hence, the woman faces a double standard of defending her ability to have a high position and make time to be the carer. On the one hand, normalizing a more elevated position of the men also makes it normal to worship only male deities. On the other hand, early female voices criticized male dominance and participated in different activities to make their voices heard and oppose patriarchal systems. That is exemplified in the feminist theology part of this research. So we see that women do not accept the higher position of the men, and these points are treated with caution and assessed and discussed. Nevertheless, it is significant to highlight underlying structures (Woodhead, 2004).

2.6.2 Feminism

In this thesis, the inter-relationship of the experienced gender roles in faith and church is being discussed. A better understanding firstly of feminism gives Alak (2020). She defines the term feminism as an umbrella term "[...] that includes a set of intellectual commitments (ideas or beliefs) and political movements concerned to bring social justice and end sexism in all forms for "women, and those who appear to be women, and [who] are subjected to wrongs and/or injustice at least in part because they are or appear to be women" (Alak, 2020, p. 47). Hartsock (2013) adds that feminism, as a construct, is a tool of analysis that does not give final answers on how to end oppression for women but combines the understanding of female experiences and the structures they experience. Alak (2020) agrees that also sociopolitical principles and systems must be seen in context. Any existing norm is created and shaped by multiple influences like history, demographics, resources, economics, politics, and culture (Alak, 2020).

Dualism, in general, is a concept that has been discussed widely throughout time in a western context. Also, the resulting differentiation and the differing valuation of people in a binary reality as men/female or heteronormativity is known. As outlined in the text above, preconditioned concepts for social roles and behavior have the force to advantage or disadvantage or create positions of the oppressor and the oppressed. Individuals and groups can fall into these positions due to several intersectional factors, as their biological, social, and cultural characteristics. One crucial factor can be sex or gender. Discussed in this thesis

is the social gender. Belonging to a specific gender, or appear like a particular gender, can include several advantages or disadvantages (Alak, 2020). "The unequal, discriminatory distribution of gender social roles, of expected gender behaviors and activities, was performed in conformity to the social norms that determined speciﬁc privileges and responsibilities to women and men" (Alak, 2020, p. 46). These social roles, determined by gender, are called gender roles within this thesis. These social roles showed up in different contexts as the labor market, leading positions, class, and determine the norm, social status, behavior, and abilities we attach to the alleged gender for women and men (Alak, 2020).

Rethinking ideologies, realities, and truths, so Alak (2020), by several movements like the feminists, lead the way to rethink standard norms and imbalances of status, such as social roles determined by gender. Through different feminist movements, criticism got stronger concerning women's - "[...] intersections of their multiple racial, social, cultural, existential, geographical, political situations" (Alak, 2020, p.48). This change into a more flexible, dynamic, and developing knowledge of gender and sex also included a transition of female identity (Alak, 2020). These ideologies, realities, and truths, Gunew (2014), are often built on one side on patriarchy, male dominance, and on the other, marginalization or oppression. Seeing the disadvantaged position as unique knowledge opposes male domination. Thus, feminism strives to illustrate feminist knowledge as an alternative to mainstream knowledge and combines these by feminist solidarity and a sense of agency (Gunew, 2014).

2.6.3 Feminism in Religion

Throughout history, as described in the previous parts, socio-political knowledge and principles were questioned. Feminism in religious settings grew because of the tendencies of subjective life and plurality. In the 21st century, the shift of the post-secular opened even more discussions of the subjective realities, and therefore already existing diversity got more represented. Also, in the Protestant Lutheran Church, the demand for emancipation became louder and in religious communities were a development recognizable (Heelas et al., 2005).

As much as gender affects people's knowledge, reality and truth, religion can have a remarkable effect too. Religious, gendered norms reinforce a male-dominated reality within theoretical and practical aspects. These norms were not only supported but also generated and justified by male-dominated divinity. With growing disapproval of gender injustice in general, a starting disapproval for neglected women's position, participation, agency, and

stories in religion grew (Alak, 2020). Świerczek (2017) suggests that it was Christian feminists who started to re-interpret history and historical texts. For example, the story of Adam and Eve and the 'Fall of Men'. They were commonly interpreted as Eve's sinful act to eat the forbidden fruits. Christian feminists shed another light on the subject by seeing this act as the first step of autonomy and making decisions and taking over responsibilities for one's actions. "[...] in this interpretation, the attitude of Eve symbolizes the autonomy of a human being going beyond his/her animal nature" (Świerczek, 2017, p. 143). Ruether (1998) agrees that it is not Eve's sinful act to eat the apple, but Adam who stabs Eve in the back. This ambush divided humankind which was contradicting the Creator's intentions. (2012) summarizes these new interpretations of significant Christian history, explaining how theologians can oppose existing, discriminating structures by searching for alternatives. (Ruether, 2012). Further, tolerating patriarchy in the name of God does not harm only women but allows hierarchical systems and discrimination in the word of God. By re-interpreting, for instance, biblical texts, presenting new figures, pictures, and stories of women in Christianity, using sensitive language by further developing the God-talk and changing pronouns for God, implementing and fighting for the same rights in ordination, women in religion take the initiative into their own hands (Alak, 2020).

2.6.4 Feminist Theology

Feminist theology belongs to the feminist scientific theories that cast doubt on Christian traditions, practices, conceptions of God, and masculine hierarchy from a feminist perspective. The feminist theology points out well that religious and gender studies do not lay on opposite ends. They contribute to each other and contribute to an egalitarian and liberated reality (Riswold, 2009). Therefore, I do not wish to downplay religion nor faith. I agree with Riswold (2009) and recognize the importance and the influence of religion, and intend to merge the two fields to facilitate communication and awareness for women of faith and the church.

I raise the matter that religions and Christianity had and still have an often male-dominated structure due to several aspects. Institutions such as the Protestant Lutheran Church show patriarchal structures that exclude female perspectives, needs, leadership, and experiences. Here comes feminist theology into play. As outlined above, feminists were already present in Reformation and the Enlightenment, though feminist theology got popular only recently, around the 1970es. Świerczek (2017) feminism in Christianity is relatively modern, and the

movement can adapt to changes and developments in today's time. The industrialization, growing pluralization, subjective life, and demands of participation, valuation, and equality for all these new realities are outlined above. Out of the subjective life, Heelas et al. (2005) raise further questions, doubts, and claims, which feminist theology is open to discuss and answer and directs these into an equal direction for both women and men. Feminist theology takes gender as an analytical tool to explore how these demands are met by women in faith and religious institutions.

Feminist theologians question patriarchy and hierarchy within different religious aspects. For example, within the New and the Old Testament, they want to give visibility to inequality and purposefully ask for female stories, goddesses, and scriptures. According to Świerczek (2017), Christian feminists "[...] would like to emphasize aspects of equality in Christian theology by referring to the biblical records concerning freedom and equality of all people'' (Świerczek, 2017, p. 141). They show their concern about the low grade of identification for girls and women with the masculine illustration of religion, faith, and God. Importantly to underline, they raise many points for more equality in the Christian faith but do not lose faith. They solely illustrate how to be a person of faith and at the same time feel entitled to rethink existing concepts, challenge and criticize and create equal and gender-sensitive structures (Świerczek, 2017).

In practical terms, feminist theologies search for ways to lessen the androcentric position of religion, demand new practices, and ask to conduct gender-sensitive church services and sermons and religious education. That is the reason why feminist theology wants to incorporate Goddesses and female stories of the Bible. Holy texts are not the only source for criticism. Feminist theologians also thrive for more opportunities in holding a formal office and normalizing women's ordination. Another focus is on the everyday lives of religious women and important personalities who engaged in different movements and events and played an essential role in the Bible and Christianity (Świerczek, 2017).

3 Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework is the guiding force throughout the thesis. In the beginning, the framework assists in identifying the initial scientific problem. Here the lack of research connecting the fields of gender studies and religious studies and the following unawareness

towards individual experiences made by female authorities within the church is identified. The theoretical framework and the previous literature illustrate a lack of knowledge in this field and guide this research proposal. Hence, the theoretical framework presents the scientific base for the study. It is used to stick closely to the research aim and the questions. Intentionally, I use the feminist perspectives and neglect other, while needed but opposing viewpoints. Therefore it is not in line with academic neutrality or objectivity for all aspects. Still, it illustrates the experiences made by women and does not marginalize these standpoints, and fits the aim of this thesis. That is thoroughly discussed in the ethical considerations.

3.1 Feminist Standpoint Theory

The theoretical framework is an analytical tool and keeps the general framework of the research. Using a specific theory provides me with different features and significantly different lenses within the various steps of the thesis. Foremost, it offers a different lens on the research and prevents me from analyzing and interpreting too subjectively driven. I chose the feminist standpoint theory because it shows that gender can make an epistemic difference in experiences, knowledge, and resulting actions. Firstly, an introduction to the feminist standpoint theory is given, and afterward, the three resources are highlighted. The research aims to illustrate that the social order and the participant's experiences are a standpoint with the help of three resources; feminist knowledge, feminist solidarity, and agency. The conclusion illustrates the connection between alleged gender roles and the experiences made through these roles and the resulting handling of gender sensitivity in confirmation work.

Harding (2004) argues that the standpoint theory intends to find out about ideologies and oppressive structures. For this reason, the thesis offers an extensive background part to introduce the reader to some extent to the relation of gender and religion in Christianity. Only by having background knowledge about women's stance in faith and the church can I make a plausible account of why the feminist standpoint theory fits the research. Hill Collins (2013) states that the feminist standpoint theory gives the chance to see a female point of view intentionally and understands the female mode of thinking and experiences regarding gender roles in faith and the Protestant Lutheran Church. The perspective prevents me from further marginalizing the female perspective on the topic and gathers much-needed data regarding female lived experiences and realities. Keeping a feminist perspective minimizes the lack of knowledge about female experiences, and therefore the feminist standpoint theory is chosen.

The theory gives an insight into how feminist knowledge, solidarity, and agency fight the status quo and empowers women for political struggle against male dominance and hierarchy. Hill Collins (2013) states that the feminist standpoint theory is a prerequisite for gaining knowledge of the women's situation and lived experiences in their faith and church. Therefore reveals their awareness of the connection and interpretations between gender, faith, and church and how they handle gender sensitivity in the confirmation work (Hill Collins, 2013).

McCann and Kim (2013) explain that the standpoint theory has its roots in Marx's approach: individuals, here the proletariat, create consciousness by their environment, especially the labor environment. With time it was not only the proletariat, but it became more prevalent that gender is one intersectional factor that offers unique experiences, knowledge, and a standpoint. Nevertheless, this standpoint is not easy to identify due to various experiences due to intersectional factors and different contexts such as origin, background, religion, etc. Though, social gender is often connected to specific functions and roles in society. The woman is the child-bearer, mother, and carer, and the man is the breadwinner. Capitalism drives the notion that labor benefiting capitalism is valued but devalues labor that involves caring, cleaning and cooking so that the breadwinner can be productive. These environments create consciousness and knowledge but also confines the scope of what we know. That shapes the advantages and disadvantages, and positions of the oppressors and the oppressed. Hence, the notion rises that knowledge connects access to power and meaning-making (McCann & Kim, 2013).

Nevertheless, the theory suggests that the oppressed inherits great knowledge and power due to the position the person keeps "[...] the sexual division of labour constructs a singular unique perspective on society, from which feminists can effectively challenge male domination" (McCann & Kim, 2013, p. 345). McCann and Kim (2013) further, already Karl Marx wrote about the material needs of men and women to contribute to the market. "Women's work in every society differs systematically from men's" (McCann & Kim, 2013, p. 355) because of the labor work in two areas. First, by the biological sex of women, they are preconditioned to bear the children. Throughout history, Hartsock (2013) adds on this account that we can see that this instant paved the way to be the caring one, the mother, the housewife. Second, the female social gender is also seen as a labor force that earns money. This insight and the outside perspective is one meaningful account of why the oppressed, in

this case, the woman, has more understanding of the oppressed and the oppressor. They exist in both realities (Hartsock, 2013).

Significant contributors to the standpoint theories are Dorothy Smith, Donna Haraway, Patricia Hill Collins, Nancy Hartsock, Alison Jaggar, Hilary Rose, and Sandra Harding. These academics highlight and develop the standpoint theory with a feminist approach in contemporary times. Over time, so Garcia Selgas (2004), the theory developed, and with the contributions by academics, the feminist standpoint theory gained epistemic value (Garcia Selgas, 2004). They underpin that people must be acknowledged in their social, historical, political, and cultural position. Harding (2004) says, knowledge and the capacity of what we know depend on these positions and intersectional factors like gender, class, heritage, religion, and more; hence, knowledge is socially situated. Instead of pitying someone for their social situation, the feminist standpoint theory allows seeing power, power relations, and knowledge production from different angles, and gives a voice to the people and presents them as people with substantial knowledge from whom others can benefit and learn from (Haraway, 2013).

Hartsock (2013) states that a standpoint means a shared consciousness through shared experiences and realities between individuals. "[...] a feminist standpoint may be present based on the commonalities within women's experience, but it is neither self-evident nor obvious" (Hartsock, 2013, p. 365). As earlier mentioned, gender roles lead to certain advantages, disadvantages, or positions of the oppressors and the oppressed. Of course, the oppressed and the oppressors share features and experiences as individuals are composed of different characteristics and experiences. Therefore, on one side, the oppressor's standpoint has been left aside when conducting a study with a feminist standpoint theory. Still, on the other, everyone, including the oppressors, can learn from the outcome and conclusions, which illustrates a great opportunity and challenges the status quo (Hartsock, 2013). Harding (2004) points out that one must understand underlying structures, hierarchical and male-dominated systems, and second, how the disadvantaged or oppressed experience it and, in case, work against this. That is how the theory counters existing knowledge and power relations, mainly how power relations create knowledge (Hartsock, 2013). "Standpoint theories argue that women's social location is a resource for the construction of a uniquely feminist perspective on social reality, which, in turn, can ground feminist political struggles for change" (McCann & Kim, 2013, p. 6).

Due to the inside/outside perspective, so Haraway (2013), the oppressed is privileged to understand the oppressors and oppressed reality, which is not true the other way around. This inside/outside perspective is particularly interesting in this thesis. The participants are chosen because they are "women, and those who appear to be women, and [who] are subjected to wrongs and/or injustice at least in part because they are or appear to be women" (Alak, 2020, p. 47). Even if the sampling seems similar, consisting solely of women, we must see the layered intersectional factors of the individuals. They have different positions inside the church. Hence, they have different perspectives on the issue, experiences, and knowledge about being a woman of faith and church. Lastly, they are asked to reflect on their confirmation work. Herewith, the connection is made, how the women see themselves subjectively in church and faith, interpret the relation between gender and religion, and their role for the confirmands. The female participants agreed to answer the questionnaire and therefore put themselves in a position to reflect on the topic and their position at work. The objective of the thesis is to start a process of evaluation of their gender roles and social order they live in, evaluate themselves, and finally see what outcome this has on the confirmation work. Besides, encouraging them further to raise awareness of other authorities in church and, of course, the confirmands. As we could see in the background part, women throughout history spoke up against oppression and made their voices heard. Though it seems like these women were fighting alone, it was a rather collective group who found themselves in a similar position. Also, today, the growing collective awareness about one's place in society forces research to focus on particular topics, pushes the media to report the issue, drives politics to change, and, therefore, people to relate to one another. That is why the theory was chosen. When the participants create awareness of gender sensitivity, people can change mindsets, creating feminist knowledge, solidarity, and creating agency. As Haraway (2013) says, gathering many single experiences leads to objectivity because it is not about a single woman's experience. It is the sum of their experiences, similar, different, but united experiences that lead from a subjective to a collective perspective, a standpoint (Haraway, 2013).

3.1.1 Feminist Knowledge

By understanding the participant's experiences with structures in faith and church, the connection is made in how far these experiences create knowledge and contribute to transferring knowledge to the confirmands. Gunew (1992) illustrates one important recourse

of the feminist standpoint in feminist knowledge. The feminist standpoint theory enables women to connect lived experiences and their knowledge. Therefore, experiences are seen as one part of knowledge production. It is not assuming a kind of universal truth, but it is part of women's experiences and reality. Significantly, everyone has access to this knowledge production; no one is excluded. That is in line with Harding (2004) who states, that it is not about the newly found knowledge gained by a minority group but the newly found access to make this knowledge heard and discussed and to equate this knowledge to other mainstream knowledge. Dean (1998) adds that over centuries differences have been regarded as barriers with the result that someone is excluded. To overcome this barrier is one significant struggle within feminist movements and for the standpoint theory. Notably, the gleaned experience by women can be a foundation for feminist knowledge and oppose masculine institutionalized knowledge. Making experiences based on gender is seen as one source to fight male- dominated knowledge and give ideas on how feminist knowledge can look. Subjective knowledge or institutionalized knowledge is transferred by language (Dean, 1998). That is why language is thematized throughout the thesis, specifically in the discussion part. Craigo- Snell (2019) contributes as she outlines that 'naming' can highlight relations, connection, oppression, and marginalization. By actually naming oppressive structures, for instance, 'oppressive knowledge', she recognizes new ways of creating new knowledge in which everyone can benefit. "Naming is associated with agency and power" (Craigo-Snell, 2019, p. 5).

Gunew (1992) argues that because knowledge and resulting language are guided by structures, such as power, institutions, and experiences, they cannot be assessed as neutral or true. Therefore, the writer, just as the reader, must reflect critically and be aware of knowledge and language (Gunew, 1992). Even though I argue that knowledge and language are one form of power, it is equally important to highlight that it should not be seen as irreversible and immovable. Gunew (1992) states that it is "[...] may be more productive to think of power as a network which operates everywhere in contradictory ways and can therefore be strategically resisted anywhere" (Gunew, 1992, p. 23). Thinking of knowledge as power gives much more control back to disadvantaged positions and creates coalitions and a sense of 'we'. Moreover, it introduces the next point; feminist solidarity.

3.1.2 Feminist Solidarity

Feminist solidarity, as Hill Collins (2013) outlines, "Within hierarchical power relations, it seems reasonable that groups disadvantaged by systems of power see their strength in solidarity and collective responses to their common location and subjugation" (Hill Collins, 2013, p. 252). This solidarity between women focuses on overcoming differences and unite in their fight for equality. Gunew (1992) mentions a shared but diverse set of experiences made by women differing in origin, skin color, and more. "The practice of small-group consciousness-raising, with its stress on examining and understanding experience and on connecting personal experience to the structures that define our lives, is the clearest example of the method basic to feminism" (Gunew, 1992, p. 24). Further, Dean (1998) adds that language and togetherness are central to illuminate patterns of subjective experiences and shared reality and develop a sense of 'we' in some areas that lead to a raised consciousness. That, in turn, can increase political engagement against existing structures. Here the focus lies on how we make the solidarity between different women visible and accessible. One must highlight the changing environment for women as they have access to a much broader field of academia, politics, and so on. Further, she argues that solidarity is not made by overlooking differences but by focusing, discussing, and raising awareness about them. The more diversity we face, the more we depend on each other to act in solidarity (Dean, 1997). Due to the actuality of multiculturalism, pluralism, and diversity, I decide to emphasize feminist solidarity.

3.1.3 Agency

Further, a sense of agency must be connected to the outsider within perspective and solidarity as empowerment. As pointed out above, the move towards subjectivity and the importance of identity began already in times of Enlightenment. Parreñas (2013) adds that belonging and participation create a feeling of agency. Experiences and knowledge are retrieved subjectively. Therefore, these experiences are different, though these experiences must be seen in context and valued. To belong to a group and participate and engage with one's own experiences and contribute to a new production of knowledge can offer the feeling of agency to everyone individually in the group. Only with awareness can individuals work actively against this kind of power. Nnaemeka (2013) recognizes the importance of naming experiences or challenges. Having words for what is happening around us can give a great feeling of agency. Being able to reproduce experiences in discourse is an integral part of

making one self-understood. Stating these experiences must begin from the marginalized individual or group themselves. The disadvantaged must share their experiences to make others understand. Exchanging experiences is not only an essential part of solidarity but also in building agency for one's self. As Smith (2013) outlines, feminist knowledge, solidarity, and agency should not overtake power but preferably make power. Making this kind of power can fight the status quo in political or religious structures and institutions. Therefore promoting feminist knowledge, solidarity, and agency supports individuals and groups to fight hierarchy and dominance.

Knowing this, we come to the risks of the feminist standpoint theory. The mentioned intersectional factors and characteristics can lead to a particular advantage kept by women over other female minority individuals and groups. Calhoun (2013) notes that feminism and feminist knowledge can marginalize other standpoints. That is captured in separate movements as non-western feminism, black feminism, native American feminism, or lesbian feminism that result in different theories, for example, lesbian or queer theory. As Gunew (2014) highlights, knowledge must be seen critically, especially seeing knowledge as the truth or universal truth. Different women with different characteristics, intersectional factors can gain a different set of knowledge through their experiences. Therefore, feminist knowledge is one part of knowledge production, but it does not keep a universal truth. One critique is, for example, white mainstream feminism. We must acknowledge other factors of women, such as skin color, origin, religion, and many more, that might lead to additional devaluation (Gunew, 2014). Another risk in this thesis is that the female participants are seen as a homogenous group. It must be clear that the women do share certain features but differ in other characteristics. On one side, they all share the belonging to womanhood, are women of faith, and work in the church. On the other side, they differ in age, heritage, and background, implying that they have different values and experiences on the topic. Necessary in this thesis, they occupy different positions in the church that means that they have different experiences inside the church and within the confirmation work. Therefore, I present a group of people who have factors and characteristics to create a standpoint. Important is that although similarities and differences, they do have a standpoint. That is why the reader is constantly reminded that the theory presents a small group of individuals and their experiences but does not claim universal truths. The theory also welcomes further research with a different set of people. Otherwise, terms as feminism are found in several areas. Therefore, everyone can carefully translate this thesis and its outcomes into its context

(Calhoun, 2013). Another risk I identified is the requirement that the oppressors are aware of their position, status, reality, and knowledge, hence, their power. That is also true for women who inherit a specific power over other women. Further, the theory requires the person to step into a new reality of the oppressed, reflect critically, and take over the responsibility to change that. This step illustrates one of the most significant risks of conducting the thesis with a feminist standpoint theory. Some individuals do not feel addressed or spoken to once it comes to feminism, oppression, gender sensitivity, or, in this case, faith and church. The collaboration of the chosen theory highlights that everybody can learn from another person’s reality, even if this means understanding one's standpoint and power.

4 Methodology

4.1 Method

The research aim and the questions suggest qualitative research as the best approach. Qualitative research is used to identify the experiences made with gender roles in faith and the church and the possible outcome these experiences have on handling gender sensitivity in confirmation work. The focus is on the lived experiences by the female authorities planning and conducting the confirmation work. On one side, I want to understand their own experiences regarding gender roles and gender sensitivity in their faith and church. On the other, I highlight their experiences with structures in faith and church and how these experiences influence the confirmation work. Due to this approach, I find connection points between the experiences made by the female authorities and how they conduct confirmation work. Due to the character of the research, the following described methodology is chosen that allows me to learn from literature and previous research, but more importantly, learn from the participant’s experiences about the issue. It equips me to conduct the research, where I build on the empirical data and draw conclusions suiting the aim and research questions, and enables me to contribute to more research in this field and give suggestions for the authorities in charge of the confirmation work in the end (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

4.2 Research Design

Phenomenology is one of the most frequently chosen designs for qualitative studies. Here too, the thesis touches upon phenomenology, but a somewhat thematic approach is chosen. This approach fits the aim and research questions and gives the chance to ask for the

everyday life experiences and handling of gender sensitivity and analyze this in the end. Also, it is a way to bring up experiences into consciousness. It allows me to ask the participants about their views, learn from them and minimize my subjective values on the topic. That means that I, as the researcher, have to reflect upon my knowledge, experiences, and existing biases and judgments beforehand. That is fully explained in the part of ethical considerations (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

4.3 Sampling

The chosen sampling is purposive. To gain in-depth and rich data, the given answers by participants involve the experience of gender issues, faith, and church on an everyday basis. The purposive sample and its non-probability outlook assist in focusing on the precisely chosen participants and their reality and experiences. The participants are selected by different important features and intersectional factors and expertise they carry. The feminist standpoint theory suggests female participants. Therefore, the chosen sampling only includes female participants to gain greater knowledge of their reality. Female participants are also selected to strengthen their voices and opinions since they are the ones who experience gender sensitivity or insensitivity behavior in their environment. Moreover, they know about sensitivity within their personal belief and the church. Therefore, the participants can present whole new ideas and themes to the study and contribute highly to an innovative outcome. Another feature is the work environment within the church as an organizer or conductor of the confirmation work. That is the second criterion because they are in charge of the confirmation work, the topics, and witness the confirmands. They know how the confirmands think about faith, church and how they connect these topics with gender sensitivity. Hence, only when the participants fit into these criteria they can give informative, rich, and valuable answers and, consequently, contribute to answering the aim and research questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

The purposive sampling leads me to the method of snowball sampling. Since I chose the case, I want to study and select the criteria, and the participants are vital in finding more fitting participants in their environment. The initial contact is made via email. Here the topic and issue of the study are presented and the reason they fit into the study. Once the connection is made and the first participants agree to participate, they are asked to look for other colleagues and acquaintances who might fit the criteria and be interested and willing to participate. The set minimum of samples was eight participants. On the one hand, the study must fulfill its

purpose of giving rich information. On the other, the research must match into the given time frame, and therefore, narrow and exact. With this sampling method, I gather 11 participants in four cities in the North of Germany. Their work environment differs, whether in rural or urban areas and from differ in age from 31 to 63 years old. The sample presents female pastors, female ministers, and one female deacon within the Protestant Lutheran Church. All these professions have direct contact within the confirmation work and confirmands. This sampling turns out to offer various experiences in the same field due to their different position, churches, and intersectional factors and allows a diverse set of answers (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

4.4 Data Collection and Analysis

Needing the qualitative data, several options can be used to fulfill the aim. It must be planned and executed reasonably because the empirical data illustrates the thesis's foundation and highly defines its outcome. To obtain qualitative data, the foremost important is to set the stage to collect this kind of data and prepare the tools to analyze it adequately. Thus, a semi- structured online questionnaire is chosen to collect the data, and the constructionist thematic analysis is used as inspiration for the analysis. Following Merriam and Tisdell (2016) seeing the process of data collection and its analysis as dynamic and intertwined, the two parts are combined and presented here.

Qualitative semi-structured online questionnaires obtain the needed in-depth data to ensure a participant-centered research practice. Terry and Braun (2017) identify online surveys as one relatively new key method for qualitative research. The questionnaires ask relevant topics and issues, explore the subject, and summarize the participant opinions and experiences. The semi-structured questions leave space to add thoughts and ideas for the participants. Primarily, it offers the possibility for the participants to answer in their own words. “…responses are not particularly delimited. Participants are required to put things in their own words and are asked to respond from within their own sense-making frameworks, albeit textually” (Terry & Braun, 2017, p. 19).

Further, Merriam and Tisdell (2016) consider another importance; that the topic is sensitive. Therefore, I have to reflect on the wording. The wording must be direct and understandable and illustrates my reflectivity and sensibility towards the issue and the participants. Therefore, I use a variety of questions to encourage the participants and give more clarity and

diversity of interpretive questions and possibilities to answer. Because the topic can be sensitive for the participants, the online questionnaire was chosen to provide them with space and confidence to answer the questionnaire in their comfort zone and pace (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Moreover, Terry and Braun (2017) add, with the online questionnaire comes certain anonymity, which can be helpful to answer the questions.

All participants receive the same set of twelve questions divided into three parts. The questions do not determine much prior knowledge of the participants or reader. That facilitates answering the questionnaire and, in the end, welcomes a broader audience to read, understand and forward the thesis to others. The first part includes closed questions and asks for the participant’s background. For instance, how long they have been working in the field and their church, the church's environment. The second part involves their reality, experiences, and resulting interpretations about their thoughts on faith and church in connection to gender sensitivity. Questions about experiences on gender roles in their faith and church, hierarchical structures, and if they think that the church is a place to thematize gender roles. The last part emphasizes the work in confirmation work and with confirmands and how they connect these topics. This data is collected in the German language. Especially important because the participants must feel free in their narrative, linguistic and confident within their answers. Using their native language and terms that suit their experiences gives a chance for detailed and descriptive answers and data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

It is essential to mention that the participants did not get a prescribed definition of hierarchy, normativity, gender, gender sensitivity, nor gender roles beforehand. As mentioned, the participants should be empowered to write in their own words and reflect. To avoid putting my ideas into their minds and dictate the meaning of these terms for them. Since the study gets to know the understanding and experiences of the participants, I need to understand their awareness and interpretations of these terms (Terry & Braun, 2017).

The constructionist thematic analysis fits into the given framework. Braun and Clarke (2006) give six steps for a successful thematic analysis. The mode of analysis is essential because of the research’s complexity and the chosen theory before gathering the empirical data. The research aim and questions are formulated before the questionnaires are sent out. Therefore the thesis has a deductive approach. That means the empirical data is analyzed through the lens of the theory in the discussion and conclusion part. The first step suggests staying close to the empirical data and go back and forth to create the themes. Firstly, transcribing the

questionnaires is a chance to get close to the data and create a first feeling for possible patterns. Therefore, while transcribing, I note interesting statements and the initial codes. The first questionnaire assists in identifying and formulating the first codes. Following questionnaires explore more codes and examine if these codes cover all necessary information and do not illustrate any new information. I identify patterns found in the questionnaires, order them to get along with all the gathered data, code, and develop themes. Determining is that similar codes are put together in one theme. Therefore, the theme brings together codes with a similar interpretation and meaning. Here the latent level is taken to analyze the data and understand constructs and structures beneath these experiences. That is significant here since I aim to understand specific experiences based on gender roles. The themes mainly depend on empirical data, so five themes are chosen for the discussion part. First, ‘Alleged Gender Roles in Faith’, ‘Alleged Gender Roles in Church’, and the second part includes the themes ‘Role Models’, Language is Power’, and ‘Association’. Subsequently, after the themes are outlined, I start analyzing and interpret the empirical data with the previous literature's help and the chosen theory (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

The ultimate goal is to make sense of the empirical data in connection to the aim and answer the research questions. Horizontalization is a chance in the initial state of data collection to lay weight and importance on all given answers from the participants. Through transcribing, specific and returning themes can be linked and suggests the essence of the experiences by the participants. Naturally, not all replies by the participants illustrate a direct answer to the research questions. Therefore, the dynamic work between the literature review and the new data is essential to connect the themes, interpret them, and put them into a meaningful context for the thesis (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

The chosen data collection method, the online questionnaire, involves some risks that I have to address. First, outlined by Terry and Braun (2017), accessibility of available computers and the internet can be one excluding factor. Since I get in touch with the participants via email, I ensure that the participants have access to a computer and the internet. Secondly, I must formulate the questions in a self-explaining way. While filling out the questionnaire, the participants have the possibility for backup or follow-up questions. Nevertheless, the questions must be worded and formulated clearly. Another risk within an online questionnaire is the absence of a researcher or interviewer asking follow-up questions and digging deeper. To avoid getting out too little data, I add 12 questions within the

questionnaire to ensure that the participants have to re-evaluate their answers and repeatedly think about the asked topics. The participants are aware and agreed to answer follow-up questions via call if some answers appear unclear or need evaluation. However, it is more convenient to start a conversation about this topic within an interview situation and naturally bring follow-up questions. Another pitfall exemplified by Braun and Clarke (2006) within the analysis is the challenge of overlapping themes. That means the chosen themes carry similar interpretations, which might lead to confusion for the reader. Further challenging is to undermine the themes with solid references and quotations from the empirical data. Lastly, I must ensure to get out the proper interpretations from the analysis to avoid contradictions between the data and the interpretations. All interpretations, suggestions, and statements I do must be grounded on the empirical data or, to a smaller amount, to the previous research (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Necessary to add here is that the method of interviewing would be suitable for the research too. Although, this would have had the risk to lower the willingness to participate. The topic can be sensitive to the participants. Therefore, I need to ensure that they feel secure and answer just the way they feel comfortable. Due to the COVID situation, while writing the thesis in the first half of 2021, it is impossible to meet interviewees. Considering their position in the church and their closeness to other individuals, protecting the participant’s well-being is crucial. Therefore, the online questionnaire fits best into the research aim and questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

4.5 Tools and Material

The primary source for the conclusion is the empirical data. Nevertheless, I have to create a foundation of knowledge about the topic, and therefore, I use secondary data. Moreover, the literature helps to replicate the findings. Most of the books and articles are retrieved from the library database of the University of Gävle. Throughout the Master’s program, I got in touch with several informing books that connected topics like religion and gender. Additionally, the library databases offer a range of books regarding methodology topics, which is majorly helpful in the process. The university database also introduces other platforms like Discovery, Scopus, and SocINDEX. In gathering secondary data, several search terms appeared to be necessary; feminism, feminist theology, confirmation work, history of Christianity, the feminist standpoint theory, situated knowledge, knowledge production, participation, and gender equality. Nevertheless, the chosen term ‘gender sensitivity’ causes difficulties. It is not easy to find articles and books that define or describe the word in general. That posed a

problem for me, and I had to search for alternative terms such as gender sensitization, gender awareness in combination with pedagogical work or educational institutions. Combining different databases and search terms enabled me to ground the topic and identify the research gap.

4.6 Discipline

It is worth noting up front that a diverse set of disciplines influences religious studies. The branches that gain from the conclusions are in the field of religion, education, and sociology. Especially people of the church conducting services and confirmation work can learn and take the study outcome into account and use it as a source of knowledge about gender and religion.

5 Ethical Considerations

As I touch upon sensitive topics, I must deal with and reflect upon issues as trustworthiness and therefore conduct ethical standards. That demands careful work from my side as the researcher. As there is an ongoing debate on how to meet validity and reliability in qualitative research, I follow the guidelines by Tracy (2020), who writes about the “Big Tent” framework. This framework involves eight criteria to write meaningful qualitative research. First, there is the need for a worthy topic, followed by rich rigor, sincerity, credibility, resonance, significant contribution, ethical research practice, and meaningful coherence. This framework is chosen because of its broad coverage of the main fields and the suitable outlook for the thesis. Mainly because the framework considers knowledge as constructed or socially constructed and acted upon within society. Therefore, it suggests that also qualitative research carries a specific constructed knowledge from the researcher, the participants, and the reader, which must be clarified and unfolded (Tracy, 2020).

5.1 Worthy Topic

The first step to ensure trustworthiness is to find a worthy topic. That is fully explained within the background and rationale part. A significant issue is finding a current issue affecting a group of people in contemporary times and identifying the significant research gap (Tracy, 2020). The research aims to create a broader awareness of religion in connection to gender. Especially the underlying structures of male dominance are illuminated because

these hidden structures influence people's actions. Understanding the strong link between the intersectional factors is highlighted and leads to an understanding of advantages and disadvantages. It discusses experiences as knowledge and how this knowledge is passed to younger individuals in the church. Due to the lack of research, the topic is worthy of being researched.

5.2 Rich Rigor

Secondly, to make the rich rigor possible in the thesis, an elaborate theoretical frame must be given and suitable data collected and analyzed. On that account, I chose the thematic study to understand the experiences of the participants and link their replies to the literature review and theory to answer the research questions. Going back and forth between the empirical data and the theory served as a constant reminder to stay on topic. The rich rigor also implies close and trusting contact with the participants, which is passed through email and phone contact. Here again, the COVID situation does not allow meeting in person. With 11 questionnaires, I gather data from different female authorities in the church who deal with religion and gender in relation to the confirmands. Besides, the study's relevance involves initiating more research in this particular field, raising awareness that leads to more aspiration for practical methods to implement gender roles into confirmation work (Tracy, 2020).

5.3 Sincerity

Sincerity implies that I, as the researcher have to illustrate self-reflexivity and transparency throughout every step of the process and unfold the purpose and my internal values openly. On the one hand, I must reflect on the previous studies, what context I encounter which individuals, location, and time as much as I have to reflect on discussions and conclusions and my interpretations of the results. On the other hand, I am clear that no person or researcher can be entirely objective towards a topic, as I agree upon the socially constructed knowledge. Every researcher carries his or her experiences and knowledge, which impacts the way we work, interpret, and come to conclusions. To illustrate that, I make use of the first-person point of view throughout the thesis. That is an instant reminder that I, the researcher, speaks and narrates the thesis. Otherwise, I must stay open and reflective of experiences by others. Objectivity and subjectivity are a considerable part of this study because I deal with subjective experiences and analyze and interpret those. That is not to avoid, but one must be reflective and open with it. As a female researcher, I am confronted

with gender, gender roles, and sensitivity and ask for self-reflexivity from the participants and myself. I had personal experiences with people's behaviors, values, and differences in my environment and me based on gender. I attended confirmation work in a Protestant Lutheran Church and gathered my own experiences. To reduce subjectivity, and provide transparency, a close relation to the theoretical framework and previous literature is being kept. Additionally, throughout the writing process, I get feedback from classmates and my supervisor, who reviews the thesis. Their feedback highlights significant mistakes or errors and reduces subjective and wrong interpretations. Because of the qualitative design, it is essential to point out that the study is always somewhat subjectively driven due to my background, upbringing, and opinions. Within the study, I rely on my understanding and interpretations of the issue, the previous literature, and the given answers to conclude (Tracy, 2020).

5.4 Credibility

Giving the reader a sense of credibility, a lengthy and descriptive historical background, theoretical framework, and methodology is presented. It is imperative in this study that the reader can follow every step, understand the chain of thought, and, hence, is enabled to reflect critically on the result. Giving a thick description allows comprehending the reasoning and importance of the topic and the conclusions. Credibility also demands to speak out about uncomfortable issues. One example is the background and rationale. To point out the importance of the issue, I reflect on the church's history and the church today. By doing so, I must stay critically and honest and base the reasoning on the literature review. Some areas are discomforting for me, as the researcher, but also for the participants. On the one side, I must outline the actuality and worthiness of the topic. Herewith I criticize existing structures in faith and church. Additionally, I reflect critically on the participant's answers. On the other side, it is essential to base the assumptions on the previous literature and find suitable words and respectful and proper handling. Only by doing so, the reader can make his or her picture of the current circumstances (Tracy, 2020). Also the chosen methodology, data collection and analysis, assists on the credibility part. As outlined by Terry & Braun (2017) the online questionnaire offers anonymity for the participants to answer the questionnaire in their comfort zone. Moreover they decide what to answer and how to answer and interpret and chose the wording by themselves (Terry & Braun, 2017)

5.5 Resonance

Resonance is another key element when conducting a qualitative study. Transferability and naturalistic generalization are implemented in this step. Transferability involves the connectivity with the issue, conclusions, and the reader. The subject and conclusions should be an important topic for the reader and easily transferred into their lives because of similar experiences and problems. Due to that, the research is designed with “women, and those who appear to be women, and [who] are subjected to wrongs and/or injustice at least in part because they are or appear to be women” (Alak, 2020, p. 47). It discloses experiences and values of women and women in the church, creates a bond and connection, and gives togetherness through shared experiences. Moreover, naturalistic generalization starts when people apply the result to their reality and take action and further steps towards gender- sensitive confirmation work. The aesthetic merit is another way to build resonance in which the reader must be enamored and captivated by the thesis. Here, the long-lasting issue of gender sensitivity in church, the unequal treatment of the gender, strengthens this captivation. Most importantly, having the chance to listen to the participants directly involved in this issue gives a whole new potential to the thesis and the topic in general (Tracy, 2020).

5.6 Significant Contribution

As pointed out in the previous text, the thesis contributes to women of faith and church and confirmands significantly. Since I identify the research gap within the previous literature and research and the lack of awareness about the connection of religion and gender, the main contribution is to raise awareness. It aims at conceptual development, hence, I develop new knowledge about the relation of religion and gender and start a new understanding and awareness for people in charge of the confirmation work. In explaining every step of the way, I enable readers to understand, and other researchers in the field get encouraged to take up this issue. Herewith, I target a rather practical contribution to promote more research in the area and elate women of faith and church to take action and take the issue seriously (Tracy, 2020).

5.7 Ethical Research Practice

Furthermore, ethical research practice must be given to keep the thesis safe for everyone involved. Procedural ethics supports an ethical standard for the participants. That is why the participants received a consent form up-front that states the thesis topic, that they can decline 41

or cancel the participation, that the thesis will do no harm to anyone involved, and that the data is handled confidentially and is only visible for the researcher, the supervisor, and examiner and is destroyed ones the thesis is finished. This strengthens the sense of security for the participants and keeps their anonymity. Additionally, through constant availability, trust and comfort are given to the participants. Relational ethics determines to keep the promises stated in the consent form. It is ensured to the participants that this frame is maintained. Further, I see the participants as beneficial for the research and valuable as people in their life, work, and valuable persons who can put my ideas and contributions into practice. Precisely this circumstance is a personal marker to keep the participants safe and conduct an ethically informed thesis (Tracy, 2020).

5.8 Meaningful Coherence

Lastly, meaningful coherence must be considered. The research aim must be carried throughout every step of the research, stay narrow, and focus on the aim to answer the research questions. Staying consistently on the topic illustrates a challenge because once connecting religion and gender, there is a vast amount of literature and directions to go. Otherwise, once digging into the topic of experiences with gender, gender roles, and gender sensitivity in connection to confirmation, the data becomes less. Therefore, it is dangerous to be misled and get off-topic. The chosen theoretical frame and methodology kept the consistency. The dynamic process of getting back to the frame and analyzing the gathered data assists me in staying focused. Therefore the study gains and learns from the research design and the collected data by the participants (Tracy, 2020).

6 Time Frame

The set time frame begins in the middle of January until the end of May. Within the first two months, an alliance is built with the tutor. In cooperation, I outline the title, research aim, and questions. Hereafter, I set the base for the theoretical framework and the methodology. The first two months paved the way for what knowledge I need to gather—closely followed by the search on previous literature. In March, I send out the questionnaires to the participants. That leaves enough time to transcribe the answers. Afterward, the discussion and analysis followed, and at the end of April, the conclusion part. The last month is used to go back and forth in the thesis, I focus on grammatical issues, the format, and suggested corrections by the tutor.

7 Literature Review

The literature review belongs to the theoretical framework and illustrates one part of the research. The review informs on the existing research, studies, and knowledge in the particular field. Moreover, it presents commonly used theories and methods and, therefore, impacts the thesis. The thesis benefits from the international context, challenges, and methods used by a diverse set of researchers identified through the literature review. Additionally, it is notable that, to a large extent, the literature used is done by female researchers. Meanwhile, the literature review assisted in narrowing down the topic and formulate the aim and research questions due to the lack of research on gender and gender sensitivity in confirmation work. On the one hand, there is extensive research on feminism, religion, and faith. On the other, I identify a lack of research regarding the experiences with gender and gender roles and their influence on confirmation work. Therefore, it becomes clear that the research itself cannot build on other studies or knowledge. The lack of material was striking and encouraged conducting the study and focusing on empirical data obtained by questionnaires.

7.1 Confirmation Work

In the beginning, I need to gather more material on confirmation work in Germany. One research project by Simojoki et al. (2018) on exploring and designing confirmation work in a lengthy study from 2008 until today states that confirmation work is one of the best- researched fields in educational work in the church today. This progress started only at the beginning of 2000. By now, they have published 12 volumes in a broad field of confirmation. The volumes give a major hint on how confirmation work looks like today in Germany and explores what is needed to make it sustainable for the church and the adolescents. The last volume on sustainable confirmation work by Simojoki et al. (2018) summarizes all volumes and expresses the wish to initiate discussions and start further research. Due to the extent of the study, the book by Collins-Mayo and Dandelion (2010) summarizes the research project. For me, it is an entry point that opens the discussion on the Protestant Lutheran Church and confirmation work. The chapter by Christensen et al. (2010) summarizes the research to understand what significance confirmation work has in Europe and protestant areas in Germany. The authors conduct a study to compare the views and satisfaction before and after the confirmation work. Besides many outcomes, it states that many of the adolescents appreciate faith-related topics and non-faith-related topics. Whether confirmation work should solely pass Christian knowledge or merge it with other current issues is discussed. The

result of the study is that the German confirmands appreciate traditions and seem to acquire a good standard of knowledge when it comes to Christianity and what it involves. They say that cooperation on methods must be given to succeeding in good confirmation work. Though, the authors add, “In order to keep confirmation work on a successful path a lot of innovative ideas are needed” (Christensen et al., 2010, p. 283). The authors give an idea about the empirical research status on confirmation work as one part of youth work. It inspires me to think beyond what precisely these innovative topics could be. Although it is an extensive research project, there is only a little content on gender-sensitive confirmation work. Herewith I figure the research gap for my thesis. Additionally, through the research, I figure out the participants I want to include. The research gives a lot of input on confirmation work, but I start to create an interest in how the work looks practically for the authorities. Are the authorities interested and aware of topics other than the traditional ones? Do they see the need to combine gender and faith and church? How are their experiences connected to the way of planning and conducting confirmation work? Precisely these questions are left unanswered within previous research.

Moreover, cited in this thesis is Heynes (2010), found in the book of Collins-Mayo and Dandelion (2010). As mentioned, a research gap is identified in gender-sensitive confirmation work. Despite that, it is significant for me to explore adolescent's experiences and mindsets on gender and religion. Aune and Vincett (2010) investigate that young individuals distance themselves from institutions like the church and the norms of gender roles. Moreover, they state that female and male religiousness still looks different. On the one hand, they figure out that adolescents still think in traditional gender roles. On the other, research must work against this picture alongside the authorities working with the adolescents. These two studies show me that gender and religion are two important intersections that must be acknowledged. Moreover, it presents the significant role of the authorities.

7.2 Feminist and Religious Studies

One must recognize that the male-dominated androcentric system is not a local issue or a Christian issue alone. The existing literature and researchers who took upon the topic come from all over the world and represent that the subject is a global one. One example is the American theologist and pioneer and feminist theologist Rosemary Radford Ruether. She renounced the exclusive, normative, and binary way of thought and strived for dissociation

from essentialism and constructivism. She fights the sexist outlook of Christianity and adds that the feminist theologist must be seen in their context, for example, in the culture and society they live in. Her book Women and Redemption: A Theological History from 1998 and 2011 gives excellent insight into the image and position of women in Christianity. Especially recognizable is that it starts the idea to explore the meaning of intersectionalities and their importance. In the same breath worth mentioning, Alina Isaac Alak from Romania takes up gender and religious studies from the perspective of the Muslim religion. Generally, Alak (2020) explains the relationship between religion and gender and opens up the idea of its dynamic relation. Magdalena Świerczek from Poland merges traditional roles and today's claim for the emancipation of women. The researchers suggest and recognize feminist theology since its establishment has been attracting attention on a global level. These researchers are taken as the base to explain feminism and feminism in religion and serve as evidence that this topic must be discussed on a local and international level. Besides, outstanding is that mostly female researchers take up the issue. This issue I cannot illuminate to the full extent in this thesis, but it is noticeable.

7.3 Knowledge Production

Auga (2020) in Routledge Critical Studies in Religion, Gender and Sexuality. An Epistemology of Religion and Gender: Biopolitics - Performativity – Agency, identifies that not only religion and gender influence people's life. Instead, it is a set of intersectional factors that impact people's experiences. She strengthens the understanding of gender and religion and acknowledges the intersectional factors of individuals and groups as a process of knowledge production. Especially gender and religion are two characteristics that are highlighted as knowledge by Auga (2020). That gives a great influence to narrow down the topic towards experiences as one form of knowledge production. Further, Mustafa and Westerduin (2021) agree on the critical knowledge production in academia today. They mention intersectionality based on race, ethnicity, and religion. Herewith, the question raises how gender and religion shape our experiences and actions and handling specific situations.

7.4 Theory Having the important connection between religion and gender and the essential role of the authorities, I need to find out what influences the authorities in confirmation work and gender sensitivity. Two books act as a road map to determine the theoretical framework, especially

about feminist standpoint theory. Firstly, the Feminist Theory Reader: Local and Global Perspectives by McCann and Kim (2013). The multiple selections of chapters offer great insight into the diverse and current feminism and feminist theory topic. The first chapters illustrate that feminism and theory must be seen in context and time and sensitize to act carefully with movements and occurring terms. Most important in this thesis, McCann and Kim (2013) and the other authors highlight the importance of intersectionality. This guidance is essential. The importance of intersectionality influences the sampling in the thesis. Mainly chapter 37 by Hill Collins (2013) outlines intersectionality on the example of Black Feminist Thought, which highlights the sensitivity and challenge of exclusion. It suggests the significance of highlighting the participant's positions, age, and environment, and individual experiences. Chapter 35 by Hartsock (2013) explains what the feminist standpoint theory entails, speaks about epistemologies and situated knowledge. That receives great importance, as I outline that experiences must be seen as knowledge with the assistance of empirical data. The book offers several studies from researchers like Parreñas (2013), who speaks about women and migration, or Nnaemeka (2013) on African feminists. These chapters give examples of how feminism can look like, how feminist theory can be used, and coins the understanding of knowledge, solidarity, and agency for the research

Further, the book Feminist Knowledge: Critique and Construct edited by Gunew in 1992 and 2014, guide the research in terms of feminist knowledge, capacities, and pitfalls. The book explores how feminist knowledge fights male-dominated and exclusive knowledge and how the participants might be one key to feminist knowledge. Dean (1998) creates a robust understanding of feminist solidarity. She outlines the importance of consciousness-raising through discussions on differences. Whereas many researchers stress the risks that differences divide movements, as a feminist, she argues that disagreements belong to the contemporary time. It is on us how we handle these differences and incorporate these into our reality. That opens a new dimension with the help of the theory. Through that, we create a common feminist standpoint.

8 Discussion and Analysis

The centerpiece of the thesis is the part of the discussion. Here I unveil the empirical data gathered by the participants, analyze the data with the feminist standpoint theory and previous literature, and interpret the findings to be enabled to answer the research questions.

The research questions are ‘How do the female authorities experience gender roles in faith and church?’ and ‘How do authorities handle gender sensitivity in confirmation work?’ to meet the aim ‘Explore the female church authorities experiences with gender roles and the resulting handling of the topic within confirmation work to create gender sensitivity in the Protestant Lutheran Church’. The following chapters provide an analysis and interpretation of the themes from the conducted survey. The discussion is structured by the research questions that also structured the questionnaire. The themes are obtained by the participants' answers and show a direct connection to the theory. The analysis and interpretation are strengthened by quotations of the participants and connected to the theory. The first part explores the experiences of gender roles in faith and church from the participants. The themes here are ‘Alleged Gender Roles in the Church’ and ‘Alleged Gender Roles in Faith’. The second part connects these experiences with the handling of gender-sensitive confirmation work. The themes here are ‘Role Models’, ‘Language is Power’ and ‘Association’. Again, this shows that the analysis and interpretations are based on the gathered empirical data. Lastly, I mention again that terms such as gender, gender roles, gender sensitivity were not defined for the participants before answering the questionnaire.

For the discussion, I change the names of the participants, as mentioned in the ethical considerations under ethical research practice. Therefore I take the liberty and assign names of women in Christianity to the participants. The names are Rosemary Radford Ruether, Bernadette Soubirous, Abigail, Lydia von Philippi, Hildegard von Bingen, Elisabeth von Thüringen, Hedwig von Schlesien, Katharina von Bora, Teresa Zukic, Lea Ackermann, and Ruth Pfau.

8.1 Gender roles in the Church and Faith

8.1.1 Alleged Gender Roles in the Church

As stated in the part of ‘Protestant Lutheran Church in Germany Today’ inspired by Woodhead (2004), faith can be diverse and subjective. Therefore, everyone is free to choose bits and pieces of faith they feel comfortable with. As an institution, the church must bring these diverse sets of faith together. As much as the individual counts, the collective needs and wishes must be emphasized (Woodhead, 2004). That is strengthened by Heelas et al. (2005) as the current time concentrates on subjective life (Heelas et al., 2005). To understand the connection between gender roles, faith, and church and the resulting handling in gender-

sensitive confirmation work, we must recap the participant's experiences. Firstly, I highlight the experiences of the participants in the church.

The function of gender roles in the church is received differently by the participants. Whereas some do see hierarchical structures, disadvantages, and prejudices due to their gender, others do not. Abigail and Lydia, for instance, emphasize that the hierarchical structure in the church nurture an oppressive position for the women:

“[...] men and women are equal on paper”. “[...] I recognize structures that foster inequality” (Abigail).

“Definite. Especially in the establishments of the national church, I recognize hierarchy” (Abigail).

“I do sense gender inequality and hierarchical tendencies within my job. Generally, the really decisive positions keep the male minister (!)” (Lydia).

First, it is interesting to point out the connection of the terms normativity and hierarchy with unequal treatment based on gender. Without giving a prior definition of hierarchy and normativity, the participants mention male dominance. The participants recognize that men are keeping higher positions. Lea criticizes the church for not working against these structures and not questioning the prevalent structures but adhering to these. These male- dominated hierarchical tendencies, on the one hand, bring up a certain double standard for women. Working together in the church's environment, the women recognize unequal treatment based on their gender alongside men. She keeps a position of responsibility and has to work hand in hand with her colleagues, and must be taken seriously. But the participants experience a struggle to receive the same respect from colleagues or the parish community or get into the same positions as the male colleagues. On the other hand, that fosters the insight/outside perspective mentioned by Haraway (2013). Women get to know the work environment and its inherited structures although they are seen in their gender role and must meet the expectation of looks and behavior “[...] the stylization of the body […]” and the “[...] stylized repetition of acts” (Butler, 2013, p. 462). The inside/outside perspective and the double standard is contradicting in some situations as the participants experienced:

“Men do not get asked in the interview “[…] you really want to work full time when you're having two children?” (Abigail).

“I experienced, that male colleagues with young children are being pitied (“He must take care of his child once in a while […]”) meanwhile I had three children to provide for, and no one asked” (Lydia).

“What can a female pastor wear and what not? This question is not being asked frequently to men” (Lea).

It becomes apparent that the inside/outside perspective gives the women insight into both the advantaged and disadvantaged realities. That, in connection with the feminist theory, can be highlighted as unique knowledge. Still, these experiences lead to double the work for the women, and there is not much space to fail. The woman must do a good job at home because that is what the role of the social gender expects. Additionally, she must be good at her job because otherwise, she faces less recognition. This double standard and double work can have positive outcomes for the participants in the church. Hedwig mentions that younger female authorities in the church often seem more up-to-date and flexible for modifications because men who have easy access to high positions and hold their position for a long time do not have to do that. Herewith it becomes visible that the insight/outside perspective presents knowledge of two perspectives and more flexibility at work. Aune and Vincett (2010) confirm that these structures affect young individuals. Collins-Mayo and Beaudoin (2010) agree that institutional religion has reduced a lot for young individuals. That itself has many reasons (Collins-Mayo & Beaudoin, 2010). Adolescents feel distant towards the institution of the church because of the stricter distribution of gender roles. As we see in ‘The Protestant Lutheran Church in Germany Today’, church structures are not in line with nowadays wish for equality. As Aune and Vincett (2010) highlight, the church must emphasize the needs and experiences of its members (Aune & Vincett, 2010). Based on this, I identify the challenges for the church to meet the wishes of subjective realities and the traditional collective image of the church. Otherwise, the church's criticism is that they are not moving with the time and do not change discriminating structures.

Other participants present different experiences regarding gender roles in the church:

“I experience gender equality in the church and at work. I do not really observe inequality that is based on gender, or I am not aware of it” (Katharina).

“Mostly equal in the church, whereby there is often a binary concept” (Argula).

“At the same time, I experience volunteers and full-time employees who are open to something new, so that change is possible. Step by step change is possible” (Bernadette).

Teresa comments on the improvements of the church, how they handled same-sex relationships, the possibility of same-sex marriage, and same-sex partners in the parsonage in the last years. Although, Ruth recognizes that people attracted to the same sex had to hide

away for a long time and still face disadvantages in the church. Ruth: “I feel that the church has a lot to catch up on'' (Ruth). However, she agrees on the improvements and recognizes the efforts of the central organization for youth work of the Protestant Lutheran Church to provide further education for the authorities. Also, Hildegard mentions the “[…] rather hidden [...]” discriminating structures (Hildegard).

Analyzing the participant's answers with the help of the theory, there are different challenges to the authorities to create a mutual standpoint on the experiences of gender roles in the church. As we have seen in the background part, the history of Christianity is long, had many contributors and enemies, traditions were established, developed, and reformed. The long history and the old tradition and structures make it possible to hide away discriminating structures because reflecting on problems as “It was always that way” (Bernadette). That illustrates the church moves slowly with the demands of some members and is not going with the claims of contemporary times. That is one reason why concepts such as normativity and hierarchy are still reflected and experiences as masculine or male-dominated. Though, the theory suggests discussing differences in lived experiences and see these as essential pieces of knowledge. This approach suggests that even when the experiences are diverse, the participants experience gender roles in the church's environment. All of them agree that the church must play a part in speaking about gender roles to raise awareness. Exactly this agreement is the common standpoint for all participants and must be highlighted. Moreover, I argue that the church must encourage people to form a common standpoint by offering a platform and network. This mode of thought has changed for some of the participants over the years. They recall their education and the beginning of their work-life, and some of them mention that the church became more open-minded for diverse realities, lifestyles, hence, gender roles. Taken out of the answered questionnaires, I additionally come to the thought that the age of the participants has an impact on their awareness about gender roles in the church. It becomes apparent that participants who have been working for several years in the church reflect more critically on the church and its position on gender roles. They do speak about and criticize the church openly. The participants work in churches in different locations and differ in awareness and handling of gender roles. That is not only located on their age and years of experience but also based on the church’s approach to the topic. Therefore, we must acknowledge that the lived experiences by the authorities are not set in stone. Experiences and based behavior on these experiences are dynamic and develop and change over time regarding the working place, here the church. I conclude that the church can be a place to

foster gender inequality or equality for female authorities and confirmands. Some participants gather an insight/outside perspective in the church through their diverse experiences as carers and women in labor work. On one side, this suggests often double the work for them. On the other, they gain insight through their experiences and be flexible and confident in different situations. They are in the position of the oppressed due to their gender. Otherwise, they gain insight into the insider perspective because they are authorities in church and get to know and experience the concepts, people, and underlying structures that can be seen as assets. It becomes apparent that many authorities demand that the church takes a position on topics as gender sensitivity. Herewith, the authorities benefit because they feel the church's support, gain more insight through education and get much more possibilities on acting gender- sensitive. The church itself can offer a platform to raise awareness of the topic and can be one part of creating feminist knowledge. Primarily through building networks for people to gather and connect and offer further education, authorities foster feminist knowledge and solidarity. The church can benefit from this insight/outside perspective of the female authorities, seek the root causes, and learn from the female authorities and their experiences, hence, their knowledge. Using the women's experiences benefits the church and gives a sense of agency to the women. The experiences made by the women are essential to understand gender roles and the impact on the person.

8.1.2 Alleged Gender Roles in Faith

Heelas et al. (2005) stress the raising subjectivity of individuals in contemporary times, meaning that personal experiences, knowledge, and perspectives become more and more vital to the individual (Heelas et al., 2005). That is in line with the participant's notion that there must be a division between faith and church when asked if they determine hierarchical structures in their faith and church. The church is an institution that is faced with the plurality of the contemporary time and must emphasize a diverse set of subjective wishes and needs. Faith otherwise is individual to anyone and is easier to customize personally. Asking if they determine hierarchical or normative structures, Rosemary answers:

“In my faith, I do not, in the church, I do address these topics, here I speak about problems as the church is rather small” (Rosemary).

“In my personal faith, gender roles do not have a particular meaning” (Bernadette).

Hildegard adds that she never feels that one gender is being favored in the Christian faith and that the church should be open to a diverse reality. This phenomenon of making a rather distinct boundary between church and faith I have been pointing out in the part of ‘Women in Christianity’. As Woodhead (2004) argues, women, by number, are the majority of Christian members even though they can face inequality based on their gender. One argument that might be the case; When people feel belonging to the Christian faith, they can be critical towards the structures of the church. Faith does not necessarily include power and status but can give strengths and security. One participant sees the discrepancy between the church and faith in where she feels that faith is ahead of the church. She also makes use of the phrase “There is neither Jew nor Greek, man nor women, slave or mistress” (Argula) and states that faith can be of help overcoming predetermined gender roles.

Elisabeth counters, “[...] Of course, my faith has normative and hierarchical structures because that belongs to the role of God''. Elisabeth is aware of the structure in her faith made by the male-dominated concepts of God and does not argue against it but in its favor. This statement shows the normalized male-dominated hierarchical structure, not only in the institution of the church but also in faith. That is in line with other participants who enjoy the male-centered figures and especially stories but do not experience that as a hierarchy within their faith:

“Although I grappled time and time again with feminist theology, I recognize how much I stick to the old structures and male concepts of God” (Teresa).

Hedwig has a similar perspective as she feels the positive influence of the traditional pictures. Moreover, she enjoys the male stories and figures much more because they are more adventurous, as the female stories include household matters. She states that it did not make a difference that they are men or female, but the stories behind the people. At this point, I refer to Auga (2020), outlined above, that internalized male-dominated pictures and scripts normalize the process of attaching, for example, adventurous stories to masculinity. By normalizing this image, a gendered norm is reinforced, for example, the women as the carer and the men as the adventurous person (Auga, 2020). Precisely these social gender images can be problematic for some individuals (Alak, 2020). I identify the challenge of the deeply rooted structures of faith and that it aggravates the creation of a standpoint because the participants have had different experiences.

Even though some participants state that faith is male-dominated, it took them time to come to the point of reflecting consciously. I recognize that the participants who have longer working experiences answer rather critically regarding male-dominated concepts, hierarchy, or normativity throughout the analysis. That is surprising for me because I anticipated, for example, that the younger participants will have solid values and opinions on gender sensitivity and reflect more critically. It turns out that the participants who are working longer in church compare their first experiences in faith and church, their studies, and their first steps into church work. They compare different mindsets and experiences and resume hierarchical structures and an unsatisfied feeling about them.

When asking about faith concepts, the participants mentioned the Bible and scripts that impact their concepts and feelings of faith. Lea is critical of gender inequality in the Bible and sees the importance of questioning the church and faith. Katharina reports:

“[...] twice I have been confronted with comments such as “According to the Bible women should not preach” (Katharina).

Katharina, in general, does not experience church and faith as hierarchical. Yet, she is confronted by comments that base their content on the male-dominated, hierarchical concepts of the Bible. The Bible, in turn, passes on the knowledge of faith. On this account, Mojola (2018) agrees, presented in the background part. The masculine language in the Bible affects how people live their faith. Moreover, faith and its determined concepts impact gender roles and, notably, gender order. Therefore, faith has an impact on the church as an institution. We can see the church as an institution has lesser influence on people's faith, but vice versa; faith can have an immense impact on the church.

The clear distinction between the church and faith offers insight into the essential functions of faith for the participants. Even when the individual is critical of the church, the person does not have to be critical of its faith. Moreover, Heynes (2010) shows that faith does not have to connect to the church at all. That highlights that faith, detached from the church as an institution, can be one feature of gender sensitivity. Individuals do not have to feel belonging to the church but still can live faith because it can be personalized. When faith can be personalized, detached from the structures of the church, I do consider faith a vital part playing in creating awareness on gender roles. Reflecting on one's faith can illuminate male- dominated structures, can be discussed and create awareness, and be one uniting point to overcome these structures. As Kim et al. (2018) point out, in Reformation, but especially in 53

Enlightenment, education was one significant part of the Christian faith. Receiving the tool to raise awareness about gender roles in faith through education enables people to reflect critically. One key here is the availability of female stories and figures. As Woodhead (2004) highlights, the availability of female stories gives association for women in faith because they identify with stories and figures. That, in turn, helps to value one's gender and feel empowered through faith. Female authorities, stories, and figures can lead to a stronger bond between the individual and faith and the church. As we can see, on one side, some of the participants do not see the importance of male and female illustrations because they detach gender and faith or enjoy male stories. That makes it possible to identify with the stories in Christian history and scriptures. On the other side, other participants recognize that as a struggle. Scripts and illustrations of faith should be reflected critically because of the difficulties translating faith in a gender-sensitive way. This difficulty can also affect the confirmation work. When faith does not present women, it is difficult when women strive to present faith.

Finally, at first sight, the personalized concept of faith seems like a challenge to create feminist knowledge on a shared standpoint on the topic. To find a common standpoint based on the answers by the participants is not simply done, especially through the internalized male concepts in faith strengthened by scripts, stories, and figures. The mentioned rich rigor by Tracy (2020) assisted in the challenging process to formulate the standpoint. The various experiences of gender roles in faith and church complicate a clear statement. Therefore, it is crucial for me to keep the rich rigor, stay close to the answered questionnaires, and connect with the participants. That outlines the significance of this topic mentioned in the ethical considerations. Issues of gender and gender roles are not clear and visible. Therefore, gender is a worthy topic to outline and shed light on, still today. With the feminist standpoint theory, I identify that the female participants have had different experiences, created their reality, and therefore knowledge. Nevertheless, they all come to the shared standpoint that the church can be a place where gender and faith meet, should be discussed, and that the church is a safe place for people to exchange experiences concerning gender. This standpoint highlights that the church is a place to speak about gender roles. Faith is subjective and different to everyone. Thus, creating a standpoint is challenging to develop and can prevent solidarity between the authorities. The women encounter challenges because they are not present in Christian history, and that is one challenge to act side by side with men in a work environment. Instead of focusing on this, the theory suggests focusing on the common

standpoint to highlight the church and faith as a safe place to act and speak about gender sensitivity. All these different experiences must be seen as unique knowledge made by the participants. Herewith, male-dominated concepts of faith are opposed and challenged.

8.2 Resulting Handling of Gender Sensitivity in Confirmation Work

8.2.1 Role Models

Throughout the text, I touch upon the topic of role models in faith and the church. Rademacher-Braick (2017) illustrates that historically, there are reasons that women are not as visible as men in archived scripts, stories, and images. Therefore, I highlight the experiences with and resulting handling of role models by the participants nowadays. The following emphasizes the named role models by the participants and the meaning and impact connected to the previous literature and the theory. Named role models, for example, are the participants themselves, colleagues and team leaders, figures in Christian history, contributors in the religious community, and women in Christian scriptures who can act as role models for the authorities and the confirmands.

Alak (2020) outlines gender roles are based on social, cultural norms, etc., and involve expectations on looks and behavior and inherit advantages and disadvantages for men and women. As highlighted above, if individuals only have access to masculine images and male- dominated structures, they can normalize these. Therefore, it is essential to ask specifically for a diverse set of role models and explore their experiences with these. Exemplified by the participants are the female authorities themselves and colleagues. Some of the participants make the case that they see themself as a role model for the confirmands because they work in a high position in the church:

“I think I am a role model by being authentic in my gender, that is the only part of my being which I try to live outside the strict gender roles” (Argula).

“The adolescents experience me as a woman naturally in this role” (Hedwig).

Being self-reflective and considering what position the participant keeps is an important factor for some of them. This self-reflection creates a sense of responsibility to reflect on gender roles and possible role models for the confirmands. Retrieved from the answered questionnaire, seeing oneself as a role model can motivate the person to deal with the topic and raise criticism, seeking new possibilities to include gender sensitivity into the

confirmation work. The participants often name the question of responsibility. Some of them see themselves in charge of catching up on the topic. Some participants give the responsibility into the hands of others as Hildegard sees the committee of the parish councils responsible for starting speaking about the subject. Many state that the issue is essential, but they do not consider themselves as the guiding force. Asking the participants if they think those female role models would strengthen the faith of the confirmands, most of them agree. Consequently, I see that whether the participants have engaged with a diverse set of role models themselves or not, they consider this essential in faith and building a connection to the church for the confirmands. McCann and Kim (2013), next to other mentioned authors, stress individual's intersectional factors. Intersectional factors have an immense impact on people's lives and experiences. I recognize a diverse set of role models as one chance to help individuals to compare and reflect on these factors, challenging stereotypes, valuing differences and similarities, and creating a feeling of belonging to others. That, in turn, creates understanding for each other and builds solidarity.

Teresa sees the team leaders as another example of role models. They are older than the confirmands and more reflective, and they have a good relation to the confirmands and understand their needs and questions. The confirmands can see those other young persons stay and support the church, strengthening their faith and feeling of belonging. That also means that much responsibility lies on the team leaders:

“To be honest, I did not devout myself much to the existing literature on this topic. But we have several adolescents in our team who deal with that topic a lot (through their studies) and bring it into the work” (Lea).

When the team leader feels the need to speak about gender roles in the confirmation work, that person has to take over the responsibility instead of the authorities. That might illustrate a burden for some of the team leaders having so much responsibility. How far the team leaders are interested in gender-sensitive confirmation work, their experiences and their feeling of obligation is primarily up to them. That would be another interesting feature for research. Here it is not illuminated fully, but important to highlight and a possibility for further research. Reflecting upon the chosen methodology and sampling, it would have been beneficial to include volunteers and team leaders in the research. As it turns out, these people have many responsibilities in the confirmation work and contact with the confirmands. Comparably they are younger than the authorities. Thus, the team leaders can propose new ideas on gender roles and how to conduct gender-sensitive confirmation work as they can

reflect upon their confirmation and their wishes at that time. Additionally, they engage with other young people and experience church and faith differently. That is why I reflect critically that these voices and experiences are not involved in this research.

However, some of the participants see the responsibility in their hands and that confirmation work must be planned and conducted gender-sensitive. For that, a diverse set of colleagues and the right choice of stories and figures is needed. Abigail thinks of female ministers, pastors, and deacons just as well as team leaders and volunteers. As the head of the confirmation work, she states that she brings the topic into the focus and sensitizes the team to conduct it practically. In her example, a priority is a female concept of God. As stated above, role models or figures who do not behave according to a specific norm can encourage the confirmands to reflect on their experiences on gender roles, appreciate differences and similarities in others, and increase tolerance and solidarity for each other. Notably, I see the possibility that it can contribute to the empowerment of one’s gender. That feeling of solidarity and being empowered and valued by the group gives self-confidence and leads to a sense of agency.

Examples given as role models, next to themselves, colleagues, and particularly the team leaders, are the other historical and religious people, such as the Siblings Scholl and figures in the Bible. Elisabeth adds: “Maria and Marta, Maria Magdalena, Maria (Mother of Jesus), Rahab, Ruth, Hanna, Lydia, Abigail [...] or people from the church history: Katharina von Bora, and other women from times of Reformation, Elisabeth von Thüringen, Edith Stein, Teresa von Avila” (Elisabeth). Rosemary adds another idea by breaking binary concepts by speaking about Joseph, who likes wearing dresses. She mentions: “Roles that present, that the togetherness within all role models is important” (Rosemary). Alak (2020) stresses the importance of giving alternatives to masculine illustrations to oppose male domination and structures. Rehearsing the participant's answers, female figures in Christian history exist; they need to be presented and represented as role models and included in the confirmation work. Using diverse role models in illustrations, stories, and discussions with the confirmands raises awareness naturally.

The topic of gender roles can be important in the life of the confirmands at that age. Especially finding one's position can be challenging. As mentioned, many of the participants sympathize with the idea to thematize gender roles in the confirmation work. For instance, Lea experiences that the confirmands often carry clichés about gender roles. She sees one

opportunity in confirmation work to address these clichés and reveal stereotypes. Otherwise, it is stated that the topic of gender roles is being spoken of once the issue arises. Remarkably, these participants who mention “Yes, gender roles, diversity, to challenge these, are being discussed when it arises” (Argula) also state that the confirmands do not commonly take up the topic themselves. Also, other participants mention those gender roles are not their priority. Hence, they are not aware of much literature on the subject and give others responsibility. That leads to the interpretation that when the authorities do not actively address the issue, the confirmands do not reflect on it because they do not get the tools, such as alternative role models, figures, and language, on their hands. Though Rosemary states that by making use of a diverse set of role models, figures and stories, the confirmands start asking questions:

“Is God a man?”, “How does Jesus behave towards women?” “How do I actually behave?” “Questions by the adolescents that are addressed and discussed, come up through different contents, discussion rounds, Bibliology, plays, pantomime, line up and more” (Rosemary).

That shows that confronting confirmands might interest the topic and face challenging questions as Lydia exemplifies telling a story from a new angle or a female perspective. As Heynes (2010) shows in her study when girls are being asked for their opinion about the female role in religion, they have strong ideas about it, reflect on sexism, and male- dominated concepts, stories, and figures. Engaging in these activities requires reflecting on gender, personal concepts, preferences, and clichés. By thematizing this, the confirmands raise their awareness naturally and start participating.

The need for a role model to learn from, reflect about faith, and the church can give confidence in the confirmands and female authorities. As Ruth points out, she had only male role models who appeared rather authoritative in front of the confirmands at the beginning in her pastor job. She did not have this image for herself and the confirmation work, but she could not find other role models to learn from. Ruth: “I did not want to be like that, but I also did not know how I could be”. Role models can be of support to find one's way in life and at work. The more role models, the more one can compare and choose what suits the person best and what characteristics the person identifies with. Moreover, it is important to show people that they can be proud to have features connected to the female gender or identify as women. That is done by establishing a more diverse set of role models.

Even though most participants see gender roles as necessary to include, the lack of time is crucial. Many of them do not have the time to address the topic fully next to the standard subjects of Jesus, the concept of God, Creation, the Bible, baptism, the eucharist, faith, Christianity, social welfare, death and dying, life, hope, friendship, and many more topics. The time is a limiting factor for the participants to fully engage with the subject and search for different role models:

The confirmation classes are for sure a space to talk about gender roles with the adolescents. Unfortunately, I do this far too little. Due to the compromised model, we have very little time. That is rather an implicit topic” (Hildegard).

Additionally, the lack of knowledge where and how to find material to these role models and how to practically include them and the need for support becomes apparent:

“Helpful work material would be important for me. Not only into social sciences orientated but more on the questions of faith and biblical stories” (Hildegard).

“That we get to know about gender-sensitive confirmation work already in the internship (Vikariat)”(Elisabeth)

“It must be a topic in the formal training. Both in religious education and the studies of theology - because these are the people who will engage with the confirmands later” (Lea).

Due to the shortage of time and material, it seems that the topic, in general, is not one of the priorities. Having restricted time to unite all these topics and the lack of material shows that not only the people who are engaging and conducting the confirmation work have the responsibility to deal with gender sensitivity. Eventually, I see that circumstances and structures in the church hinder the authorities and prevent new ideas and directions that would benefit gender sensitivity. Even though the participants state that they would be glad to attend further education on the topic, the church must provide these first hand, secondly must make time for the authorities to attend these next to all the other duties. Even though the challenges experienced by the participants are outlined, I examine the commonality of the interest on the topic. Moreover, I see the willingness to engage in this topic by the participants. That must be outlined as this is a standpoint. Therefore the church must take up the responsibility to offer a diverse set of role models and make material and time available to enable the authorities to create gender-sensitive work.

Another circumstance mentioned in the previous literature and stated by the participants should not be left out when discussing role models. As Teresa says, she does not try to

empower confirmands in their gender roles with particular female role models but highlight their personality. Also, Lea mentions that she empowers the confirmands:

“[...] through our appreciation towards every single person, no matter what gender the person feels part of” (Lea).

Also, Katharina reflects: “I try to empower them by being a part of the group, but not only in the aspect of gender” (Katharina). Lydia says that she struggles to empower confirmands in their gender role when she does not want to think in a binary concept and expects everyone to feel cisgender. She adds:

“I want to give the confirmands the feeling that they are being loved by God regardless of how they are” (Lydia).

Herewith, it is highlighted that it is challenging to present role models, whether male or female because too quickly, the authorities fall into the binary concepts they wish to avoid. That is stressed by researches from Auga (2020) and Alak (2020). Auga (2020) highlights the need for material and methods on how to involve all realities in faith and church. At this juncture, I have to recap the chosen methodological framework. In consequence that I use the term gender sensitivity, a binary concept is strengthened. With the help of the participant's answers, I see that gender sensitivity often includes male and female features but no non- binary realities. That becomes clear because I did not define the used terms for the participants to see what meaning they connect. On the one hand, get to know their understanding of the terms is interesting and valuable for the thesis because it demonstrates the underlying and normalized binary and male-dominated structures and concepts. On the other hand, it contributes to a binary mindset because I do not accentuate gender neutrality. This pitfall must be reflected critically. Nevertheless, including female role models does support a more diverse illustration and concept in faith and church. Heynes (2010) states that girls are often left out when it comes to religion. When they are asked, they criticize the lack of female presentation or the marginalized or even oppressed position of women. That, in turn, has an impact on how adolescents think about religion. “Some of the girls’ initial responses revealed that they saw gender inequalities primarily located within religions” (Heynes, 2010, p. 200). Illustrating women next to men as role models offer a more diverse concept, but it does not include a non-binary reality.

Nevertheless, I argue that future research must reflect and consider non-binary terms, concepts based on different theoretical and methodological frameworks. Even so, binary and heteronormativity illustrate a problem; I see a chance to use a diverse set of role models and stories to counter this norm. By presenting various figures and stories, authorities and confirmands choices are offered, and one can compare and choose based on their preferences. Additionally, the examples given by the participants create a great sense of valuation by being seen as a person of worth, a member of the group, and embraced by God. Therefore they create a new feeling of belonging in the group, strengthen their personality, and that God does not make a difference between gender. Through this feeling of belonging, the confirmands can create a bond between each other, their faith, and the church. Through gender-aware handling, the authorities can make a sensitive confirmation work. Eventually, the topic of role models is a significant one for adolescents and the authorities. That is why it is explained fully in this thesis.

Including diverse role models offers more connection points to the church and faith, and it brings several advantages. One of these advantages is that terms such as normativity and hierarchy are less connected to male dominance. It becomes clear that once the authorities have not been engaging with the topic of gender roles in their faith or church, they do not prioritize the issue in the confirmation work or give up the responsibility to others. The more experiences they have had concerning gender roles, they tend to engage diverse role models. Once they offer a diverse set of role models, they can share and listen to the confirmand's experiences. Herewith, the male-dominated structures are opposed at a young age.

The recognition that young individuals have questions on gender and gender roles must be transferred into other contexts. As Tracy (2020) outlines the importance of resonance and the naturalist generalizations for trustworthy research, I must highlight the chance to use this finding. Other educational institutions can use their experiences with role models and add these to their school subjects. That opens discussions with the students and raises awareness. A diverse set of role models is not only vital in faith and church. Presenting diverse people working in kindergarten, school and universities show that all people can take up these jobs. Moreover, it presents various people in the working environment and as persons of contact and caring. Men and women should be present in all settings to illustrate that they belong to all domains and are welcome. That is how young individuals can identify, compare and value themselves with various role models in these environments too. Using a diverse set of role

models can be generalized into fields where young individuals are involved. Therefore I stress the importance of taking advantage of one's position to give access to diverse role models for young individuals (Tracy, 2020). Besides, the experiences of the confirmands must be recognized as an integral part of knowledge. Their experiences, truth, and reality are an asset to the authorities. This situation creates a bond and forms solidarity between the group.

As outlined, the participants have different feelings about the importance of gender roles in their faith and church due to different experiences. Nevertheless, I identify that personal experiences with role models have an effect on the authorities and the confirmands. It affects how they think about traditional concepts and how they discuss them. Experiences based on gender affect if and how the authorities offer a counter-suggestion to male-dominated concepts and their willingness to use female role models. That impacts the confirmands because when they do not receive a platform to be challenged about clichés or mindsets, they struggle to reflect on existing gender roles. They need a platform by having various role models, identifying with these figures and stories, reflecting upon them, and discussing experiences to create solidarity and agency. Ultimately, reflecting and interpreting the answers, I see that it is vital to acknowledge that all participants have different experiences but see the importance of a diverse set of role models. Herewith, I argue that diverse experiences do not hinder the formation of a standpoint. These role models are not only male and female but must represent different facets and characteristics. I do argue, to create gender-sensitive confirmation work, diverse role models must play a part. That does not solely offer solidarity within a group but also encourages people in their gender and offers a sense of agency. To provide other concepts of God, faith, and the church raise awareness of the confirmands and are a starting point of further discussions. It is an entry to gender- sensitive confirmation work.

8.2.2 Language is Power

Upfront, I need to underline that role models and language are intertwined themes because giving diverse role models or female concepts of God modifies the language. That I outline beforehand to avoid irritations while reading. Heynes (2010), in her study, reveals that girls feel distant from religion and faith and unsatisfied with the image of women in religion. “When the girls were asked to think about the gender of God they expressed that the sole use

of calling God ‘he’ sexist” (Heynes, 2010, p. 204). Moreover, they recognize how the male- dominated language shapes gender roles. That is in line with the answers of the participants.

I have been pointing out that experiences based on religion and gender are part of knowledge production (Auga, 2020). The form of how we articulate or make these experiences visible is often through language. The answers by the participants make this point very clear. In the background part, Auga (2020) is paraphrased as she sees language as a form of power. The participants mention the necessity of the correct language, second most common next to role models. Still, they agree that language can be powerful and therefore must be used sensitively. The given answers differ on the priority, responsibility, and how to use language practically. Lea thinks strongly about language:

“Just by the “ecclesiastical language,” gender inequality is created. Language is power! Personally, I do not find myself in this language and try to designate “Lord” and also “Father” with different terms” (Lea).

Ruth agrees and sees prayers as one opportunity to use gender-sensitive language:

“Gender-sensitive formulations in prayers also have a big part, just as in Bible translations” (Ruth).

As being said, new concepts of role models can introduce an alternative language. Exemplified through Teresa, who addresses God not only with the Father or Lord but calls the concept of God also Mother, the Sun, or God’s hand. Lydia adds alternative terms as Ruach ‘Holy Spirit’ or the Loving. Related to this is Lea’s step towards speaking and writing gender-aware correctly ‘gendern’. As explained above, under definitions, ‘gendern’ becomes more and more important in the German language to display diversity. Elisabeth confirms by stating that the choice of words can make identification accessible for different gender roles. Language is powerful because it is the platform for sharing our experiences, transferring knowledge, and illustrating status. By countering male-dominated language, the participants are thought-provoking. Lydia gives one example:

“I leave out the form of address ‘The Lord’ and replace it with God. Also in the service, I often use female forms which are disliked by my conservative colleagues. Too bad” (Lydia).

Furthermore, another participant used the church newsletter, changed the wording towards a gender-aware language, and faced discussions with her colleagues. On one side, using gender-sensitive language animated others to feel provoked. On the other side, though, it led to a conversation about diversity and how the church should pass knowledge to young

persons. Even when people think otherwise and counter gender-aware language in the services and the church newsletter, it provokes a discussion and raises awareness for others. It creates a platform for diverse people to exchange experiences and better understand the other one's truth and reality. Here Craigo-Snell (2019) adds that creating a language for specific situations, experiences, and knowledge in a local environment encourages the claim of power and agency. Therefore, it opposes existing knowledge, which is made and defined by men. Hence, to reflect on, in this example, a newsletter can reach the local community and develop awareness, knowledge and give agency to the people. It is one example of knowledge production, as its origins out of someone's experiences and willingness to modify structures.

As pointed out in the part of ‘Women in Christianity’, language within scriptures and stories illustrate the male-dominant structures. Male dominant language leads to male dominance within the social and religious life. In the first part, I argue that these structures influence our actions and handling. Abigail reflects that the important role models of her faith are male, and the language of her faith is coined male. When the only concept of the divine we have is male, men are divine and hold power. As Heynes (2010) presents, when girls “[...] come in contact with negative impressions of women, or are denied an opportunity to discuss issues of gender in religion, then it is not surprising that these girls should distance themselves from religion, as the message being sent to girls is that religion rarely includes or appreciates people like them” (Heynes, 2010, p. 201). With the help of the participant's answers and previous research, I recognize language as one power that does not only form knowledge and power but also maintains these power relations and structures.

As being highlighted above and exemplified by Hedwig, some participants enjoy male figures, role models, and stories more than the female ones:

“(In short; household versus adventure: for example in the Bible: Maria and Martha sit at home, one of the rather “contemplative” and the other as the housewife - whereas the disciples travel all across, experienced exciting things and are near to Jesus)” (Hedwig).

In her case, she does not feel disadvantaged or left out by the story because the adventures inspire her. Gunew (1992) states that the writer and reader of texts must be aware of certain masculine-dominated constructs. Without awareness, one cannot reflect on male-dominated stories and cannot question gender-based disadvantages (Gunew, 1992). However, identifying with male-dominated stories is not common, as Heynes (2010) explains. As Woodhead (2004) underpins, it creates a separation between men and women, the advantaged

and disadvantaged, or the oppressor and the oppressed. Furthermore, I must connect how we tell stories, define our social constructs on gender and gender roles. In Lea’s perspective, this construct leads to discriminatory language, and further to roles, behavior, and looks, based on the gender “A girl cannot do that […]” “Boys should not cry […]” (Lea). That reveals how powerful language can be; it is a frame of what the person can and can not do. Breaking this frame of predetermined and constructed gender roles through language can offer chances to create solidarity and agency. More importantly, through language, we can create a bond between people because it is a vital tool how we share our experiences. Being enabled to share experiences and acknowledge creates a safe space and a gender-sensitive space in the church.

It appears that in some fields of the church, a gender-sensitive language has arrived and is used and accepted by the authorities and community. Though, it also emerges that this routine has not reached the confirmation work. It becomes clear that the sole awareness of the language is not enough to bring gender sensitivity in all areas of the church. One challenge, pointed out is, to have a coherent language in the whole church. Making use of available gender-sensitive language by one person cannot change structures. It is on all authorities to find gender-sensitive language:

“Confirmation work works best when the confirmands themselves initiate topics. First of all, we must reflect gender sensitivity in our language and our service. It does not make sense when I use another language in the confirmation work than the minister in the service” (Lydia).

Using this example highlights the need for solidarity. To make fundamental changes towards gender sensitivity, everyone in the environment must take responsibility and adapt to sensitive language. Another challenge pointed out by one participant is that language is connected to many things, how we think, how we act, and that is the reason to use, for example, gender-sensitive Bible texts. However, her resumé is difficult for her to translate texts in a gender-sensitive way because the previous powerful meaning could get lost. That can demonstrate a significant problem to coin religious figures and stories gender-sensitive. Additionally tricky is the topic of the binary concept of language. Especially in the German language binary models, for example, ‘gendern’ is a topic of discussion. Also, the participants mention the struggle to create the correct language to welcome gender-sensitive language into their work and the fear of leaving someone out. Lea wants to transport the feeling, with the help of language, that all are the children of God. The ultimate goal is to

create a space for everyone and be sensitive towards gender, but it is not intended to withdraw the original text's meaning or exclude a person by the used language. Therefore, the knowledge and experiences of many people are demanded to gather ideas on how to keep the historically significant meaning of the text but translate it gender-sensitive for our contemporary times. That challenge illustrates another change for more future research.

Concluding, language is a tool of power. Remembering the importance placed on language because it can shape gender roles, boundaries, and advantages and disadvantages. By the respondents and in connection with the theory, it becomes clear that language is a limiting factor and an opportunity. The answers of the participants and the feminist standpoint theory show that once the authorities reflect on experiences, share these with others in discussions, make use of gender-sensitive language themselves, and use it practically, they create a standpoint to the topic. Again, different experiences create different sentiments on gender- aware language. Nevertheless, most of the participants see language as an essential and powerful tool. The wish for gender sensitivity is current and prevalent, which again shows the worthiness of including language in this thesis. That is in line with Craigo-Snell (2019), who encourages creating local language to oppose ‘oppressive knowledge’ and understand and reflect upon experiences to empower and give agency to the people. Although, when we do not raise awareness and take up the responsibility to proactively create awareness and confirm the language to reflect their mindsets and experiences, we do not enable them to create openness, tolerance, and courage to discuss these topics with others. When authorities do not consciously and openly handle the subject, the adolescent has a lesser chance to create this consciousness by themselves. Finally, language is seen as a powerful instrument. It can guide conversations, illustrate mindsets and fight norms on gender, start discussions, create uncomfortable discussions, inspire and create knowledge. The participant's answers show that we have to make the connection between gender roles and male-dominated language.

Again I must add a critical reflection towards the mode of analysis here. As outlined at the beginning of this section, the themes ‘Role Models’ and ‘Language is Power’ are intertwined. Braun and Clarke (2006) see this as a pitfall while conducting a thematic analysis. Here I need to counter this suggestion. I argue that once individuals have a diverse set of scripts, figures, and concepts, they can create a different and inclusive language. Further, to put these two big themes into one would be confusing for the reader because both points must be discussed individually. Otherwise, while analyzing and interpreting, it becomes evident that

the connection between new experiences with a diverse set of role models and the possibility to develop new, gender-sensitive language is fluent. Sincerity is one part of trustworthy research, as stated by Tracy (2020). Therefore I must add here that I consider language as an essential part of life. It is the tool of how we treat ourselves and others, how we interpret, think and share experiences. It is the tool for how we make ourselves understood. Therefore, I connect language with power that everyone inherits, but also, I see language as something sensitive as it illustrates our emotions and life words. Calling language as power sounds harsh and is a subjective perception. Otherwise, it is stated like that by the participants and the previous literature, and that is why I include that statement in the thesis.

8.2.3 Association

The last-mentioned important feature when speaking about gender roles and gender sensitivity is association. The theme association links similar ideas and statements of the participants in where they felt togetherness, where they could exchange experiences, therefore creating solidarity within the topic of gender sensitivity. That is linked with Simojoki et al. (2018) and their statement that the confirmation work should open new spheres of experiences for the confirmands. In these spheres, current topics of the confirmands should be highlighted, and the solidarity for each other should be grounded. Making connections, associating with others is also mentioned as significant for the confirmands. Going on camps is a time for the authorities, the team leaders, and confirmands to gain insight into the reality and life words, connect, talk and create a safe space. Other associations are named, for instance, circles where different groups can gather or pastoral counseling sessions. The equal opportunities officers in the church can support the female authorities when they face problems based on gender. Furthermore, social media is referred to.

Katharina, for example, highlights the team leaders again as one role model and their function, especially in the camps. The confirmands should have a person of contact and acknowledge that all people, disregarding gender, belong to the Christian faith. That is confirmed by the research of Simojoki et al. (2018) as they state confirmands appreciation of finding new friends and the wish for current and close-to-life topics in their time of confirmation work. Examples to create a safe space and sensitize the confirmands in the camp, stated by the participants, are at a lunch break or a bonfire. We see a leisure atmosphere with the authorities and confirmands can start a conversation between different

people. Elisabeth adds that the confirmands mostly do not pick up the topic of gender by themselves, instead spend time with individuals of the same gender, but at the same time, show interest in the other. Additionally:

“Also, our team leaders went through a change in their gender identity. That is how the confirmands get in touch and get challenged to reflect upon gender roles and identities” (Elisabeth).

That statement shows the importance for the authorities and confirmands to explore various gender roles and identities. Not only the confirmands benefit through the experiences with diverse individuals. Also, authorities learn through different people, make experiences and learn from other one’s experiences. Thus an alternative knowledge is created by associating with each other. Authorities can be sensitized on the topic through their own experiences or sensitized by others, by different lifestyles and lifeworlds. As pointed out above, when the authorities themselves are aware of alleged gender roles, they are inclined to sensitize their colleagues on the topic, hence, the confirmands. Cooperation or solidarity is strengthened by Christensen et al. (2010) because they state that coherent confirmation work needs a base of cooperating authorities. Therefore, I reason that it is vital to illustrate cohesion and solidarity in all fields of the church on gender to enable the confirmands to reflect upon the topic and create a safe space and awareness. As highlighted above, the participants struggle to make time for other than the common topics. That is why the camp can be a great opportunity because the authorities have much more time with the confirmands. The confirmands might be more open for such conversations as they stand aloof from home, schools, and peers. That can give space to speak about experiences on gender and all related issues to raise awareness.

As mentioned earlier, once the participants experienced unequal treatment based on their gender, they criticize these structures more commonly and initiate actions and methods to work against them. Dean (1998) says that creating solidarity through similar experiences or mutual understanding and differences and diverse opinions can further build alliances. Abigail mentions that she seeks for like-minded people to discuss these topics. Lydia adds that she went unheeded talking to the national church about normative or hierarchical structures and therefore seeks other people with whom she can connect. Ruth reached out to affected people like her to exchange experiences and collaborate with others, making their experiences with unequal treatment explicit, and Hedwig appreciates gatherings with the ecumene. That is interesting to reflect on as the ecumene offers the chance to connect with other people beyond the Protestant Lutheran Church. That I want to highlight explicitly and

the opportunity on how the church authorities of different churches can exchange experiences, learn from each other and raise awareness on gender sensitivity on a broader level. Again, this would be one research area to focus on in additional studies.

Like Lea, some of the participants mention pastoral counseling as one chance to associate with other people. Rosemary says other occasions in where she discusses these topics:

“We have discussions in women’s circles, men’s circles, youth clubs, meetings with the confirmands, parents, and children’s groups” (Rosemary).

“Here they exchange experiences and strengthen each other mutually” (Teresa).

I see, once the authorities raise awareness for themselves or with the help of others, they do initiate the topics also within their parish. Therefore, within the church and activities, the gatherings and the church authorities themselves can be a place and people to support gender and create a gender-sensitive space. Moreover, I see a possibility to fill in a gap. As Heynes (2010) and Simojoki et al. (2018) mentioned, topics concerning gender are not widely thematized in religious education at school or home. By conducting these meetings and creating a safe space for the authorities and confirmands, the church can create solidarity. Rosemary adds that not only aspects of gender must be discussed, but all realities like poverty, one world, colorful humankind and that: “[...] faith could present a world with more hope […]” (Rosemary). That is in relation to Dean (1998), who states that with increasing plurality, we tend to depend more on each other. Here the diverse experiences must be reflected as unique and highlighted that the standpoint is that association in different settings and people creates solidarity. Although the authorities engage differently with their community and parish, they mention the importance of connecting with people. I identify this awareness as essential because it offers a platform to understand different experiences and enables feminist knowledge. Even though everyone has had different experiences, we are enabled to create a standpoint.

In this context, building an ally is important for most participants, whether inside the church or outside. One person of contact, mentioned by some of the participants, is the equal opportunities officer:

“The equal opportunities officer of our church initiates and regulates the female and male pastors on how to emphasize gender roles appropriately and how to act upon them” (Ruth).

Important to highlight here is that not all churches have this kind of employee. Still, once the participants mention the equal opportunities officer, they do appreciate the presence and their work. For instance, Argula sees the equal opportunities officer as her first contact person when she would recognize normative and male-dominated hierarchical structures in her church. Though the officer is not specialized in confirmation work, they can sensitize the authorities on specific topics, for example, underlying male-dominated structures. That can set the stage for a conversation about gender roles and how to conduct these topics in all areas of the church. I see a great value in the equal opportunities officer. They can assist in challenging situations, such as using gender-wise correct language or difficulties acting upon discriminating behavior. Here again, we can use the example of the parish newsletter, as I have been pointing out in the category ‘Language is Power’. By reflecting critically on these writings, Hildegard recognizes a male orientation in the linguistics of the paper and the illustrations and photos. By reflecting on it, they changed this and involved women much more. By this, they illustrate open-mindedness to the parish. That also raises awareness of the individuals who read the newsletter. Therefore, they can reach many more people on this topic and create a much broader sense of solidarity.

I have been pointing out the struggles due to the current situation of COVID. In this regard, I do have to mention it again. Emphasizing the association between people as a force of gender sensitivity, the pandemic brings these meetings, circles, and camps to a halt. The participants also state that. Even more in the pandemic and in the usual confirmation work, some participants are using social media as social media is one platform of connection. Abigail mentions women groups on social media and, especially currently, discusses and problematizes alleged gender roles and their impact. Abigail uses social media for the confirmands as she tries to suggest channels and people who can positively influence. These channels must be selected carefully, as Lydia states. Connecting digitally is one way to create an association for women. It gives the platform to share experiences and come from a subjective feeling to a standpoint. It establishes the understanding that women are not alone with their experiences which can influence positively and empower them to give an impulse on the topic. Especially in the current time, I see the importance of highlighting this. That strengthens the point of the worthy topic again, by Tracy (2020). Understanding the need for an association between people is essential and becomes more visible in COVID times. That is why I highlight the association section because it plays a vital part in creating solidarity. It creates a platform to exchange experiences in times where face-to-face meetings are not

allowed. As we can see, the association between people is majorly significant. Due to COVID, these meetings as confirmation work and camps, services, circles, or face-to-face counseling are not allowed. Therefore one ample opportunity for people to connect is lost for the time being. The pandemic has different outcomes for everyone, and also, the work in the church is being affected. That is a topic I cannot illuminate fully. Still, I see the significance of doing more research on this topic and the effect on the people who seek support and security in the church and the authorities.

Before concluding the category, I would like to mention one method stated by the participants. Highlighted is to distribute the confirmation work in girl's and boy’s groups. Hedwig says that it might facilitate speaking about gender roles for the confirmands because boys and girls grow up differently because of their biological growth. Girls often seem more grown-up. I want to add here when speaking about gender sensitivity, this method might be challenging. First, it includes only the binary concept and people who do not identify as male or female are excluded. Secondly, I would challenge that a mutual understanding of the confirmands is not enhanced. Gender sensitivity can only be created when we listen to each other, raise awareness of each other's realities and knowledge. As mentioned earlier, games and engaging in plays, being confronted with a diverse set of role models, and getting in touch with gender-aware language, changing roles, and reflecting about these interrelations can enhance understanding and result in solidarity with and for each other.

Concluding the last category, I recognize that the association between individuals and groups is significant when creating gender sensitivity. The theory strengthens that. It is challenging to create awareness about one's own experiences when we do not receive language to the experiences. By creating a language to the experiences, the confirmands can speak about it with peers or family. But this is only done when an association is a base to talk about and listen to other experiences. Through that, they can develop further knowledge and solidarity. Herewith, a great sense of agency is built for adolescents. This process can be started in different ways, as obtained by the participants. Conducting camps with the authorities and the confirmands illustrates one platform to create a safe space and use the time to speak about gender roles and raise awareness. Here, the confirmands can be enabled to understand others and themselves in a better way. Connecting again with the theory, creating these spaces could offer an insight/outside perspective for the authorities. As much as they face advantages and disadvantages based on their gender, so do the confirmands. Being in touch with the

confirmands and listening to their experiences could enhance and make the perspective of the confirmands comprehensive. The camps are a new sphere of experiences to discuss gender issues, gender roles, and what sensitivity towards gender means. Seeking like-minded people can contribute to togetherness and work against the feeling of standing alone with one's experiences. I outlined the ecumene who can bond beyond the Protestant Lutheran Church, connect with other individuals, and form solidarity. As we have seen in the background part, the ecumene was created to bridge the different denominations. Hence, I see a great value in the ecumene to enhance subjects on gender sensitivity too because of their great reach to people of various denominations. Just as much as the pastoral counseling sessions, the authorities get to know the experiences, struggles, and realities and are forced to reflect on other's lifeworlds. Based on the theory, it is necessary not to see these differences as barriers but opportunities to discuss and find commonalities. As we have seen above, not all participants share the experience that the church nor faith inherits hierarchical structures. Hence, they do not engage much in conducting gender-sensitive confirmation work, although they see it as important. Therefore, to associate with other people, their experiences and struggles might re-evaluate their position of power and change their handling in confirmation work. Resuming different ways of gatherings, meetings, or counseling creates solidarity between individuals. Listening to other stories and getting to know about their experiences and lifeworlds can create a bond. Creating solidarity within differences and recognizing similarities can promote a standpoint. Moreover, it assists advantaged people in acknowledging their position, status, and power and creating an awareness of that. Only by one's understanding, this privilege can be critically reflected and changed.

9 Conclusion The last part of the thesis is the conclusion. The initial thought and inspiring idea is that the church is often seen as one part of the problem in gender justice and equality. Several researchers and the previous literature represent and confirm this image. That is seen in the background part. On one side, the thesis illuminates this problem and does not downplay the structures. On the other side, the research shows that the church and the authorities can act as part of the problem's solution. That inspires me to explore the people’s experiences on gender roles who engage with faith and church every day and get to know their handling of gender sensitivity. In the foreground is the aim of the research ‘Explore the female church authorities experiences with gender roles and the resulting handling of the topic within confirmation

work to create gender sensitivity in the Protestant Lutheran Church’ and the questions ‘How do the female authorities experience gender roles in faith and church?’ and ‘How do authorities handle gender sensitivity in confirmation work?’. The discussion part outlines the analysis and interpretations of the participant's answers with the help of secondary data and the feminist standpoint theory. The following part highlights the main findings and refers to the research questions. The conclusion finalizes by outlining generalizations and suggestions on further research in the field and motivates to think beyond the findings and empower to question and reflect.

Regarding the first research question, the analysis and the interpretations in the discussion part highlight one aspect very clearly regarding the experiences with gender roles. Asking about normative and hierarchical structures, the answers are diverse, and the participants have had different experiences. Interesting is that they do connect the terms normativity and hierarchy with male characteristics. That means the norm, the benchmark, is masculine, a rank order set by man. In connection to the feminist standpoint theory, it is crucial to examine structures first to challenge these afterward. Therefore male domination in language, scripts, role models, and pictures affects how we interpret these terms and act upon them. Using the feminist standpoint theory, this rank order must be challenged and changed, but it is unlikely that the dominating group and individuals will bring this issue forward. Instead, it is likely to come up through the groups being oppressed because they create greater knowledge of the deficiencies of structures and concepts of our environment. From the inside/outside perspective, they gain insight on how gender can advantage and disadvantage individuals. On one side, they have a high position in the church as women. On the other, some of them face discrimination based on their gender. Therefore it is necessary to acknowledge experiences with the insight/outside perspective made by the female authorities as knowledge. Even though different experiences are made based on gender roles, standpoints are visible. That is in line with the feminist standpoint theory because there are diverse experiences, opinions, and mindsets in the plural reality of contemporary times. The standpoint is that underlying structures in faith and the church are connected to masculinity. To experience male domination and facing masculine concepts in church and faith leads to a normalization of these structures. That is why I argue that we must acknowledge experiences as knowledge and base further actions on this conclusion. In this case, I recognize this knowledge as feminist knowledge. Having access to a unique way of knowledge production through the inside/outside perspective, individuals and groups are empowered and can participate.

Concerning the second question, with growing plurality and subjective life, the need for solidarity and agency grows. That is why I outline the importance of seeing different experiences as a resource of knowledge. Only when we offer a diverse set of role models our daily language can develop. Moreover, we must open spaces where we can exchange experiences and make ourselves understood. Intersectional factors carry advantages and disadvantages which must be discussed. By that, we have the chance to challenge mainstream knowledge production and, particularly, challenge unequal and unjust structures. The acknowledgment that underlying structures influence actions is essential. Further, the connection of how much these experiences guide the handling of gender sensitivity regarding the confirmands must be outlined. One important finding here is that the more experiences the women have had, the stronger their opinion on gender sensitivity. The gathered empirical data shows that the female participant’s personal and professional experiences based on their gender affect the awareness and handling of the topic. A few attempts are visible to offer alternatives to masculine role models, language, and the importance of association. It becomes visible that the experiences are diverse, and it is challenging to find a standpoint. Nevertheless, with the feminist standpoint theory, I examine all different experiences as unique knowledge and further acknowledge that these experiences impact the handling of gender sensitivity with the confirmands. Despite different experiences, one common standpoint is repeatedly mentioned; raising consciousness about gender, gender roles, sensitivity, or gender neutrality is significant for the participants and their confirmation work.

To facilitate the creation of a standpoint, the authorities need the right tools to pass gender- sensitive actions to the confirmands. Also, the confirmands need a platform by having a diverse set of role models, identifying with these figures and stories, reflecting upon them, and discussing. Gender-sensitive language must be implemented to introduce and normalize inclusive discourse alongside associating with other individuals and groups and learning about their experiences. These three resources of feminist knowledge, solidarity, and agency put into practical work can facilitate creating a feminist standpoint not only for the participants but also for the confirmands. Hence, the authorities create feminist knowledge and, through that, solidarity on gender sensitivity. That, in turn, can develop a sense of agency, feeling enabled to make a difference. The experiences as knowledge are used collectively in solidarity and individually in agency. Using this awareness of unique knowledge production presents women as one integral part to fight existing structures with an effect on the confirmands as they raise awareness and gain a feeling of empowerment.

Alternative material and discourse reinforce a different standard. Introducing alternatives, especially for adolescents, creates a different awareness about gender roles, looks, and behavior, creating gender-sensitive spaces. To highlight this aspect is important because it confirms that gender equality in religion and other institutions is not being met. Though, I do highlight this result as a chance to change this circumstance. We see that a common standpoint is built; gender sensitivity is essential in faith, the church, and confirmation work. With this realization, people can come together and oppose existing structures and demand a change of mind, and importantly, take matters into their own hands and being part of the solution

Taking the conclusion of the thesis into a more generalized picture. The perception that women create their standpoint, for example, through their lived experiences, can fight alleged gender roles and, therefore, disadvantage and oppressive rank orders. That is not only true in the context of the church. Taking this assumption into different fields, it becomes visible that women can oppose oppression and discrimination based on the gender on a societal and political level. Gender sensitivity is not only an essential topic in a religious environment in the North of Germany. Creating gender sensitivity through reflecting on one's own experiences and position is a significant point globally. One great outcome of the thesis is that people in alleged disadvantaged gender roles should feel empowered because their experiences are seen as unique and essential knowledge; experiences are a form of knowledge. The resulting standpoint must be seen as an asset and resource to challenge oppressive structures. Besides, this awareness can be connected to a diverse set of people. Rising plurality in contemporary times leads to dependency on each other and strengthens the need for solidarity and the trust in oneself, agency. The sense of access to knowledge production, solidarity, and agency that is coming up by knowing that individuals have a shared standpoint and taking control over disadvantaged and oppressive structures can lead to political engagement and, finally, political change. This political engagement is not restricted to women but all disadvantaged groups. Again, this awareness of feminist knowledge is not a universal truth. It highlights that everyone has access to knowledge production and, therefore, can fight mainstream knowledge. Convert experiences based on intersectional factors from something negative into something positive can be one asset to create new and alternative knowledge for a diverse set of individuals and groups.

I come up with new knowledge about the connection of religion and gender for female authorities and start a new appreciation of experiences as knowledge for people in charge of the confirmation work. Additionally, I stress generalizing this awareness and knowledge into several fields. Once we understand experiences are knowledge, situated knowledge, diverse individuals are included in knowledge production. Moreover, having various individuals in this process facilitates opposing normative and male-dominated structures. That can be done in church, faith, and confirmation work alongside the adolescents. Indeed, there are several more fields as educational institutions, for example, kindergarten and school. Children have a different way of learning and understanding, but we might open new ways on gender sensitivity in education by emphasizing their experiences. That has a significant influence on academic institutions and opens doors for new ways of knowledge, not only for women.

However, further research must conclude this thesis as a motivation to seek new approaches and methods to challenge rank orders and domination. Future research can examine new ideas on implementing gender sensitivity practically, for instance, to explore pedagogic methods for the confirmation work. Moreover, future qualitative studies can determine whether confirmands wish to speak about these topics in confirmation work or not or see confirmation work as a safe space to discuss gender issues. Another field is to examine confirmation work as an alternative space for educational institutions to open discussions on gender for adolescents. These fields could highlight the church, the confirmation work, and the authorities as one central solution to gender equality. The empirical analysis and interpretations highlight another field of interest. The importance of the volunteers and team leaders within the confirmation work is mentioned several times. Pointed out is that gender or gender sensitivity topics are often dependent on the volunteers and team leaders. That reflects the need to include these people, their awareness of the topic, the capacity to include the subject, and their sense of responsibility in research. Moreover, the participants themselves offered one more idea for further research. Not only gender sensitivity but also gender neutrality is an important and current topic. Since the research is about gender sensitivity and highlighting female experiences and gender in faith and religion, I do not dive into gender neutrality. Nevertheless, this topic is apparent and will become more critical in the future. The awareness that experiences affect us as people and how we deal with different situations is essential. It is equally significant to act upon this knowledge and conduct further research. Here it is necessary to include a different set of participants and listen to their experiences. Possible experiences are people who identify with the queer movement, for example.

Additionally, the perspectives of people of color can illustrate a completely different conclusion. That shows that the conclusion of the thesis opens new inspiration for additional research and illuminates the significance of conducting more research and provide further answers.

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11 Appendix

11.1 Questionnaire

That is the questionnaire for the thesis “Explore the female church authorities experiences with gender roles and the resulting handling of the topic within confirmation work to create gender sensitivity in the Protestant Lutheran Church“. In the first part, you find questions about yourself and your environment. The second part is about your impressions and experiences of gender roles in your environment. Lastly, the third part involves confirmation work.

In the first part, you find closed questions where you can tick the relevant checkbox. Here you do not have to elaborate any further. Within the open-ended questions, you are free to elaborate your answer as much as you wish in the second and third parts. There is no minimum or maximum, and you can choose freely what you answer, how long the answer is, or if you answer at all.

Part 1:

1. What role do you overtake within the confirmation class or the confirmation?

Pastor ☐ Pastor/Minister ☐ Deacon ☐ Team leader ☐

Others: Please specify:

2. Since when do you work in this role?

3. Since when do you work for the current church?

4. How would you describe the environment of the church?

Urban ☐ Rural ☐

5. How old are you?

Part 2:

1. How do you experience gender equality/inequality in your faith and/or church?

2. What role does the social gender play in the Christian faith for you?

3. Is the church an environment for you to speak about gender roles?

If yes, who overtakes the role and in which areas?

4. Do you determine normative and/or hierarchical structures in your church and/or faith?

If yes, do you question these structures, and do you have a reference person?

Part 3:

1. What are the key topics you speak about in confirmation classes?

2. Which role do you overtake, in your position, in the confirmation work to thematize gender roles in confirmation classes?

3. Is the confirmation class a space to speak about gender roles with confirmands?

If yes, how does it look in practical terms?

4. Do you think those female role models would help confirmands find and strengthen their faith?

If yes, whom do you think of, and in what way would it help the confirmands?

5. How do the confirmands reflect gender roles and gender sensitivity in their faith?

6. How do you empower the confirmands in their gender roles through the confirmation work?

7. Are you aware of specific literature, websites, or other material that supports gender- sensitive work in the confirmation classes?

If yes, how do you make use of this material in the confirmation classes?

8. What wishes or wishes for improvement do you have for future confirmation work when it comes to gender roles and gender sensitivity?

9. Is there anything you would like to add that I did not ask?

Once you have finished the questionnaire, please send the document back to the email address: [email protected]

11.2 Email

Hello,

My name is Johana Rostek, and I come originally from the province in Lower-Saxony, Osterholz-Scharmbeck.

Within my Master Program ‘Religious Studies’ in the University of Gävle, I complete my thesis with the title: Be Part of the Solution Gender Sensitivity in Confirmation Work

I plan a qualitative study to gather more information around the experiences based on gender and the topic of gender-sensitive confirmation classes. For this purpose, I have been studying current literature on the subject, and now I am interested in your views and experiences. Due to the chosen theory of the feminist standpoint theory, I will conduct the survey only with female participants to gain a better understanding and assessment. All people included in planning, organizing, and implementing confirmation classes feel addressed and welcome to participate in this study.

Due to the current COVID situation, I will conduct an online questionnaire. The timeframe to complete the questionnaire is in calendar week 11. Within this week, on an appointed day by you, you receive the questionnaire. The questions will be formulated in German, and afterward, I will translate and transcribe the answers to English. To answer the question, around 30-45 minutes are scheduled. The survey and the answers are voluntary and anonymous as well as you can withdraw your participation at any given time without reason. All responses are handled confidentially. There will be no names or locations stated throughout the study. A consent form sent to you before the appointment will be sent to you with this mentioned information.

If you have any questions or remarks, do not hesitate to contact me via: [email protected] 0176 63126695 Thanks in advance for your help and time.

Best greetings,

Johanna Rostek

11.3 Consent Form

Consent form for the participants in the Master thesis:

“Explore the female church authorities experiences with gender roles and the resulting handling of the topic within confirmation work to create gender sensitivity in the Protestant Lutheran Church.”

That is a thesis for the Master Program in ‘Religious Studies’ at the University of Gävle conducted by Johanna Rostek.

The planned survey will take 30-45 minutes and is sent on an appointed day scheduled by you, the participant, and the author in the calendar week 11. It is up to the participant when and where the survey is answered to secure a flexible time frame. The questionnaire will be sent by the email address given by the participant and is sent back to the author via email.

The communication between the participant and the author and implementing the questionnaire in German facilitates answering and giving the chance to comprehend and answer the questions fully. Afterward, the answers are translated into English and transcribed by the author. During this process, the author has permission to contact the participant for follow-up questions.

All generated data is handled strictly confidential. The material is solely visible to the author, the supervisor, and the examiner. No unauthorized person will get access to the retrieved names and locations given by the participants. In the thesis itself, the author uses fictional names and does not indicate any specific locations, places, or names of the churches. The retrieved material by the participants will be destroyed after the thesis is finished.

Participation throughout the study is voluntary, and the respondent is free to withdraw the participation at any point in time. The participant is free to decline answers throughout the questionnaire without reason.

It is assessed that the study will not bring any harm to the participants.

In case of any further questions, feel free to contact:

The author:

Johanna Rostek: Email: [email protected] Mobile Number: 0176 631 266 95

The supervisor:

Ann-Kristin Mimmi Eriksson Email: [email protected]

Consent form

☐ I have been given written information about the topic of the study and what it means to participate.

☐ I have understood that I can decline to answer questions at any time within the questionnaire and withdraw the participation without reason.

☐ I understood and consented to how my personal information is being handled according to the information given above.

☐ I consent to participate in the study “Gender-sensitive confirmation work (through a shared standpoint) of female church authorities in a north German context.”

Signature by the author:

Name:

Date/Signature:

Phone and E-Mail:

Signature by the participant:

Name:

Date/Signature:

Phone and E-Mail:

Thank you for your participation