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Feminist Theories in the Sociology of Religion1 АУЧНЫЙ АУЧНЫЙ 17 Cvitković I.. РЕЗУЛЬТАТ РЕЗУЛЬТАТ Н Н FEMINIST THEORIES IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION УДК 316.2 CVITKOVIĆ I. ЦВИТКОВИЧ И. FEMINIST THEORIES IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION1 ФЕМИНИСТСКИЕ ТЕОРИИ В СОЦИОЛОГИИ РЕЛИГИИ Abstract Аннотация Sociology could not be bypassed by Социология не может не подвергаться the impact of feminist theories. Women’s влиянию феминистских теорий. Населе- population in religions. The increase of ние женщин в религии. Увеличение ин- interest in women’s religiousness on areas тереса к религиозности женщин в облас- of ex Yugoslavia. Why have women been тях, являющихся бывшими территориями ignored and marginalised by the society and Югославии. Почему женщины игнориро- the Church? What are feminist theories? Two вались и маргинализировались общест- kinds of feminist theories. Anthropocentrism. вом и Церковью? Что собой представ- An attitude of traditionalists to feminism. ляют феминистские теории? Два вида A woman in written religious sources. феминистских теорий. Антропоцентризм. How much has the stand view on the Отношение традиционалистов к феми- period influenced the position of women in низму. Женщина в письменных религиоз- religions? A woman in traditions of the Asian ных источниках. На сколько устоявшиеся and Far East religions. A woman in the взгляды определенного периода повлия- Abraham’s religions (Judaism, Christianity, ли на положение женщин в религии? Жен- Islam). When do feminist theories appear? щина в традициях азиатских и дальнево- Gender studies. Feminist theories in different сточных религий. Женщина в религиях religious traditions. What is required in Авраама (иудаизм, христианство, ислам). feminist theories? The position of a woman Когда появляются феминистской теории? in society and culture. A woman in the role of Гендерные исследования. Феминистской the religious leader. Feminist theology. The теории в различных религиозных тради- critics of feminist theories. циях. Что необходимо в феминистских те- Keywords: sociology; religion; woman; ориях? Положение женщины в обществе women’s religiousness; feminist theory; и культуре. Женщина в роли религиозного religious leader лидера. Феминистская теология. Критики феминистских теорий. Ключевые слова: социология; рели- гия; женщина; женская религиозность; фе- министская теория; религиозный лидер. 1 An extract from more comprehensive, unpublished manuscript. 18 СЕТЕВОЙ НАУЧНО-ПРАКТИЧЕСКИЙ ЖУРНАЛ АУЧНЫЙ РЕЗУЛЬ СЕРИЯ «СоцИоЛогИЯ УпРАвления» Н ТАТ If a theory of secularisation had been a by [6, 154]. «Is the Church a woman or mi- «hit» topic in the Sociology of religion in the sogynist» – it is also a dilemma of [7, 45]? Or seventies of the last century, then feminist is it both? Is there any point and need to talk theories were surely such «hits» in the end about it? of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st Why do women make more than a half century. Naturally, we are interested in the of the interviewees of different religions? Is field of social sciences, more precisely, of the it perhaps a result of their unequal social po- sociology of religion. It is evident that neither sition (especially in traditional communities) the sociology of religion nor religious studies and religions and religious communities have could be bypassed by the impact of feminist offered them almost the only kind of some theories. Equally, nowadays, it is impossible participation in public life (like work in char- bypassing feminist perspectives in studying ity associations, missionary activities etc.)? religions. Therefore, the issue of their position and role Until the end of the 20th century, discus- in religious teachings and practice has its so- sions in the sociology of religion were reduced ciological (and not only that) rationale. There to how women were more religious than is a search for the answer to the issue of why men. Sociological researches were showing women are ignored and depreciated – start- a higher level of religious beliefs amongst ing from society to the Church. women and their higher participation in the Proponents of feminist theories ask: why religious practice. Even in the beginning of women participate that much in activities of the 21st century, there was repeatedly men- religious communities led by men. And not tioned in the sociological references that only that: it is about belief in male God. And, women are more religious than men accord- male leadership leads them not only in re- ing to many indicators of religiousness and in ligious communities but also in and out of different types of religious communities [1]. their families. An objection can be heard that It is estimated in the Adventist Church that not only religious communities are patriar- there are app. 70% of women followers of chal but also the sociology of religion itself that Church. – more men deals with it than women. Is it Even though men dominate in religious in which an explanation could be sought for leaderships, women still make the majority of that only at the end of the 20th and beginning population in all the world’s religions. They of the 21st century, the sociology of religion even make the absolute majority in some has been paying more attention to genuine newer religious groups and movements. It studying of the relation of women and the re- goes without saying that forms of women’s ligion? Within that, there were also feminist participation in religions are different. Women theories. are started to be attracted also by theologi- What are feminist theories? Those that cal studies. That trend can also be noticed are not that much informed consider that in areas of ex-Yugoslavia where there are feminist theories are some anti-male theories more and more women enrolling the studies directed against men, families (especially of theology (women make 30% of students of those traditional ones), that the theories are some theological faculties). those through which western values are in- At the beginning of the 21st century, an in- tended to be imposed to the rest of the world terest in research of women’s religiousness in the time of the globalisation and various have also increased in the area of ex-Yugo- modern means of communication. Those slavia [2; 3; 4; 5 etc.]. A topic – religions and that consider the above should be instantly women. Or, «the women’s issue» in religions. said that it is about an inter-disciplinary ap- «Are all religions misogynous?» – it is asked proach to the position and role of women in АУЧНЫЙ АУЧНЫЙ 19 Cvitković I.. РЕЗУЛЬТАТ РЕЗУЛЬТАТ Н Н FEMINIST THEORIES IN THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION society (writers, artists, sociologists, politi- as Catholics during the census (e.g. there cal scientists, theologians, anthropologists, were more men even amongst those with economists). According to some opinions, a «no religion» status). feminist theory was conceived in the field of There are conflicts between «tradition- literature (it promote women’s literature and alists» and «modernists» in many religious women’s culture). Therefore, feminist theo- groups about the issue of position, role and ries deal with the position of women in so- possibilities of women, not only in the re- ciety, culture, religion, production etc. Those ligious community but also in society. Tra- theories are against neither men nor religion, ditionalists think that the idea of equality of but against their interpretations and practic- men and women in religions is too secular es that bring women into unequal position and ideological and that it «violates» diver- compared to men. sity given by God. That attitude is hard to be There are two kinds of feminist theories: accepted by a sociologist, but perhaps not a) liberal ones, those that put emphasis on that hard for theologians who are tradition- individual rights b) radical ones, with em- alists. From the sociological point of view, it phasis on social solidarity. Gyno-centrism is important also to perceive to which extent (gyno – woman and centron – centre) can the social position of women has made influ- be posted somewhere within radical feminist ence on women’s status in the religious com- theories or woman-centrism that wishes to munity and vice versa – to which extent the perform the revitalisation of suppressed fem- religious community has made impact on the ininity. It would be said that it goes beyond society and the women’s position in it. the policy of gender equality. Is it because of stimulating the birth rate, It was indicated that feminist theories are in a wish to have births delivered to as many not anti-religious and anti-male theories but new believers as possible, that it has come to they are pointed against anthropocentrism, the degradation of women, their being turned male monopoly over priestly vocations and exclusively into mothers and house wives? A interpretations of religious teachings, which woman was excluded from the political pow- excludes women from that process. Anthro- er and social influence. Nevertheless, it is pocentrism reduces women to consumers, needed to have understanding for concerns customers of the religious culture. It per- of Jewish and Christian communities, espe- vades almost all aspects of the religious cul- cially in Europe and USA, for the fall of their ture, in particular in some Christian courses birth rate. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach writes that (story about Adam and Eve, Paul’s attitudes «The birth rate amongst Jews is on a such a to women, a myth on original sin and expul- low rate today that studies foresee that by sion from heaven etc.). All that has impacted 2030, the world’s Jewish population will be on a subordinate role of women not only in reduced from today’s 14 million to five or six the Church but also in society. millions of souls» [8, 168]. According to the gender structure of A woman in religious sources: Male sa- those that go to churches, it seemed in the credness (embodied through male supernat- 20th century that men walked out of church- ural beings) is common phenomenon in many es, leaving them to women.
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