Christianity & Gender Prejudice & Discrimination (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)
Revision Note
Written by: Glenn Millington
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Christian Opposition to Gender Prejudice & Discrimination
Gender Prejudice and Discrimination
Gender prejudice is when a person is judged by their gender which is seen to be superior or inferior
Gender discrimination is when a person is treated differently than another person because of their gender
Gender prejudice becomes gender discrimination when a person acts upon their prejudiced views to treat someone differently because of their gender
Gender prejudice and discrimination can happen to both men and women but is more common against women
It can also be known as sexism or being sexist towards another person
Christianity and Gender Prejudice and Discrimination
Christians believe that all humans are made in the image of God and so any action that devalues a person is an insult to God who created and loves that person
‘So God created human beings, making them to be like himself’ (Genesis 1:27)
This reference teaches that as all human beings have been created in the image of God, and so everyone has the same worth and value
No one should be treated in a less favourable way because of factors such as race, gender or disability
At the centre of the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross to atone for the sins of all people everywhere. In John it states
‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16)
The Bible teaches that it is important how other people are treated and that Christians should try and follow the example of Jesus. For example
‘So in everything you do, do to others what you would have them do to you’ (Matthew 7:12)
‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matthew 22:39)
In his Letter to the Galatians Paul wrote
‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28)
The teaching and example of Jesus shows that any kind of prejudice, racism, discrimination or simply treating people in an inferior way is not acceptable
Everyone is important to God and included in His plan of salvation, so people should not discriminate and treat others unfairly
Divergent Attitudes to Gender Differences
Divergent Christian Attitudes to Gender Prejudice and Discrimination
It is sometimes said that Christianity is full of gender prejudice because
God is described as a man
All of the great heroes of the Bible were men
Jesus chose only men for his disciples
All the writers of the books of the Bible were men
However, there are different Christian responses to this in belief and practice amongst different Christian denominations
Evangelical Protestants | Roman Catholics | Liberal Protestants |
|---|---|---|
Evangelical Protestants teach that men and women have separate and different roles and therefore cannot have equal rights in religion | The Catholic Church is against gender prejudice and discrimination | Liberal Protestants believe that women should have equal roles in the family , equal rights in life and in the church |
They follow the biblical teachings that women should not speak in church, they should not teach and they should be submissive to their husbands | They teach that men and women should have equal roles in life and equal rights in society | God created male and female at the same time and of equal status |
Men should provide for their family and lead in worship | The Catholic Catechism teaches that men and women should have equal rights in life and society | The letters of Paul teaches that Christ is neither male or female |
Men should love their wives as themselves | Women are able to study and teach in their theological colleges | Jesus treated women equally |
They believe that this is not discrimination because God ordained it | Women can officiate Holy Communion services | Evidence proves that there were women priests in the early Church |
The story of Adam and Eve shows that men are more important because Adam was created first. Other biblical references suggest that men should lead, and women be subservient | Roman Catholic teachings state that only men can be ordained as priests because the priest represents Jesus at the Mass | Liberal Protestants may believe that many of the biblical teachings were appropriate for the times they were written but should be updated for modern times |
Atheist and Humanist Attitudes to Gender Prejudice and Discrimination
Atheists and Humanists are likely to share the view that men and women are equal although views between each person are likely to differ
Most believe that the laws around gender equality should apply and would believe that
The pressure for equal pay for women and the end of sex discrimination came from non religious politicians, and this should apply in all areas of society including religion
Men and women are equal and should have equal rights
It is wrong for religion to discriminate against women
Refusing to ordain women should be illegal
There may also be many atheists who share the idea that traditional gender roles between men and women are appropriate
Humanists are against all forms of sexism and have been keen supporters in promoting women rights
Christian Responses to Divergent Attitudes to Gender Differences
Many Christians would argue that men and women having different roles within religion is not discriminatory because the roles are equal but different
Some Christians would argue that actions treating men and women differently cannot be viewed as prejudice or discrimination because they have been prescribed by God
Christians may also point to Christian organisations who actively work to promote gender equality, including Christian Aid and Tearfund
They use Christian teaching around ‘stewardship’ and ‘loving your neighbour’ to improve the lives of women around the world
Worked Example
Explain two reasons why Christians believe that gender discrimination is wrong. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority
(5 marks)
Answer:
Christians believe that gender discrimination is wrong because God created humans as equals. In his letter to the Galatians Paul wrote, ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ and therefore it would be wrong to treat either men or women differently (3 marks)
Christians believe that because Jesus treated all women the same as he treated men that this should be an example to everyone as to how they should behave (2 marks)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Try to avoid making any sweeping statements about Christianity when it comes to this topic and others
Be mindful that there are a range of views within Christianity from different denominations and sometimes even within denominations
If you cannot remember the names of the different denominations (Roman Catholic, Evangelical / Liberal Protestants) then refer to them as ‘Some Christians’ and ‘Other Christians’
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