Religion and the Limits of Women’s Religious Role Identity
Keywords:
religion, women, role identity, patriarchy, role subordination.Abstract
The paper examines religion and the limits of women’s religious role identity. In
every belief system, women are more religiously active than men. Paradoxically, despite
their high degree of religiosity, they are relegated to marginal positions in all major
religions. The paper maintains that the subordination of women religious status and role is
justified and legitimized through patriarchy built in theological mythology. However,
women no longer accept the status quo as God given rather they challenge the patriarchal
underpinnings of religious traditions. This agitation, no doubt, has yielded positive results
as women are now ordained priests and bishops in some religion and many others play the
role of Founder, Seers and Prophetesses. The paper recommends that women should not
relent in the struggle to erase the subordination and devaluation of women religious role. It
is only through that process that they will regain their pride of place in religious and other
activities in society.
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