Sexism and God Talk
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Sexism and God Talk- Rosemary Radford Ruether
In the first chapter of her book “Sexism and God Talk”, Rosemary Reuther states that “The uniqueness of feminist theology lies not in its use of the criterion of experience but rather in its use of women’s experience, which has been almost entirely shut out of theological reflection in the past. The use of women’s experience in feminist theology, therefore, explodes as a critical force, exposing classical theology, including its codified traditions, as based on male experience rather than on universal human experience (Reuther, 13).” This statement of hers clearly summarizes the thesis of the book. Throughout the book, Reuther uses wide range of evidences to illustrate how women’s experiences have never been given that much importance in the past and she convincingly puts forward her argument as to why it is important to analyze the experiences of women and see if their experiences contradict the received interpretations of the redemptive paradigms. Furthermore, Reuther talks about the feminist midrash of a certain incident in the Christian Gospel to prove that the job of the feminist theologians is to follow what Jesus was doing on earth which is removing any sort of hierarchy and not substituting patriarchy with matriarchy. Reuther emphasizes the importance of a contemporary theology that will not only criticize androcentrism but all other forms of chauvinism including humanocentrism and provides a strong argument for it. She states that criticizing all forms of chauvinism will help us in “reaching for a new mode of relationship, neither a hierarchical model that diminishes the potential of the other nor equality defined by a ruling norm drawn from the dominant group (Reuther, 20).”
Reuther’s argument is not only based on early Christian traditions but it goes beyond that. Her arguments are based on the conclusions the she drew from five areas of cultural tradition which includes Scripture, both Hebrew and...
In the first chapter of her book “Sexism and God Talk”, Rosemary Reuther states that “The uniqueness of feminist theology lies not in its use of the criterion of experience but rather in its use of women’s experience, which has been almost entirely shut out of theological reflection in the past. The use of women’s experience in feminist theology, therefore, explodes as a critical force, exposing classical theology, including its codified traditions, as based on male experience rather than on universal human experience (Reuther, 13).” This statement of hers clearly summarizes the thesis of the book. Throughout the book, Reuther uses wide range of evidences to illustrate how women’s experiences have never been given that much importance in the past and she convincingly puts forward her argument as to why it is important to analyze the experiences of women and see if their experiences contradict the received interpretations of the redemptive paradigms. Furthermore, Reuther talks about the feminist midrash of a certain incident in the Christian Gospel to prove that the job of the feminist theologians is to follow what Jesus was doing on earth which is removing any sort of hierarchy and not substituting patriarchy with matriarchy. Reuther emphasizes the importance of a contemporary theology that will not only criticize androcentrism but all other forms of chauvinism including humanocentrism and provides a strong argument for it. She states that criticizing all forms of chauvinism will help us in “reaching for a new mode of relationship, neither a hierarchical model that diminishes the potential of the other nor equality defined by a ruling norm drawn from the dominant group (Reuther, 20).”
Reuther’s argument is not only based on early Christian traditions but it goes beyond that. Her arguments are based on the conclusions the she drew from five areas of cultural tradition which includes Scripture, both Hebrew and...