Historical changes and differences across cultures in gender roles from a theological perspective

Modern researchers are unanimous that traditional religions grade female experience of Belief and needs of women like for religious self-expression . Nowadays , in each of global or national religions the whole system of the sights belittling Female role day is kept as tradition : from menstrual taboo according to which the woman is considered as "dirty " in the certain days (up to that she is expelled in a special hut - in archaic societies or she is not admitted in church - in Christianity ) to verbal invectives about sinfulness and "secondariness " of the woman (because of

her "origin " from the rib of Adam , interdictions on studying of sacred texts by women , teaching of theology and attending service . Interpretation of the Female Body as vessel of a sin , then the man 's "purity " is called in a counterbalance , not only alienates the woman from legal channels of spirituality , but also potentially justifies Victimization ' policy which privately existing in a society female and which Mary Dali , the classic of American feminism has named like sado-masochistic ritual . The symbolics such a cultural sado-masochism ' ratified on the basis of religious imperatives , within many centuries was embodied by Indian sati , African chliteroctomia with the Chinese foot deformation the Japanese pulling of a breast and etc

At the same time , the religious history contains indications that among the first Christians were women who took a significant place in the pages of the Holy Writ , e .g . Maria Magdalena , who as four evangelists narrate , was one of the most devoted follower of Christ . She was the first to whom the first time he was arrived (Mt 27 , 28 Mk 15 , 16 Lc 8 24 In 19 , 20 . Other Maria , the wife of Cliop and the mother of Jacob was present at revival of Christ (Mt 27 , 28 Mk 15 , 16 . And Peter comes to Maria , the mother of John , after rescue from a dungeon and finds there people praying about him that is the of one of the first prayful assemblies fixed in the text (Lc 24 In 19 Acts 12 Lydia other known woman from the Bible , who was trader and rich entrepreneur on concepts of that time , independently conducting trading affairs after death of the husband . She accepts a christening from Paul and becomes the head of the first European Christian community (Acts 16 40

The similar situation is in other institutional religions . Hinduism unequivocally formulates the women 's applicability , as spouse and mother who don 't have any rights to study Veda , which main virtue is strict obedience to the husband

It is well-known , that women played the important role at the first stages of the Islam formation , about it creation of a cult of the nearest associates of Mohammed testifies : Amina who was his mother and Fatima the favorite daughter , and there is in the classical Arabian literature the image of " the heroic woman ' who participates in fights and political life of the state level with the husband and other men is popular . However...