On Spirituality and Feminist Liberation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On Spirituality and Feminist Liberation - Essay Example Christianity is considered as one of the world’s oldest agents of transformation as a factor in progress and development of humanity. The reasons, evidences and principles involved in understanding the issue of spirituality and its patriarchal nature had been extensively documented and debated upon since time immemorial. Since the predominant structure from early Christian era is patriarchal in nature, this paper will try to explore and analyze the historical role of women in religion by looking into the belief systems, myths, ad archetypes from ancient civilizations to the advent of religious feminism. The analysis would be thorough in depth discussion and reasoning on its philosophical and psychological implication with emphasis on female metaphysical structure. The predominantly patriarchal structure of church, though not inclusive, significantly shaped the role of women in religion and spiritualty. During the early Christian era, it is evident that women’s lives and spiritualties are constantly challenged as they are continually restricted in all aspect of life, considered inferior in essence compared to men and have very little access to knowledge. Accordingly, women is shaped and affected by their conditioned role and to conform and be dependent to the patriarchal structure of society (Melanchthon 303)... In essence, there should be emphasis on the various kinds of religion in looking into the role of women in terms to spirituality and relationship with the divine. However, as suggested by Howell, religions basically presets common purpose such that the primary is to stabilize the immediate society from any possible conflict and destruction through implementation of best practices and the secondary purpose is to control women in such a way that they will continue to reproduce and satisfy the male biological and physiological demands for sex. Though some women are worshiped for their beauty and beyond their domesticated propose, men remained in charge as predetermined by the patriarchal society. According to Melanchthon, feminism is the major ideology that liberates women from several decades of oppression and injustice brought about by the patriarchal nature of society through transformation. Looking at several historical data, it can be noted that women really experiences oppression and injustice and the advent of spiritual feminism liberated them from such (308). Women as Spiritually and Religiously Oppressed For most women, spirituality and religious undertakings became their source of inspiration and from part of in their personal relationship with the divine they worship and to achieve spiritual holiness women strive to continually achieve it through religious works and deeds. However, until 1920’s or before the advent of feminist spirituality, women cannot express their affection and relationship with the divine and were constantly being the subject of injustices and oppression. Among the injustices and oppressions women experienced in the past include; undervalued essence and other oppressions brought about by the patriarchal system, unrecognized