The document defines several important terms related to women and religion, including religious fundamentalism, benevolent sexism, feminist theology, and masculine God-language. It also discusses several principles of interpretation for religious texts, known as hermeneutics, including feminist hermeneutics. Finally, it outlines several types of feminist theologies that seek to promote justice and equality, such as liberation theologies, post-colonial theologies, and womanist theology.

1. Women and Religion Important Terms

2. Women and Religion Religious Fundamentalism – “People who are committed to the authority of ancient scriptures and believe them to be infallible; hold religion to provide a total worldview inseparable from politics; idealize a past when gender spheres were separate; require women to be modest and subordinate and regulate their sexuality; reject norms of universal human rights and multiculturalism; and have an ‘us versus them’ mentality” (Burns, 177).

3. Women and Religion Benevolent Sexism – “…Three domains: Protective Paternalism (i.e., men should protect and provide for women); Complementary Gender Differentiation (i.e., women are naturally suited for traditional female-specific gender roles); and Heterosexual Intimacy (i.e., heterosexual romantic relationships are essential)” (Burns, 177)

4. Women and Religion Feminist Theology – “Reconsiders the traditions, practices, scriptures, and theologies of religion from a feminist perspective with a commitment to transforming religion for gender equality” (Burns, 178).

5. Women and Religion Masculine God-language – “Androcentric language arising from the patriarchal historical contexts in which the word’s major religions emerged” (Burns, 179).

6. Women and Religion Hermeneutics –”Principles of interpretation for religious texts” (Burns, 180). Feminist Hermeneutics – “Generally emphasize the importance of historical contextualization” (Burns, 180). Hermeneutics of Suspicion Hermeneutics of Remembrance Hermeneutics of Reconstruction Hermeneutics of Proclamation Hermeneutics of Creative Actualization

7. Women and Religion Gender-Segregated Religious Practices- Different rituals and forms of worship based on gender

8. Feminist Theologies Liberation Theologies – “Focus on justice and equality for all people and use religious texts and specific stories and passages as a means to empower the poor and oppressed” (Burns, 199). Post-Colonial Theologies – “Seeks to rediscover nonpatriarchal religious traditions and interpretations common before colonization” (Burns, 199). Womanist Theology – “A newly developing Black women’s feminist theology that began as a Protestant Christian African-American endeavor but increasingly includes the voices of other Black women..” (Burns, 199).

9. Feminist Theologies Mujerista Theology – “A Latin American theology, has as it goals the liberation of Latinas (and all people) and the changing of church structures such that Latinas may participate fully in them” (Burns, 199). Native American Feminist Theologies – “Challenge the partiarchal and colonial histories of Native Americans, histories in which women are often absent and subordinate” (Burns, 199-200).