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S.O.

R II Cross Religion Study


Teachers & Interpreters

The nature, role and importance of pivotal individuals or


schools of thought: From the period of early foundation; PaulChristianity and Aisha- Islam

Paul
Nature
- Saul of Tarsus was the greatest missionary of early
Christianity. He was the first Christian interpreter and the 1st
New Testament writer.
- Saul was totally dedicated to Judaism and the beliefs central
to this religion. He was well educated in the law and was so
committed that he believed that any threat to Judaisms
integrity should be removed. He set out to remove the threat
he saw coming from the followers of Jesus
- Saul was a Hellenistic Jew of the Diaspora and a citizen of
Rome. He was a Pharisee and had never met Jesus but he had
an extraordinary conversion experience of Jesus on the road to
Damascus (Acts 9:3-9).
- Saul was his Jewish name, and Paul was his Roman name.
- Paul came to realise that Jesus was the authentic way to
salvation. He dedicated his life to spreading the good news of
Jesus throughout Asia Minor and Greece.
Role
Role
Apostle to the
Gentiles

Missionary

Meaning
- Realisation that
Salvation was
not the
privilege of
Jews alone.
Jesus brought
salvation for all
- Paul believed
this was for all
people, not just
confined to an
ethnic group
- Pauls
apostleship to
the Gentiles is
confirmed by
the Council of
Jerusalem in 49
CE
-

Paul was an
active teacher,

Evidence

Neither gentile nor


Jew, servant or free,
woman or man
Galatians 3:28
Acts 15:1-31

Envoy: 2 Cor 5:18-20


Builder: 1 Cor 3:9-11

First Christian
theologian

Author

but he doesnt
directly refer to
himself as one.
He refers to
himself as a
builder, envoy,
father or nurse
- Paul believed
he had a divine
mission to
preach
- His 3 journeys
expanded
Christianity in
the
Mediterranean
- Travelled to a
town, forming a
strong nucleus
of Christians
before moving
on to another
town
Is considered the 1st
interpreter of
Christianity. His
teachings centre
around:
- Christ is
crucified and
risen
- Gods grace
- Justification by
faith
- The Church as
the body of
Christ
- Love as the
new law
- Ethics and
Moral
behaviour (esp.
sexual
morality)
- He wrote his
letters before
the Gospels
were writtenaround 49-60

Father: 1 Cor 4:14-15


Nurse: 1 Thess 2:6-8

1 Cor 15:12-20
Phil 2:5-11
Rom 8:14-17
Rom 3:27-31
Eph 4:31-32; Col 1:24
1 Cor 13:1-13
1 Cor 12:12-30

Second Founder

CE; Marks
gospel was
written c. 70
CE
- Due to this, his
letters were
based around
foundation
beliefs and
were for all
members of
the community
- Were written to
encourage,
correct errors,
guide and
clarify Christian
teaching
- Each letter was
written with a
specific
purpose
Due to Pauls
development of
Christianity, he is
considered by many
as the second
founder

Importance
Pauls importance can be divided into 2 areas: the immediate
influence and the macro influence
Immediate influence
Influence
Pauls journeys energised and
consolidated the local churches
Pauls role at the Council of
Jerusalem extended Christianity
to the Gentiles

Macro Influence

Description
Pauls journeys illustrate his
vision for the Church
Paul understood that the
meaning of Jesus for the lives of
Christians meant that it was
more than a Jewish sect. He saw
the gospel of Jesus more
important than keeping Jewish
law. Due to Pauls upbringing, he
still helped to preserve
Christianitys Jewish heritage.

Influence
Pauls 13 letters became sacred
texts of Christianity

Pauline teaching has influenced


every era of Christianity

Especially influential in:


Christology
Ecclesiology
Of grace and salvation
Of sexual morality
Protestant theology and
justification by faith

Central use of Paul in Christian


liturgy
Effects of Pauls views on women

Description
These letters demonstrate the
high regard with which Paul and
his beliefs and teachings were
held both in the early church and
throughout the formative years if
the Christian Church
Pauls teachings have impacted:
- 1st century Palestine
- Origen, a biblical scholar of
the 3rd century
- St. Augustine in the 5th
century
- The reformers in the 16th
century
- Modern Christians today

Martin Luther and John Calvin


based their theologies on Pauls
letters. Martin Luther bases his
whole theology of Faith Alone
on Pauls letter to the Romans
Pauls letters are read everyday
and Sunday in Christian liturgy
There is contradictory evidence
for the leadership of women in
Christianity. His letters have been
used to suggest a limited, nonleadership role for women in the
Church.

Aisha Bint Abu Bakir


Nature
Muhammads third wife and daughter of Abu Bakr. Often
called his favourite wife
Aged 6 when she married Muhammad, marriage
consummated at the age of 9
Titled Mother of the Faithful - no children of her own
18 when the prophet died
Had a keen intellect, strong will and eloquence model for
Muslim children
Became a pupil of the prophet, learning to read and write and
studying the Quran. She was a hafizah (a woman who could
fully recite the Quran)

Role

Became well versed in theology and acquired knowledge of


literature, history and medicine and also wrote poetry
Considered an authority on Islamic Law and tradition with over
2000 sayings in the Hadith being attributed directly to her
Thus she taught and helped develop the tradition of Islam
Aisha is a challenge to contemporary views of purdah and a
role model for women in the Islamic society as she did not fit
the cultural stereotype of women
She was a:
teacher and authority on Islamic Law and traditions
- warrior: Battle of the Camel
- a leader
- a scholar as the prophet had stressed the importance of
education and women were being lectured by him and
could question him in public assemblies
- literary figure
Meaning

Importance

Theologian

Scholar

Political Activist

Catalyst for change

Muhammad
authorised Aisha
in his absence to
give religious
advice, telling
Muslims to take
half your religion
from this ruddy
faced woman She
became an
eyewitness to a
number of
revelations
- She possessed
great knowledge
but also was
active in
education and
social reform. She
promoted
education and in
particular,
womens
education.
- Aisha spent her
whole life learning
the Quran and
interpreting them.
She created her
own analysis of
the Quran
highly knowledgeable
and regarded for her
theological studies
(as women were
allowed to publicly,
openly question the
prophet). Good role
model for women
who wanted to be
educated provided
validation for them
Demonstrated
willingness to fight
against the wrong in
the Battle of the
Camel she led men
Her faith was
questioned when she
-

There are over


2000 hadith
attributed to Aisha
If we companions
of the messenger
of god had any
difficulties on an
issue, we asked
Aisha about it.

spent time alone with


a man (Necklace
story). Muhammad
had no proof of
infidelity and could
not divorce her. She
refused punishment
for a crime she did
not commit and thus
the rules for divorce
were changed (Sura
24:18-28)
Importance of Aisha
Challenged the tradition:
the necklace incident succeeded in changing the Law
- the Battle of the Camel showed women in position of military
leadership
Helped to form Islamic history preserving the tradition:
a role model to all Muslim children
- being described as and accorded the title Mother of the
faithful
- through her questioning and her scholarship
Impact on the development of the tradition:
contribution to the hadith
- through her poetry and scholarship (in theology)
Active in the tradition:
- participation in Muslim rituals
- praying with the community
- preparing for and participating in key Muslim feasts
Aisha led a life of example in all that she did. Her life was one of
prayer, simplicity, alms-giving. Her life was that of a devout ascetic.
Aishas life illustrates that Muslim women can be teachers of
religious knowledge and she continues to inspire all Muslims as she
is a leader of men and women alike.

The effect that two pivotal individuals or schools of thought from


the contemporary period, one from each of two religious
traditions, have had on the everyday lives of believers
FEMINIST THEOLOGY IN CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM
SEE NOTES FROM THE RELIGON AND WOMEN TOPIC:
CONTEMPORARY WOMEN
Christian Feminist Theologians
Muslim Christian
Theologians
Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza
Leila Ahmed
Rosemary Radford Ruether
Nawal al-Saadawi
Sallie Mc Fague
Tahera Aftab
Sr. Joan Chittister
Dr. Lois Lamya al Faruqi

Dorothy Lee
Elisabeth Johnson
Sandra Schneiders
Organisations such as WATAC
(Women & the Australian Church)

Amina Wadud
Dr. Abdulaziz Sachedina
Dr. Naheed Angha
Dr. Jamal Badawi

Feminist Theology in Christianity and Islam:


- Challenges the validity of androcentric thinking and practises
which take male thinking as the norm
- Seeks to identify elements which serve to exclude or marginalise
women
- Argue that the lived experience is not always parallel with the
teachings of their founders
- Seek to recover the truth of their traditions and apply it to both
men and women
- Some challenge contemporary understandings and practises and
thus re interpret the current expression of the tradition.
- Issues in Christianity:
o Womens status
o Language and how believers image god
o The unequal participation of women in decision making and in
the presidency of rituals
o Christology
- The solution
o Argue for a re evaluation of the ways in which Christian
churches practise their faith
o Aim to critique the way power operates the church on the
basis that it contradicts the lived experience of the early
Christian communities
o Raise awareness of inclusive language
o Propose alternative ways of naming womens Christian
experience
- The effect on the everyday life of the believers
Varies from one denominations perspective to the next
No effect
Issues of feminist theology may
be irrelevant or the expression of
their spirituality does not include
an institutionalised church
Negative
E.g. those who converted to
Catholicism after women were
admitted to the priesthood in
some Anglican diocese in Britain
or those who are comfortable
with the way they are
Major
E.g. Mary Daly now considers
herself a post-Christian, others
have taken the study of theology
and found energy in this study.

Others seek to share their


experiences through womens
groups- especially working for
justice.
The Issues in Islam:
o Muslim feminists also challenge the validity of androcentric
thinking and practices
o Seek to identify practiced within Islam that serve to
marginalize women
o Particularly concerned with the effect that culture has had in
the expression on Islam, including western culture
o They argue that the current experience of Muslim women is
not consistent with the Quran. .
- The solution:
o Argue for a return to Islam found in the Quran and the
experience of women in the early Islamic communities
o All argue that we need to distinguish between the normative
ethical teachings of ilsma and the diverse cultural practices
among Muslims
o Aims to educate women, both Muslim and non Muslim, so that
they are better able to peel back the trappings of culture and
understand the essence of Islam which many view as a life
giving religion.
- The effect on the everyday life of believers
Varies greatly
No effect
Issues of feminist theology may
be irrelevant and do not touch
some women
Raising the Issues
Muslim feminists are raising the
issues and giving Muslim women
a voice both within their tradition
and outside of it in the west.
Negative
Those who feel threatened by
their speaking out
Relieving of Stereotypes
Within the Islamic community
and with western stereotyping/
misinterpretation
-

Compare and contrast the effects brought about by TWO pivotal


individuals or schools of thought from the same period, ONE from
each of the TWO religious traditions, with reference to TWO of
the following areas:
Challenge to the tradition
Extent and significance of the change
Reaction and response by the religious tradition
Changes in society requiring adaptation of teachings
Continuing impact today.
Founding
Paul
Aisha

Continuing
Impact

We are inheritors of
Pauls theology
Reformation- disunited
the church. Luther
refers to justification by
faith and Calvin
explained
predestination
Missionary endeavours
in Churches
Pauls teachings give
ethical guidelines for
life
Rituals- Eucharist,
Marriage, FuneralsScriptural quotes used
from Pauls writing
The universality of
Pauls teaching and
some of his writings
are used by some
Feminist Theologians to
argue for greater
inclusion of women in
ministry

Extent &
Significance
of change

The emerging Jewish


sect of Christianity
looked beyond the
confines of the
Palestinian area to the
larger world.
Paul set up and
founded Christian
communities
His missionary journeys
established, energised
and consolidated
gentile Christian
communities
He formed the
foundation beliefs of

The status she held is


revealed in the Quran
and Hadith
Seen as a role model
due to the devotion to
the prophet, her
spirituality, her
knowledge of Islam
and the law, her
intelligence, and her
full participation in her
society as a lawyer,
doctor, mathematician
etc.
As a role model for
Islamic women today
she challenges any
cultural practises that
cloud the honour and
esteem and role that
women were accorded
in the Prophets
teachings
Adultery laws- the laws
on adultery today date
back of ifk- slandering
of Aisha. Islam still
requires 4 witnesses
for adultery to be
declared
Interpretations of
teachings influence
women today.
Aisha spent 20 years
narrating Hadith,
indicating how she
developed the
emerging tradition of
Islam
After Muhammad died,
her home was open for
women and children to
learn the Quran and
Hadiths. This
transformed her home
into a centre of
learning. This
illustrates how women
were, after

Challenge
to the
tradition

Christianity
He debated and
defended the
acceptance of Gentiles
into the Christian group
Pauls teachings
stressed that the life,
death and resurrection
of Jesus had abolished
any differences
between Jew and
Gentile.
Pauls advocacy that
non-Jewish converts
did not have to follow
the law of Moses,
including circumcision,
at a council in
Jerusalem led to an
easier compromise that
enabled Christianity to
spread more widely.
A key feature of his
teachings was that
Christianity was
universal- not elitist
and so gentiles were
included.
Paul had a dramatic
influence on later
Christian thought- his
teaching has impacted
on every era and
aspect of Christianity
e.g. Martin Luther, John
Calvin, Augustine,
Thomas Aquinas.

Muhammads laws,
were said to be
spiritually and
intellectually equal to
men
Aisha changed and
interpreted laws in
order to transform the
emerging Islam.
By doing this, she
rapidly expanded and
grew Islam in the
Middle East. Essentially
by doing this, she
transformed Islam into
a world religion.

Contemporary
Christianity
Islam
- It has challenged the
- Muslim feminists argue
way in which the
that the gap between
Christian churches
what the Quran
have interpreted the
teaches and what
message of Jesus
happens in practise is
caused by cultures
- This interpretation has
that have allowed men
influenced and
to formulate law
directed the practises
according to their
of Christianity

Extent &
Significance
of Change

Such practises have


vested power in the
hands of men and
serve to exclude
women from full
participation in their
respective churches
They include the use of
male images of God in
art, language, in the
lectionary, the
exclusion of women
from decision-making
and ordained ministry
(note variants) etc.
As it is a fairly new
concept to Christianity,
it is difficult to fully
appreciate the extent
and significance of the
change
But there is a growing
awareness of the
issues regarding the
role of women in the
church; and there is an
increase in the number
of women participating
in rituals
Some have even
gained access to
leadership positions in
the church (e.g. Uniting
and Anglican)
Efforts to use inclusive
language
More women are
accessing theological
studies
Increased womens
groups such as WATAC
Lead the way in
interfaith dialogue and
ecumenism

reading of the Quran


Call for more women
to gain knowledge of
the text in order to
establish a balance
Muslim feminists also
find themselves
challenging the effects
of western culture and
misunderstanding in
their tradition

As it is a fairly new
concept to Islam, it is
difficult to fully
appreciate the extent
and significance of the
change
It has raised
awareness of the
issues involved and
the powerful effect of
culture on a religion
Significantly, it has
broken down barriers
to understanding
between Muslim
feminists and western
feminists.
Interfaith dialogue is
another significant
change e.g. Sr. Pauline
Rae Marist Missionary
sister who started the
Centre for Christian
and Muslim women.

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