Women and Religion Essay Example for Free

Women and Religion Essay Recognizing in religion one of the most powerful institutions for perpetuating sexism and patriarchal authority, feminists have responded in different ways. Some reject all forms of religion, believing that it is an oppressive and negative force, a trap which hinders women in the struggle for material change in their lives. Others believe that there is a spiritual as well as a material aspect to life, and seek alternatives to male-defined religions in goddess worship and other forms of woman centered theology. Still others, while recognizing the patriarchal bias of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, believe that there are spiritual truths in these religions which cannot be denied, and feel that it is therefore necessary to work for reform from within, rather than breaking away (Allen 272). Some religious feminists work for equality, while others believe that female superiority should be recognized in spiritual matters; some reject what they consider oppressive traditions, while others believe that there is strength to be found in reclaiming and redefining womens traditional roles. Like all patriarchal religions, Christianity has been instrumental in creating, perpetuating, and justifying womens oppression. Yet although the Christian church has been for many centuries the most oppressive institution, forcing women to submit to the rule of their fathers and husbands as stand ins for God, this oppression is not necessarily inherent in the religion, and many women have found in it spiritual liberation and truth. Christian teachings may be emphasized and interpreted in varied and quite contradictory ways, as proven by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her co-authors in The Womans Bible, and modern scholars have re-examined the New Testament to argue that despite later interpretations, Jesus was free from sexual prejudice (Allen 273). During the puritan revolution of the mid-seventeenth century the entrenched sexism of the church was challenged as the concept that all human souls are equal in the sight of God gathered force. The more radical puritan sects took the idea of spiritual equality to its logical conclusion, accepting the authority of the spirit over that of church or state, even if that spirit happened to be manifested in a woman or a child. Although not widespread,  and soon subdued, the very existence of this idea allowed feminist theory to develop within women who still defined themselves as Christian (Maitland 217). The discrepancy between Christian ideals and the actual treatment of women within the church began to attract more attention in the 1960s and 1970s as more and more women were influenced by feminist ideas. Individual instances of injustice began to be seen as part of a pattern of sexism. But as women began making demands of their churches they encountered a deep, often hostile, resistance to change, and were forced to ask historical and theological questions of Christianity in a search for the roots of its sexism. In A Map of the New Country: Women and Christianity Sara Maitland argues that the root of the problem lies in the ancient heresy of dualism: the idea that the wholeness of Gods creation can be divided into two and labelled good (spirit) or bad (flesh). According to Maitland: Dualism is a fundamental ground of oppression-the ability to assert that me and mine are better than that which is Other, and justifying this by making God, the ultimate Other, over in ones own imageFeminist theology perceives that dualistic splits are the cause not just of sexism, but of racism, classism, and ecological destruction. How far feminist theology may depart from accepted doctrine and still be considered Christian is a problem faced by feminists struggling to reconcile their spiritual with their political feelings. Some Christian feminist groups are church-linked, others are interdenominational, and others have moved, like philosopher Mary Daly, once a respected Catholic theologian, now declaring herself unconfined by the teachings of church or man, into the new realm of spiritual feminism. In Britain, the Christian Feminist Movement began in 1978 as an active group concerned with examining feminist issues from a Christian viewpoint, and challenging sexism both within and outside the church. They are separate from, but closely involved with, the Christian Womens Information and  Resource Service, a network linking people working to change the position of women in the church, which hopefully will be done soon (Allen 72).

Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King :: Jesse Jackson Martin Luther King

Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King It is early months of 1963 in the southern city of Birmingham Alabama. A city that lies in civil unrest and bitterly divided. A city to which African Americans march, hold protests and sit-ins in an effort to gain equal rights. They are met with brutal opposition in the form of police officers, attack dogs and water hoses. During this time of utter chaos two separate civil rights leaders speak out on their beliefs. Reverend Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King both speak on the issues of violence, the media and the will of the Negro people as a whole in a effort to win support for the African American Community. â€Å"I saw the system naked. I saw it without pose. I saw it face to face for all of its brutality and its ugliness, and the depth of its venom†¦ I made a commitment to fight for the rest of my life. (Jackson 344)† Jesse Jackson saw fighting as â€Å"the only way they would listen (Jackson 2)†. Violence was something that Jackson felt came with the territory. For the people that were there to stop the marchers as Jackson felt â€Å"could not have cared less† for the lives of the African American marchers (Jackson 2). Martin Luther King on the other hand felt rather differently on the subject of violence. King felt that it was wrong to fight back for it was â€Å"wrong to use immoral acts to attain moral ends (King 9)† King felt that the opposition, those trying to oppress the black man were evil in their manner. He felt that by allowing his protestors to fight back against the dogs, water hoses and police officers he was allowing them to â€Å"stoo p to their level of ignorance† something that he did not want to see happen (King 8). King felt that â€Å"there [was] no greater treason than to do the wrong deed for the right reason (King 8)† The media is a point on to which both Jackson and King agree on. Jackson seemed to put it best in the lines â€Å" You see the media has more power than the politicians who make laws, or the bankers who make money or the police who carry weapons. Because the media has the appraisal power and it determines the worth of things.† Jackson also felt that the media was important because it â€Å"embarrassed† white people to see the beating of a black man to the point of unconsciousness all because he was trying to obtain a seat at a white restaurant (Jackson 333).

Different Interpretations of Taming of the Shrew Essay

Since there are so many different adaptations of Taming of the Shrew, there are quite a lot of differences when you see it, then when you read it. Especially when you try to imagine the Wooing Scene, in Act 2 Scene 1. Here are a few main differences I noticed in two of the different adaptations I watched: * Gaudete Academy 2010 Production (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaebQOnnHMU) * Petruchio was a little scared of Katherina when he first met her * Katherina was a lot more harsh, physically * Instead of dialogue with words, they made Petruchio speak and Katherina act with facial expressions and basically actions. Petruchio: You lie in faith. For you are called Kate. Plain Kate. Bonny Kate. And sometimes Kate the curst. (Katherina flicks him annoyingly) * Also Petruchio has long monologues, but instead they make Katherina respond with actions and not verbally. So Kate’s actions made it seem like dialogue * There is so much more physical abuse, than verbal abuse Petruchio: My super dainty Kate. (Katherina pushes him off the stage) * They change some words and sentences, so the audience understand the jokes and puns * A lot of interaction with the audience Petruchio: Take this of me, Kate of my consolation: Hearing thy†¦ hearing thy†¦ Uh, help? What’s that sir? *Harpy* Hearing thy Harpyishness praised in every town * Taming of the Shrew (1976) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdqOHvcD-VU) * Baptista acts a little evil when Petruchio asks for Kate’s hand in marriage * Petruchio acts a lot more rude, physically * Katherina struggles with Petruchio a lot more * Katherina seems weak, even from the start * Kate doesn’t argue as much as in the play * Petruchio over powers Kate a lot, instead of them being equally horrid * Petruchio adds more actions, so it adds more emphasis to the argument * Gremio’s line stands out more, than in the play script * Taming of the Shrew (CorkShakespeare) This one is very similar to the original play script, so not many points (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxtQKwHO6xU) * Most of the other adaptations points * Costumes were modernized * Petruchio is very forceful

Jean Anyon s Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work

Jean Anyon’s â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† What does social class mean? Social class means a division of a society based on social and economic status. Now, what does hidden curriculum mean? Hidden Curriculum means a side effect of education, such as norms, values and beliefs in the classroom. Accordingly, Jean Anyon’s, author of â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† claims that each and every social class has it’s own very different way of teaching in schools. Anyon states a plethora of strengths and weaknesses in this article. She believes that all children have been taught to learn, comprehend, and behavior in plenty of different ways due to the social class’s they have been thrown into. Anyon examined each social class which have been named The Working Class, The Middle Class, The Affluent Professional Class, and lastly The Executive Elite Class. An educational perspective came well from her work vi ew point and based off it - I have thrown in my own opinion by agreeing with her during this essay. In my K-12 years, school began very straight-forward to me. My teachers always explained a lesson or assignment for about thirty minutes, then handed out our classwork/homework. The days I did not understand an assignment held my nightmares. It looked like the whole class understood the lesson, but myself. I never enjoyed getting up and asking the teacher for help, but I do believe if I was able to get a better explanations from those teachers ofShow MoreRelatedRhetoric Analysis: â€Å"From Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum875 Words   |  4 Pages Rhetoric Analysis: â€Å"From Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work† Many issues in the 1900’s have been affecting jobs, social classes, and student’s education. In particular, fifth graders are being divided by their parents work level. Because this is happening, students will have unequal fairness on the outcome of the education they will receive. Jean Anyon, the author of â€Å"From Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work,† employs important concepts and powerful illustration to prove thatRead MoreEnglish 1011689 Words   |  7 Pagesis it such an easy word to understand but such a tedious task to accomplish? We come from a society that hands out education easily, however that education comes with a price. Jean Anyon explains this process through her research in From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work. Anyon dissects the socio-economic class that determines the types of instruction students receive. Through her research one can compare her findings to Mike Rose’s narrative, I Just Wanna Be Average, to be true andRead MoreSocial Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work By Jean Anyon1247 Words   |  5 PagesIn the article â€Å"Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work† by Jean Anyon. She argues that there is a serious gap in quality and level of education in the public school system. The gap widens as you progress up from working class to middle class and on through affluent professional to executive elite. Based on her research I would have to agree with her. Anyons research revealed that the working class students are not given the same opportunities to learn as students in the other classes. WhetherRead MoreDifferences Social Class and Success2563 Words   |  11 Pagesoften already knew the concepts behind the materials taught. Jean Anyon further supports and agrees with Gatto’s statements about the public school system. In her article, she specifies that schools in wealthy communities are far better than those of poorer communities, and they better prepare children for desirable jobs. Anyon concluded these finding by investigating schools in four different social classes, ranging from working class to executive elite schools. The purposeRead MoreSocial Class and Education, An Annotated Bibliography Essay2158 Words   |  9 PagesSocial Class and Education†. It opens by discussing research conducted in the 1960’s in an effort to identify factors contributing to differences in the academic achievement of Whites and Blacks (Banks Banks, 2013). Researchers hypothesized that the achievement gaps were mainly the result of disparities in school resources and characteristics, but found that there is a high correlation between achievement and socioeconomic status (SES) (Banks Banks, 2013). Furthermore, attention is drawn toRead MoreAn Educated Success : Theodore Roosevelt1673 Words   |  7 Pageswhen students are actively learning. In the article â€Å"Brainology,† by Carol S. Dweck, the author presents research that shows that students that believed their intelligence was something they could develop and increase (growth mindset), had positive attitudes. This in turn allowed them to see education differently from those with a fixed mindset. Students believed that their ability could be increased and that despite hard work and errors, learning was achievable. They were not afraid to fail, becauseRead MoreSocial Inequality Of Public Schools1812 Words   |  8 PagesSocial Inequality in Public School The subject of social inequalities in public schools affects all social classes and the learning experience by students coming from different social groups. A great curriculum taught by talented teachers can reduce inequality, helping students manage their learning skills and achieve their goals. It is said that most inequalities are recognized as race, gender, and class inequality, but let s start with â€Å"nested Inequalities† Jennifer L. HochschildRead MoreSocial Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work By Jean Anyon1447 Words   |  6 PagesIn the article â€Å"From Social Class to the Hidden Curriculum of Work,† written by Jean Anyon, he argues that the working-class and affluent communities both receive a learning-based education, the working-class lacks the fundamentals. Supporting this claim is Diane Ravitch in â€Å"The Essentials of a Good education† stating affluent communities provide classes beyond the essentials, including extra-curricular classes and activities with well-equipped material for their children to obtain. ContrastivelyRead MoreThe Inequality And Segregation Of The Public Educational System Essay1431 Words   |  6 Pagestaken their voices to shine light on this issue. Writers such as Michael Moore in his essay  "Idiot Nation† reveal the frustration regarding the downfall of the American educational system because of its political ways. Jean Anyon â€Å"From Social Class and The Hidden Curriculum of Work† reveals the inequality of education based on a student’s community and socioeconomic status. Jonathan Kozol â€Å"Still Separate, Still Equal† reveals the inequalities and segregation of the public educational system. TheseRead MoreThe Education Concept Of Education Essay1589 Words   |  7 Pagesask the teacher a question. Furthermore, â€Å"Social Class and The Hidden Curriculum Of Work† by Jean Anyon an educator at Rutgers University, Newark. She researches how students of different economic backgrounds are interacting with school work and teacher interaction in their elementary schools. Also, she supports her research by looking at the various ways public schools provide particular types of knowledge and educational experiences of the different social classes. America’s education has been suffering