Feminism is one of the greatest challenges that have brought the Bible into some radical criticism over the past few centuries. This is a challenge from women and men, most of whom have studied theology. These women have studied the Bible and established what they refer to as weak areas that have been written from a perspective that seeks to denigrate women and make the males the norm for humanity. According to Ferdinard
Deist, ‘feminism is the doctrine and advocacy of equal rights for the sexes, on all levels and in all walks of life’.179 However Michael Harper says ‘feminism is a movement that supports women's claims to be given rights equal to those of men’.180 This means feminism is an advocacy for women to be seen and heard in society including the Church.
The early feminists viewed the Bible to be undermining the position of women rendering them into oblivion. Feminists claim that the way women have been treated both in the world and in the church is a result of the Bible that has presented them in such a way that makes them unimportant. One of the reasons put forward for the oppression of women is the fact that through Eve women sinned. The role assigned to women in both the Old Testament and the New Testament is also suspect. The position of women has mainly been influenced by the patriarchal background, upon which the Scriptures have been written. According to Michael Harper, ‘patriarchy is a family or society in which authority is vested in males’181 This means that it is a society in which the father exercises authority over all his descendants for as long as he lives. Even when he dies, it is the male child who exercises authority over the family even though there may well be older women.
In such a society it is the male human being who is in charge. The majority of the feminist theologians agree that patriarchalism is clearly the orientation of the Old Testament. Rosemary Radford Ruether upholds the view that ‘patriarchy is the social context for both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and that this social context
179 Ferdinand Deist, A Concise Dictionary of Theological and Related Terms (Pretoria: J.L van Schaik Ltd, 1984) p.94.
180 Michael Harper, Equal and Different. (London : Hidder & Stoughton Ltd, 1994), p.10.
181 Ibid p.13.
has been incorporated into religious ideology on many levels’.182 This is evidenced by the preponderance of Biblical images for the father-God that are masculine, and the slant of the cultic legislation which is male oriented as well. Cain Hope Felder suggests that the Old Testament reflects a decidedly patriarchal hierarchy, despite the mention of some exceptional women such as Miriam, the prophetess, and sister of Moses (Exd 15: 20), chosen women like Hannah (1 Sam.1: 5ff), Sarah (Gen.17:16-19), Rebeccah (Gen.25: 21- 26), Rachel (Gen.29: 31), Hagar (Gen.16: 15-16) and Salome Alexandra, who held major political power for brief periods in Jewish history.183 Feminists, therefore, maintain the position that the majority of women mentioned will have been involved in a scandal;
hence they are mentioned to further reduce the position of women.
The treatment of females in the Bible suggests that men and women were treated separately due to this patriarchal system. The Old Testament is full of examples that show the discrepancy that obtained in the manner women were exposed to bad treatment as compared to their male counterparts. A good example is found in Lev.12:1-5 where the Bible says the period of uncleanness after giving birth to a baby son was seven days but fourteen days for a baby girl. This differentiation from early childhood would continue until death. According to the majority of feminists this is unfair. On the one hand, a man was allowed to divorce his wife if he found anything indecent about his wife; however, the same is not said to women who found something reprehensible in their husbands (Deut.24:1-4). This would seem to imply that men would not do anything wrong.
However, experience has shown that men are equally fallen and capable of evil.
182 Rosemary Radford Ruether, Sexism and God Talk: Towards a Feminist Theology. (London:
SCM Press,1983) p.23.
183 Cain Hope Felder, Troubling Biblical Waters. (New York : Orbis Books, 1989) p.140.
On the other hand one can say that patriarchalism was also transcended in the Old Testament legislation. This is so particularly when one considers that both the father and mother deserved honour (Exd.20:12). In addition to this the woman and the man were also to share in the Sabbath rest (Exd.20: 8). With regard to adultery, both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death (Lev.20:10). Food taboos were also made mandatory for both sexes (Lev.11). This shows the other side that puts men and women on the same level but feminists theologians do not want to refer to these passages.
Despite these similarities, patriarchalism has meant that men continue to dominate women. Feminists are, therefore, advocating that such scripture that put men and women at the same level, which have been avoided by men, in their efforts to oppress women, should be read as a way of putting men and women at the same level. Talking about patriarchy in the church, Mercy Amba Oduyoye says ‘the church offers up too many women on the altar of patriarchy. But there are women who consciously and deliberately stay with the church struggling to live out the future in the oppressive present. There is a living and a life - enhancing sacrifice’184 This observation is made of the countless women who have remained in the church although they still suffer at the hands of patriarchy.
As the women responded to the Bible three different views can be seen which are quite distinct. These are the Moderate view, the Liberal view and the Radical view. These three views show the wide range of feminist thinking. Like any other group of advocates, feminists do not share the same views in their criticism of the Bible.
184 Letty. M. Russell (et al) (eds.), Inheriting Our Mother’s Gardens: Feminist Theology in Third World Perspective. (Louisville: Westminster Press, 1988), p.51.