Separate But Equal

“Separate but Equal” in Christianity and Islam

Although the similarities in the role of a woman in Islam and Christianity stem from the same idea of anatomy and psychology of one’s sex dictating their role, the means in which this belief is used to treat women varies for either religion. Thus helping us understand the idea of women being “separate but equal”. The complexities of christianity through a feminist lens can be explored through Pope Francis’ view on the role of the woman. His beliefs lie in the idea that the human biological sex and the anatomy and psychology that corresponds with each sex dictates one’s role in society. He does not believe this notion serves as a means to establish or justify male supremacy. Instead He links the

In Elizabeth Johnson’s She Who Is, the language used in the bible as well as other important figures in religious community to demonstrate the inherent inequality there is within the sexes. She speaks about how the assumption that God is male, despite the absence of God’s gender in Biblical texts in itself perpetuates an idea of patriarchy. She explains: “Yet the literal association of God with maleness perdures even in highly abstract discussions, as exemplified in the statement, "God is not male; He is Spirit."6 The assumption of divine maleness comes to light in the cognitive dissonance set up by marginalized speech” (Johnson, She Who Is). When one thinks of God, the greatest being, claiming that a woman cannot be reflected in that, that she is not capable to be viewed in that light might be the root of that invisibility Francis was discussing with Rabbi. The bible does not assign a gender to god, then the assignment of maleness implies that male is the only one capable. Francis views the role of a woman as different but of equal important-- to complement the man. To be a complement however, means one cannot exist without the thing to complement. While he clarifies that he does not view the woman as lesser than the man because of her duty--there is a paradox with that and with the idea that woman was made for the man. In a meeting with UISG about women as deacons in Early church he says: “The Church is woman ... she is a woman married to Jesus Christ, she has her Bridegroom, who is Jesus Christ... . And a woman's consecration makes her the very icon of the Church and icon of Our Lady. We men cannot do this.” (Pope Francis, UISG). Here he dismisses the idea of women in Catholic leadership by sugarcoating the