Women in Religion

Women have been portrayed in multiple ways throughout the various religions in the world. This paper will discuss women’s roles in two religions, Christianity and Islam. The roles that women had and have today can seem very different from the roles they played in the past.

The roles of women in Christianity can vary todays as they have varied historically in church. This is especially true in marriage and in formal ministry positions within certain Christian denominations. In the past, many leadership roles were restricted to males. For example, in the Roman Catholic, only men may serve as priests or deacons, the pope, bishop, and patriarch. Christian women played a role in developing and running of many the modern world's education and health care systems. Growing up in Christianity I have been able to see the change being made in churches. I remember when I was younger women could not preach, or pastor. There are women pastoring churches all over the world now.

I believe that one effect religion has had on modern day-to-day life is that women in Islamic religions are considered lesser citizens in their societies. The men of Islam have made it so that their interpretations of the Qur’an are such that women are to be covered, not seen and are therefore required to cover their heads and bodies when in public. Women in Islam are not expected to have careers, but are to stay home and take care of the domestic responsibilities in their families. Women in Islam face many challenges if they do attempt to have a productive life outside of the home. There are a large number of female Qur'an reciters, Islamic lawyers, and professors of Islamic studies throughout the world.

The roles of women have changed radically since the beginning of all religions. Women in many of the holy texts are only mentioned a hand full of times and have been considered the rival throughout the Qur’an and the Christian Bible. Today, the women are rising and pushing their religious boundaries...