CONS.ELF@AIDA.CSD.UU.SE (Ake Eldberg) (10/29/90)
"The root of all oppression of women in the western world is Christianity's masculine image of God." This is an accepted truth, at least among feminists. But if we examine the role of women from a social, economic and religious point of view, we find that the truth is quite the opposite: It was the growth of Christianity that gave women freedom and rights. This is the theme of Lilian Portefaix in her book "Sisters rejoice!" What follows is a brief summary. In the Roman empire the only accepted role for a woman was to be a wife and have children. The Augustan marriage laws, which were not abolished until 315, made marriage and childbearing compulsory. Anyone who did not comply was economically censored. Women were totally dependent on men, both economically and legally. The father, the husband, the sons or some other male trustee had power over a woman. To get married, the girl's family needed money for the dowry. Newborn girls were often abandoned in the hope that some rich person would take charge of them. Those who couldn't afford marriage were doomed to prostitution of to become concubines of rich men -- the latter was socially accepted but not highly regarded. Young girls were often wedded to old men because the men were rich. They could be married without their own consent as early as at 12 years. A married woman was the ruler of the house. Her task was to give birth to children, to take care of the house, and to be a priestess and sacrifice to the household gods. It is only with the advent of Christianity that women begin to be seen and treated as individuals. She now has her own salvation to think about, instead of caring for her husband's ancestors in Hades. The early church was escatologically inclined and did not see marriage and childbearing as the most important thing, since the second coming was expected soon. The inferior importance of household work is visible in the tale of Matha and Mary (Luke 10:38ff). Jesus widened the concept of "family" to include the whole of the church. (Luke 8:21) The first parishes met in homes so the women had important roles as hostesses. Women could be prophets and teachers, active participants in the preaching of the gospel. They were charged to care for the poor and sick. One could say that Christianity lowered the status of the married woman and raised the status of the unmarried ones. This becomes more prominent when the Church is firmly established around 400. We get convents and nuns, "brides of Christ" with very high status. Prostitution and concubinage were outlawed. Rich women were encou- raged to take care of poor girls. Women were taught to read and write, so they could study the scriptures. These collectives of women were prototypes for what later became convents. To summarize: Christianity provided women with alternatives to marriage and childbearing. It protected them from prostitution. It gave them opportunities to reach high status in church and society. It contributed to their partaking of the intellectual life. It also gave them limited means to economic independence. summarized by Ake Eldberg