Critically compare the effectiveness of Ruether’s feminist theology to Daly’s feminist theology.
Introduction
Define: Feminist Theology- Feminist theology seeks equality, justice, and liberation of women from
what it perceives to be oppressive male systems of power and domination in religion.
Importance: Feminist theology comes in many different forms and is highly influential for religious
woman. Understanding both Ruether and Daly’s feminist theologies is a key step for religious
women to make up their own mind about where women fit into their particular faith.
Scholars: Ruether, Daly, Fiorenza
Conclusion: Ruether’s feminist theology is more effective compared to Daly’s, as Daly’s feminist
theology is too extreme and gives up on reconciling Christianity with feminism totally.
Paragraph 1
Point: Ruether and Daly have contrasting views on the Church, however Ruether’s view on the
Church is a preferable, less extreme alteration, compared to Daly’s.
Argument: Daly- Women need to unite together and form a sisterhood as the antichurch. This
antichurch stands in opposition to the traditional church as the 'bride of Christ' (i.e. an obedient
woman in relation to a dominant man). She believed that women should explore the 'Old Religion'
i.e. the ideas associated with goddesses and witches. In Exodus, we are provided with an image of
Christians leaving the church, crossing the Red Sea of patriarchal power and prejudice, and forming a
new promised land. Yet for Daly the promise is not received from a patriarchal God-figure but exists
within the feminine soul, empowered by sisterhood.
Ruether- Ruether believes church can be redeemed by forming new base communities with justice
at their heart (cf. Liberation Theology). She believed that clericalism (male priesthood) is a product
of patriarchy and should be rejected. Ruether reminds us that the early Church experiments such
as Montanism had women leaders: in Acts there are two prophetesses called Priscilla and Avila, and
Paul’s argument “I do not allow women to have authority in the Church” in 1 Timothy only makes
sense in context of the rise of women prophets in places like Corinth, which Timothy was asked to
visit, and the discord that surrounded it.
Counterargument: (to Daly’s suggestion) The Church of England ordained women priests in 1993
and women Bishops in 2013 showing that the Church is able to reform and doesn't need to be
abandoned.
Fiorenza thinks Daly’s approach to the Bible is too narrow. Fiorenza feels the Bible supports
women’s struggles against patriarchal sexism challenging the norms especially when Jesus breaks
sexist customs.
Paragraph 2
Point: Whilst Ruether’s illustration of a ‘servant King’ is more political than many Christians may be
comfortable with, this ‘Male saviour’ suggestion is still superior to Daly’s claim of Jesus as a figure of
enslavement.
, Argument: Daly (post-Christian) argued that the idea of a uniquely male saviour is one more
legitimisation of male superiority. As a consequence, far from Jesus being a figure of salvation for
women, he is a figure of male domination and enslavement. The question of whether Jesus himself
was a feminist is ultimately irrelevant according to Daly. The celebration of Christ's sacrifice in the
Eucharist is described by Daly as 'cannibalistic/ necrophagous ritual'. Daly describes herself as
a pirate, reclaiming what has been stolen from women.
Ruether: The old testament views Messiah as God’s chosen one. The messiah is both chosen of God
(Son of God) and is representative of his people before God (Son of Man). However, Ruether argues
Jesus was not the traditional warrior Messiah that was expected- “he is expected to win, not to
suffer and die.” She believed that Jesus was a servant King attending to the poor and dispossessed.
He argues against those in religious power and Roman ruler Pontius Pilate. He washes his disciples
feet and gives up his life for them. “Those who would be leaders must become servants of all.”
Counterargument: (to Daly’s suggestion) Universalisation Defence- Just because Jesus was not a
woman does not mean woman are exclusively cast as outsiders. Jesus was also not black, elderly,
Chinese etc.
(Response to Daly’s suggestion) Male language for God does not create masculine qualities. In Isaiah,
God is a husband with deep compassion- not a stereotypical male characteristic.
(Response to Ruether’s suggestion) Makes Jesus too political and revolutionary.
Paragraph 3
Point: Whilst Daly makes valid points about the compatibility of feminism and the Church, Ruether is
able to reconcile both concepts, which is likely a more effective solution.
Argument: Mary Daly, a Catholic with degrees in philosophy and theology, visited Rome in 1965
hoping that Vatican II would bring about reforms which would herald greater equality for women in
the Catholic Church. She was totally frustrated, and, in response wrote The Church and the Second
Sex. Disillusionment with institutional Christianity then led her to reject mainstream Christianity
altogether. Beyond God the Father repudiated the notion of ‘Father God’- ‘If God is male, then male
is God.’
Ruether believed that anti-patriarchal language exists in Old and New Testament and needs to be
rediscovered. God is a Prophetic God who challenges patriarchal society (e.g. in description of
prophets he sent who protests against injustice). God breaks ties within male-ruled society e.g.
Abraham has to break ties with his family, in Exodus the Israelities break ties with their overlords.
The Old Testament proscription on idolatry means words like 'Father' should not be taken literally
but as an analogy.
Counterargument: (to Daly’s suggestion) Daly glosses over the idea of God as “father for all.” She
takes an uncomfortably separatist approach to men.
Introduction
Define: Feminist Theology- Feminist theology seeks equality, justice, and liberation of women from
what it perceives to be oppressive male systems of power and domination in religion.
Importance: Feminist theology comes in many different forms and is highly influential for religious
woman. Understanding both Ruether and Daly’s feminist theologies is a key step for religious
women to make up their own mind about where women fit into their particular faith.
Scholars: Ruether, Daly, Fiorenza
Conclusion: Ruether’s feminist theology is more effective compared to Daly’s, as Daly’s feminist
theology is too extreme and gives up on reconciling Christianity with feminism totally.
Paragraph 1
Point: Ruether and Daly have contrasting views on the Church, however Ruether’s view on the
Church is a preferable, less extreme alteration, compared to Daly’s.
Argument: Daly- Women need to unite together and form a sisterhood as the antichurch. This
antichurch stands in opposition to the traditional church as the 'bride of Christ' (i.e. an obedient
woman in relation to a dominant man). She believed that women should explore the 'Old Religion'
i.e. the ideas associated with goddesses and witches. In Exodus, we are provided with an image of
Christians leaving the church, crossing the Red Sea of patriarchal power and prejudice, and forming a
new promised land. Yet for Daly the promise is not received from a patriarchal God-figure but exists
within the feminine soul, empowered by sisterhood.
Ruether- Ruether believes church can be redeemed by forming new base communities with justice
at their heart (cf. Liberation Theology). She believed that clericalism (male priesthood) is a product
of patriarchy and should be rejected. Ruether reminds us that the early Church experiments such
as Montanism had women leaders: in Acts there are two prophetesses called Priscilla and Avila, and
Paul’s argument “I do not allow women to have authority in the Church” in 1 Timothy only makes
sense in context of the rise of women prophets in places like Corinth, which Timothy was asked to
visit, and the discord that surrounded it.
Counterargument: (to Daly’s suggestion) The Church of England ordained women priests in 1993
and women Bishops in 2013 showing that the Church is able to reform and doesn't need to be
abandoned.
Fiorenza thinks Daly’s approach to the Bible is too narrow. Fiorenza feels the Bible supports
women’s struggles against patriarchal sexism challenging the norms especially when Jesus breaks
sexist customs.
Paragraph 2
Point: Whilst Ruether’s illustration of a ‘servant King’ is more political than many Christians may be
comfortable with, this ‘Male saviour’ suggestion is still superior to Daly’s claim of Jesus as a figure of
enslavement.
, Argument: Daly (post-Christian) argued that the idea of a uniquely male saviour is one more
legitimisation of male superiority. As a consequence, far from Jesus being a figure of salvation for
women, he is a figure of male domination and enslavement. The question of whether Jesus himself
was a feminist is ultimately irrelevant according to Daly. The celebration of Christ's sacrifice in the
Eucharist is described by Daly as 'cannibalistic/ necrophagous ritual'. Daly describes herself as
a pirate, reclaiming what has been stolen from women.
Ruether: The old testament views Messiah as God’s chosen one. The messiah is both chosen of God
(Son of God) and is representative of his people before God (Son of Man). However, Ruether argues
Jesus was not the traditional warrior Messiah that was expected- “he is expected to win, not to
suffer and die.” She believed that Jesus was a servant King attending to the poor and dispossessed.
He argues against those in religious power and Roman ruler Pontius Pilate. He washes his disciples
feet and gives up his life for them. “Those who would be leaders must become servants of all.”
Counterargument: (to Daly’s suggestion) Universalisation Defence- Just because Jesus was not a
woman does not mean woman are exclusively cast as outsiders. Jesus was also not black, elderly,
Chinese etc.
(Response to Daly’s suggestion) Male language for God does not create masculine qualities. In Isaiah,
God is a husband with deep compassion- not a stereotypical male characteristic.
(Response to Ruether’s suggestion) Makes Jesus too political and revolutionary.
Paragraph 3
Point: Whilst Daly makes valid points about the compatibility of feminism and the Church, Ruether is
able to reconcile both concepts, which is likely a more effective solution.
Argument: Mary Daly, a Catholic with degrees in philosophy and theology, visited Rome in 1965
hoping that Vatican II would bring about reforms which would herald greater equality for women in
the Catholic Church. She was totally frustrated, and, in response wrote The Church and the Second
Sex. Disillusionment with institutional Christianity then led her to reject mainstream Christianity
altogether. Beyond God the Father repudiated the notion of ‘Father God’- ‘If God is male, then male
is God.’
Ruether believed that anti-patriarchal language exists in Old and New Testament and needs to be
rediscovered. God is a Prophetic God who challenges patriarchal society (e.g. in description of
prophets he sent who protests against injustice). God breaks ties within male-ruled society e.g.
Abraham has to break ties with his family, in Exodus the Israelities break ties with their overlords.
The Old Testament proscription on idolatry means words like 'Father' should not be taken literally
but as an analogy.
Counterargument: (to Daly’s suggestion) Daly glosses over the idea of God as “father for all.” She
takes an uncomfortably separatist approach to men.
