Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry
<p>The church fathers and their views on women were influenced substantially and significantly by philosophical voices, such as that of Aristotle and Plato, amongst others. A brief account on Aristotle�s and Plato�s ideas about women, from feminist perspectives, will be touched upon. The artic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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AOSIS
2017-01-01
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| Series: | Verbum et Ecclesia |
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| Online Access: | http://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/VE/article/view/1692 |
| _version_ | 1817980296863154176 |
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| author | Hannelie Wood |
| author_facet | Hannelie Wood |
| author_sort | Hannelie Wood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>The church fathers and their views on women were influenced substantially and significantly by philosophical voices, such as that of Aristotle and Plato, amongst others. A brief account on Aristotle�s and Plato�s ideas about women, from feminist perspectives, will be touched upon. The article furthermore explores feminist voices, regarding the church fathers� thinking about women, and how these views contributed to women�s subordination and domination. The research will focus on the many varied views on women held by Latin church fathers, such as Tertullian (c. 155�255), Cyprian (c. 200�258 AD), Jerome (c. 347�419), Ambrose (c. 339�397) and Augustine (354�430), and the Greek church fathers, such as Clement of Alexander (c. 150�215), Origen (c. 185�254) and Chrysostom (c. 347�407), from the perspective of feminists. It will be contended that an insensitive and too early denunciation of the early church fathers as misogynists often occurs in women�s history without taking into consideration the church fathers� philosophical and social contexts and, hence, the opinions that formed their views. One such theory that helped to shape the church fathers� views about women is the classic medical theory, and this therefore merits a brief discussion. Another important point one has to take into account is the church fathers� perceptions of the carnal (sexual) and the spiritual world that shaped their views about women.</p><p><strong>Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: </strong>History teaches us what people before us did, what their intentions were and where they failed or went wrong. If historical viewpoints about women reflect women�s subordination and oppression, they force women to discover their roots and their past. The church fathers, however, inherited a long tradition of debates, beliefs, and arguments regarding women�s moral, intellectual, and natural capacities. Therefore, generalised, simplified, and unsympathetic views about the ancient philosophers and the church fathers� views on women often leads to the ineffective understanding of these men and their context.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:52:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a765336e93de4a4db502bce1e8064153 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1609-9982 2074-7705 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:52:33Z |
| publishDate | 2017-01-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Verbum et Ecclesia |
| spelling | doaj.art-a765336e93de4a4db502bce1e80641532022-12-22T02:26:08ZafrAOSISVerbum et Ecclesia1609-99822074-77052017-01-0138110.4102/ve.v38i1.16921363Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiryHannelie Wood0Department of Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology, University of South Africa<p>The church fathers and their views on women were influenced substantially and significantly by philosophical voices, such as that of Aristotle and Plato, amongst others. A brief account on Aristotle�s and Plato�s ideas about women, from feminist perspectives, will be touched upon. The article furthermore explores feminist voices, regarding the church fathers� thinking about women, and how these views contributed to women�s subordination and domination. The research will focus on the many varied views on women held by Latin church fathers, such as Tertullian (c. 155�255), Cyprian (c. 200�258 AD), Jerome (c. 347�419), Ambrose (c. 339�397) and Augustine (354�430), and the Greek church fathers, such as Clement of Alexander (c. 150�215), Origen (c. 185�254) and Chrysostom (c. 347�407), from the perspective of feminists. It will be contended that an insensitive and too early denunciation of the early church fathers as misogynists often occurs in women�s history without taking into consideration the church fathers� philosophical and social contexts and, hence, the opinions that formed their views. One such theory that helped to shape the church fathers� views about women is the classic medical theory, and this therefore merits a brief discussion. Another important point one has to take into account is the church fathers� perceptions of the carnal (sexual) and the spiritual world that shaped their views about women.</p><p><strong>Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: </strong>History teaches us what people before us did, what their intentions were and where they failed or went wrong. If historical viewpoints about women reflect women�s subordination and oppression, they force women to discover their roots and their past. The church fathers, however, inherited a long tradition of debates, beliefs, and arguments regarding women�s moral, intellectual, and natural capacities. Therefore, generalised, simplified, and unsympathetic views about the ancient philosophers and the church fathers� views on women often leads to the ineffective understanding of these men and their context.</p>http://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/VE/article/view/1692PlatoAristotleChurch fathersfeminism |
| spellingShingle | Hannelie Wood Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry Verbum et Ecclesia Plato Aristotle Church fathers feminism |
| title | Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry |
| title_full | Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry |
| title_fullStr | Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry |
| title_short | Feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers' beliefs regarding women: An inquiry |
| title_sort | feminists and their perspectives on the church fathers beliefs regarding women an inquiry |
| topic | Plato Aristotle Church fathers feminism |
| url | http://verbumetecclesia.org.za/index.php/VE/article/view/1692 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hanneliewood feministsandtheirperspectivesonthechurchfathersbeliefsregardingwomenaninquiry |