GENDER, RELIGION AND PATRIARCHY: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CATHOLICISM AND PENTECOSTALISM IN NIGERIA

Authors

  • FRANCA CHITOH ATTOH UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, AKOKA-YABA, LAGOS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.414.3482

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The paper interrogates the nexus between gender, religion and patriarchy in a context where the marginalization of the female gender is continuous in spite of the strides in female education.  The tension between religion and gender equality is a pervasive problem for orthodox Christianity despite its cardinal doctrine of equality of all beings before God.  From the theistic doctrine the female gender is considered unequal, inferior and subordinate to the male gender and this is demonstrated in the roles assigned to the female gender in orthodox denominations. For instance in Catholicism, women cannot aspire to the position of the clergy but can join the religious order as reverend sisters or nuns. However, Pentecostalism has shown a remarkable reformation from orthodoxy by elevating women to the clergy as pastors and even bishops. Using data generated from a total of 15 key informants and deploying Karl Marx's and Feminists postulations on religion the paper argues that Catholicism reinforces patriarchy through its role differentiation and complete closure to the female gender in the Church's hierarchy. Pentecostalism on the other hand encourages female participation as clergy but there exists subtle reinforcement of patriarchy as no woman has ever held the position of General overseer within the top Pentecostal Churches.

Key Words: Catholicism, Pentecostalism, Patriarchy, Gender and Religion.

 

Author Biography

FRANCA CHITOH ATTOH, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, AKOKA-YABA, LAGOS

SOCIOLOGY/SENIOR LECTURER

References

References

Armstrong, K. (1993). The End of Silence: Women and the Priesthood, Fourth Estate, London.

Burkert, W., 1985, Greek Religion, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

El Saadawi, N. (1980). The Hidden Face of Eve: Women in the Arab World. London, Zed Books.

El Saadawi, N. (1985). God Dies by the Nile Trans. SherifHetata. London: Zed Books.

Ekiran, M. A. (2011). A Sociological Exploration of World Religions. Lagos, Rebonik Publications Ltd.

Holm, J. (1994). Introduction: Raising the Issues. In Holm, J. and Bowker, J. (eds.) Women in Religion, Printer, London.

Hartman, H. (1997). Groundbreaking Research on Men and Women: The Jewish Differences. Council of Jewish Federation, General Assembly Panel, Indianapolis, Indiana (November).

Kornblum, W. (1997). Social Change and Religious Conflicts in the Southern Baptist Convention. New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers University Press.

Marx, K. and Engel, F. (1950). (First published in 1848). Manifesto of the Communist Party: Selected works, Vol.1, Moscow, Foreign Language Publishing House.

Okpe, O. (2005) Mainstreaming Gender in the African Development Process: a Critic of NEPAD and the Women Question. Nigeria: BSU Press

Ritzer, G. (2008). Sociological Theory. Boston, McgrawHill.

Woodhead, L. (2007). Gender Differences in Religious Practice and Significance. In The Sage Handbook of the Sociology of Religion. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi: Sage p. 550-570.

Downloads

Published

2017-07-29

How to Cite

ATTOH, F. C. (2017). GENDER, RELIGION AND PATRIARCHY: A SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CATHOLICISM AND PENTECOSTALISM IN NIGERIA. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 4(14). https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.414.3482