The Impact of Christianity in Uplifting the Status of Women in India (original) (raw)
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This paper discussed the historical development of Women Empowerment in the Indian society from the pre-independence period till today and compare with the historical development of women empowerment and leadership in the Indian Christian Churches. First part deals with the history of women empowerment during the British rule and the post Independence period, and the second part deals with the parallel progression of women empowerment and leadership among Christian Churches in India.
POPULAR RELIGIOUS LITERATURE IN INDIA: DECREEING POLITY WITH ENSLAVED WOMEN
We are proud to claim that India is the world’s largest democracy. Going by the numbers, the assertion is correct and there are also theoretical reasons for advancing this claim. The Preamble and chapters on Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles of State Policy make it clear that the Constitution of the Indian Republic guarantees justice, liberty equality to all its citizens irrespective of gender, caste, race, religion, class and place of birth. In terms of gender equality, the Preamble, Articles 14, 15, 16, 21, 23 (Part III dealing with Fundamental Rights), 39, 42, 44 (Part IV dealing with Directive Principles of State Policy) and 51-A (e) (Part IVA dealing with Fundamental Duties) not only give women all the rights accorded to men, but also provides them with special rights. Sadly enough, there is an immense mismatch between these pious declarations and the status of women at the ground level in India. In global terms, the Indian Republic has the largest number of malnourished women; the highest number of maternal deaths and as well as the record for ‘Missing Girls’, who number in the millions. Violence against women–which includes ‘Honour Killings’, domestic violence and sexual harassment–is rampant despite the occasional stringent dose of laws to control violence against women. The extent of women’s insecurity in India can be known by the number of incidents of rape and the conviction rate during 2006-2008 as provided by the National Crime Record Bureau. These statistics show that the number of rape cases is steadfastly increasing while the conviction rate is continues to fall. However, this data may not reflect the ground reality as RK Raghavan, a much decorated policeman and ex-chief of the CBI commented that this data “is a gross underestimation. A majority of rapes occurring in villages are suppressed by local bigwigs who run their parallel criminal justice system…Our Caste system and the role of money in the rural setting are principal contributors to this state of affairs.”4 Any student or researcher will be hard pressed to find an explanation for this mismatch. Despite comprehensive laws and the huge machinery of enforcement in place, the Indian Republic is becoming a risky terrain for women in India. There is no denying the fact that Indian democracy is becoming less and less compatible with the rights of women. This discrimination is allowed to flourish unabated due to a structural belief that women are inferior, backward and the object of denigration. The philosophical moorings regarding the status of women has been spread and strengthened by popular religious literature available in every corner of India. In this paper an attempt has been made to study and investigate the multi-lingual popular religious literature being circulated throughout India. While this study is confined to Hindu and Muslim popular religious literature, it does represent an accurate reflection of the general reality. According to 2001 national census data Hindus and Muslim together constituted 93.9% of the total Indian population. This freely available literature openly denigrates women and preaches violence against them. This paper provides facts and analysis to show how despite a democracy in India women are becoming more and more vulnerable and democracy becoming out of bound for them. It is interesting to note that flag bearers of the purity of these two religions; Hinduism & Islam, despite serious theological/normative differences with each other, hold absolutely identical views on the status of women. This similarity is most glaring in the low-priced religious propaganda literature circulated by them in every nook and corner of India (Pakistan, Bangladesh & Nepal being no exceptions) which openly demean and denigrate women. This paper is the outcome of extensive research of popular religious literature regarding women which in fact is anti-women and openly denigrates them. [This write-up was earlier posted titled as " POPULAR RELIGIOUS LITERATURE: MAKING INDIAN DEMOCRACY INCOMPATIBLE WITH WOMEN’S RIGHTS". This version is a revised one.] For Hindi version: https://www.academia.edu/38074195/%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%B0\_%E0%A4%AE\_%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE\_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80\_%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE\_%E0%A4%94%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82\_%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%82\_
INDIAN WOMEN STATUS: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Journal, 2019
Woman constitutes the key role in the Indian society. Women in ancient India enjoyed high status in society and their condition was good. The Ancient and medieval status of women in modern Indian society regarding Equality, Education, Marriage and Family life, Race and Gender, Religion and Culture is maintained or deteriorated. The Vedic women had economic freedom. Some women were engaged in teaching work. Home was the place of production. Spinning and weaving of clothes were done at home. Women also helped their husbands in agricultural pursuit. In the religious field, wife enjoyed full rights and regularly participated in religious ceremonies with her husband. Religious ceremonies and sacrifices were performed jointly by the husband and wife. Women even participated actively in religious discourses. The status of women improved a little during the Buddhist period though there was no tremendous change. The role of women in Ancient Indian Literature is immense. Ancient India had many learned ladies. The Medieval period (Period between 500 A.D to 1500 A.D) proved to be highly disappointing for the Indian women, for their status further deteriorated during this period. Through this study we come to the conclusion that as the women has equal participation in human development. She is half of the human race. But she lacks in society. Women are not treated with respect as in the Ancient Indian society. Lot of crime against women is seen in the modern society. The Constitutional provisions are not sufficient to get the
RELIGION, CULTURE AND GENDER IN INDIA
This paper is an attempt to do a feminist analysis on religion and culture in India, to explore the reasons of gender issues in Indian society. It is trying to point out the scriptural influences that create and propa text Manu constitution in India. There is an effort to understand the overlapp conceptualizations in India. The upshot would explicate the textual reasons which also caused immense subjugation for women in India.
Religious patriarchy and the subjugation of women in India
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social …, 2008
Religious patriarchy works as a vehicle for encouraging women to accept gender oppression through religion, in order to maintain the cohesion of the male-dominated gender system in India. Religious patriarchy brings to the forefront many theoretical and political questions regarding the location of women in religion. Examining the politics of location also requires an exploration of the historical, geographical and cultural boundaries which provide the groundwork for political definition. The position of women in religion is actually based on multiple locations that have evolved through integration of complex configurations of language and power. In this presentation, the presenter likens the position of women in patriarchal religion to the control exerted over individuals during the colonial period and continuing during the imperialistic era. This presentation examines religious discourse on women’s position in India by investigating the conditions that produced this discourse, its correlation with male supremacy, and the many ways in which its ideas were deployed to keep women oppressed. The presenter will also explore the intersection of colonial and religious discourses which has produced different meanings of religious patriarchy in India. The presenter will also analyze the growing resistance by women in Kerala, India to dowry-related issues and violence, and the lack of support they are receiving from religion institutions.
The woman is "in all things inferior to the man" was the opinion of a first century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus. A contemporary of Josephus (Rabbi Judah) said a man must pronounce three blessings each day: "Blessed be the Lord who did not make me a heathen; blessed be He who did not make me a woman; blessed be He who did not make me an uneducated person." Jewish Rabbis in the first century of the Christian era were encouraged not to teach or even to speak with women. It is said in Jewish wisdom literature that, "he that talks much with womankind brings evil upon himself and neglects the study of the law and at the last will inherit Gehenna (hell)" In view of this low status of women, it is not surprising that Jesus was often criticized for associating himself with women, even prostitutes. It is in this oppressive context that Christianity was born. Where does the Woman fit in, in this context? Do her religious background and traditions limit her progress just like the Jewish woman or is she being exposed to better opportunities? Is she free to express her God-given talents and potentials?