Essay
Assess the view that Mary Daly''s Theology proves that Christianity is sexist
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this was written in year 13, achieving an A* and discussing daly's feminist theology
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Assess the view that Mary Daly's Theology proves that Christianity is sexist. Discuss (40)Daly’s theology successfully demonstrates that Christianity is inherently sexist; the feminist theologian
proves this through effectively using her arguments surrounding the maleness of God, through
elucidating the misogynistic teachings of the Bible and the Church as well as through her emphasis on
sisterhood and the superiority of female spirituality. Thus, this essay will endorse the view expressed
in the statement that Daly’s theology proves that Christianity is sexist to a great extent. Moreover this
line of argument will include a variety of scholarly views and biblical quotations that both corroborate
and challenge this stream of thinking.
Firstly, Daly fiercely opposes the maleness of God that is cited consistently throughout the Christian
faith. The scholar elucidates how God being male gave people the concept that power was a male
thing, not female. Daly regards this as false spirituality because the Christian idea of the maleness of
God is merely the invention of a patriarchal mindset trying to justify its having power. The feminist
theologian quotes “If God is male, then male is God” to convey this very point and express how
Christian theology is sexist. Daly further argued that this association between masculinity and divinity
had the function of making male supremacy seem like a fact of the universe which could not be
challenged; if it's just the way things are that God is male, then people will feel unable to challenge
male power in society. Whereas in actuality, Daly stresses that male supremacy is not a fact of the
universe but just the way we happen to organise our society. Belief in a male God is a tool of male
power which gives it the appearance of being beyond challenge. Thus, it is clear through all evidence
aforementioned that Daly’s theology successfully proves how the Christian faith branding God as
male consistently throughout the faith simultaneously shows how the religion itself is sexist. Daly,
however, has a way forward of how the Christian faith can overcome this sexism: by using the term
‘God’ as a verb. Daly claimed the concept of God needed to be castrated by referring to God as a
‘she’ but also by changing the meaning of God from a noun to a verb, so people think of God as
‘be-ing’ rather than ‘a being’, since verbs are beyond the masculine or feminine description. Thinking
of God as a noun and associating maleness with God results in that association and nature of God
being thought of as fixed, eternal, and just the way things are, shielding it from criticism or even being
able to imagine it differently. Thinking of God as a verb introduces the flexibility required for a person
to see that the unjust state of being is not fixed but may be changed. Thus, Daly’s solution clearly
holds a great deal of value and utility for providing a solution to the inherent sexism within the
Christian faith. Daly’s emphasis that Christianity consistently projects male values and attributes to the
nature of God therefore successfully demonstrates that Christianity itself is sexist. Moreover, the
scholar further elucidates this point by exposing the misogynistic teachings of the Bible and the
Church.
As aforementioned, Daly points to the sexist teachings of the Bible and Church as evidence that
Christianity is irredeembly sexist. The scholar cites several biblical teachings to convey her point.
Firstly, 1 Corinthians 14:34 quotes “The women should keep silent in the Churches. For they are not
permitted to speak but should be in submission, as the Law also says”. Furthermore 1 Timothy 2:12
expresses similar views where it states “I do not permit a woman to teach or assume authority over a
man; she must be quiet”. Lastly, Ephesiasn 5:22-23 quotes “Wives, submit to your own husbands as
you do the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church”. Each
biblical quotation that Daly utilises to endorse the view that Christianity is sexist are therefore entirely
convincing, adding strength to her theology. Furthermore, Daly argues that the story of the Fall has
been used to oppress women by portraying them as the source of sin. The scholar claimed that
women had internalised feelings of guilt and inferiority and had to recognise this to take the first step
towards liberation. For Daly, the unholy trinity of rape, genocide and war are the result of a patriarchal
world; Daly claimed CHrisitanity has legitimated male dominance which reinforces patriarchy. If
oppressive hierarchy like patriarchy exists, the result is the unholy trinity of rape, genocide and war.
Christianity is therefore complicit in that, and not only indirectly, thus successfully proving that the
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