The Debate on Gender and Religion Today : A Study of the Activities of the Special Committee on Sexism of the United Church of Christ in Japan

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  • 宗教とジェンダーをめぐる議論の現在 : 日本基督教団・性差別問題特別委員会の活動を通じて
  • シュウキョウ ト ジェンダー オ メグル ギロン ノ ゲンザイ ニホン キリスト キョウダン セイ サベツ モンダイ トクベツ イインカイ ノ カツドウ オ ツウジテ

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Abstract

The aim of this paper is to survey how women and men have posed the problem of gender issues in Japanese Christianity fern the perspective of Feminist Theology. A Special Committee on Sexism was established by the United Church of Christ in Japan at its 25th General Assembly in 1989. The committee has explored the following problems: correcting the low ratio of women in administrative posts, the elimination of sexist expressions used in the wedding ceremony, and a critique of homophobic attitudes towards homosexual ministers. In exploring these problems, the committee pointed out the gender structure that is expressed in the present wedding ceremony and ministerial ranks, and criticized the sexism and compulsory heterosexuality contained in the structure of the church itself. The activities of the committee ceased after a structural reorganization of the General Assembly in 2002. The activities of the committee throughout the fourteen years of its existence illustrate just how difficult it is to conduct a debate on gender issues in a religious organization. However, it also speaks of the situation today where religious groups are forced to reconsider traditional gender structures.

Journal

  • Religion and Society

    Religion and Society 10 (0), 3-23, 2004

    The Japanese Association for the Study of Religion and Society

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