Is Christianity Bad for Women?

August 14, 2017 | Published first in Center for Philosophy of Religion

Christianity teaches that men and women are made in the image and likeness of God, with equal dignity, equally called to holiness, but with separate vocations. As women’s opportunities for leadership have grown within secular society, some members of the Christian community argue that the roles assigned to men and women fall short of equality. Catholic doctrines and traditions in particular are often criticized as being obstacles to women’s progress. What do the diverse traditions within Christendom really teach about the place of women in the church, family, and society? Do the church’s actual practices match that teaching?

A panel featuring Sister Simone Campbell, Rachel Held Evans, and CWF Director Mary Rice Hasson, moderated by Rev. Amy Peeler, discussed these and other questions at the University of Notre Dame on September 22, 2016.