Gender And Salvation

Is a total renunciation of clothing a prerequisite to attaining spiritual liberation? In Gender and Salvation, Padmanabh S. Jaini brings to light previously untranslated texts centering on a centuries-old debate between the two principal Jaina sects, the Digambaras and the Svetambaras. At the core of the debate is the question of whether gender-based differences of biology and life experience shape or limit an individual’s ability to accomplish the ultimate religious goal. For the Digambaras, the example of total nudity set by Mahavira (599–527 B.C.), the central spiritual figure of Jainism, mandates an identical practice for all who aspire to the highest levels of religious attainment. For the Svetambaras, the renunciation occurs purely on an internal level and is neither affected nor confirmed by the absence of clothes. Both sects agree, however, that nudity is not permitted for women under any circumstances. The Digambaras, therefore, believe that women cannot attain salvation, while the Svetambaras believe they can. Through their analysis of this dilemma, the Jaina thinkers whose texts are translated here demonstrate a level of insight into the material and spiritual constraints on women that transcends the particular question of salvation and relates directly to current debates on the effects of gender in our own society. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1991.

The history of Christianity reveals a stunning polarity in the use of power with regard to personal holiness, social responsibility, and gender equality. Although The Salvation Army has long been a leader in the ordination of women, there appear to be varying understandings of both the theory and practice of gender equality within its ranks. Colonel Janet Munn's doctoral work surveyed Salvation Army leaders internationally to ask about their awareness of biblical equality in action within their commands. Their responses, framed by Munn's study of Luke's Persistent Widow as well as theoretical teachings on power make these pages an important resource for those who desire to see The Salvation Army live out its commitment to biblical equality, effectively utilizing the gifts of all who are called to its ministry.

The early Salvation Army professed its commitment to sexual equality in ministry and leadership. In fact, its founding constitution proclaimed women had the right to preach and hold any office in the organization. But did they? Women in God’s Army is the first study of its kind devoted to the critical analysis of this central claim. It traces the extent to which this egalitarian ideal was realized in the private and public lives of first- and second-generation female Salvationists in Britain and argues that the Salvation Army was found wanting in its overall commitment to women’s equality with men. Bold pronouncements were not matched by actual practice in the home or in public ministry. Andrew Mark Eason traces the nature of these discrepancies, as well as the Victorian and evangelical factors that lay behind them. He demonstrates how Salvationists often assigned roles and responsibilities on the basis of gender rather than equality, and the ways in which these discriminatory practices were supported by a male-defined theology and authority. He views this story from a number of angles, including historical, gender and feminist theology, ensuring it will be of interest to a wide spectrum of readers. Salvationists themselves will appreciate the light it sheds on recent debates. Ultimately, however, anyone who wants to learn more about the human struggle for equality will find this book enlightening.

Translated by Ann Patrick Ware Introduces a perspective on evil and salvation to address "the evil women do, " the evil they suffer, and women's redemptive experiences of God and salvation.

This book offers a completely original, groundbreaking interpretation of one of the most difficult passages in the Bible. For too long, a closed circle of voices has dominated the discussion about the meaning of 1 Timothy 2:11–15. Ministry leaders have continued to struggle with inadequate solutions to the problems posed by the text, and women, especially those called to ministerial service, have suffered from missteps in its interpretation. Kenneth Waters uncovers what he argues is a long-hidden key to understanding the comments about women, salvation, and childbearing in this controversial passage. He maintains that although it was a truth known to the original hearers of this letter, it has been hidden from later generations of readers.

In the early 1970s, when women's history began to claim attention as an emerging discipline in North American universities, it was dominated by a middle-class Anglo-Saxon bias. Today the field is much more diverse, a development reflected in the scope of this volume. Rather than documenting the experiences of women solely in a framework of gender analysis, its authors recognize the interaction of race, class, and gender as central in shaping women's lives, and men's. These essays represent an exciting breakthrough in women's studies, expanding the borders of the discipline while breaking down barriers between mainstream and women's history.

This book offers a completely original, groundbreaking interpretation of one of the most difficult passages in the Bible. For too long, a closed circle of voices has dominated the discussion about the meaning of 1 Timothy 2:11-15. Ministry leaders have continued to struggle with inadequate solutions to the problems posed by the text, and women, especially those called to ministerial service, have suffered from missteps in its interpretation. Kenneth Waters uncovers what he argues is a long-hidden key to understanding the comments about women, salvation, and childbearing in this controversial passage. He maintains that although it was a truth known to the original hearers of this letter, it has been hidden from later generations of readers.

The early Salvation Army professed its commitment to sexual equality in ministry and leadership. In fact, its founding constitution proclaimed women had the right to preach and hold any office in the organization. But did they? Women in God’s Army is the first study of its kind devoted to the critical analysis of this central claim. It traces the extent to which this egalitarian ideal was realized in the private and public lives of first- and second-generation female Salvationists in Britain and argues that the Salvation Army was found wanting in its overall commitment to women’s equality with men. Bold pronouncements were not matched by actual practice in the home or in public ministry. Andrew Mark Eason traces the nature of these discrepancies, as well as the Victorian and evangelical factors that lay behind them. He demonstrates how Salvationists often assigned roles and responsibilities on the basis of gender rather than equality, and the ways in which these discriminatory practices were supported by a male-defined theology and authority. He views this story from a number of angles, including historical, gender and feminist theology, ensuring it will be of interest to a wide spectrum of readers. Salvationists themselves will appreciate the light it sheds on recent debates. Ultimately, however, anyone who wants to learn more about the human struggle for equality will find this book enlightening.