Abby Landesman

Pd. 3
December 9, 2016
The effect of religious doctrine on the role of women: Europe and Southwest Asia, 600 c. e.

to 1400 c. e.

Between 600 c. e. and 1400 c. e., religion in different forms continued to shape daily

practices and norms, specifically for women. Men were considered superior in most aspects, and

women were unable to be on top of the religious hierarchy, disabling them from changing

doctrine, such as canon and sharia law, for purposes of equality. Though women often had the

very important job of raising the kids and producing the next generation, their importance

usually went publicly unrecognized in the three major religions of Catholicism, Islam, and

Judaism. Religious doctrine in Europe and Southwest Asia between 600 c. e. And 1400 c. e.

created the negative norms that the sole role of women was to bear children and take care of the

household, that women should not be seen or heard, and that women are the property of men.

A recurring theme throughout religious doctrine of this time period is the role of women

as childbearers and taking care of the home. This theme is evident specifically in the Medieval

Roman Catholic Bible, as it states that woman will be saved through bearing children

(Document 1). This comes directly from the religious text, which makes it reliable as it was used

by the people to determine their practices, and states explicitly a purpose of women, which

makes it extremely useful. A Jewish commentary on the religious text also reinforces this role. It

explains that not only are women not required to study Torah, but it is advised that men should

not teach his daughter Torah because them women will turn it into trivialities (Document 6). This

implies that women do not have the same role of men to be scholars and study to word of God.

This document does not come directly from scripture, but it is still reliable because it is from the

Mishneh Torah, which is commentary from scholars that are widely trusted throughout the
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religious community. Even when women are not part of a family, they are still delegated to do

the chore of taking care of people. This is shown in a drawing of nuns working at a French

Medieval Hospital. In the picture, the nuns are taking care of the sick and dying, as well as

cleaning the hospital after the sick people (Document 7). Nuns do not have husbands or children,

but they still have the role of taking care of the less able and taking care of the building in which

they are staying. One reason besides religion that women might have been considered one who

raises the children and takes care of the house is because females are the only ones who have the

actual ability to birth a child. This could lead to the assumption that this means that she was

biologically intended to raise that child, and men have the other duties. The scripture,

commentary on the scripture, and womens roles in a context besides childrearing all lead to the

conclusion that women were expected through religious doctrine to take care of the children and

the home.

Religious doctrine not only framed the role of women as caregiver, but also defined

women as voiceless, that they should be seen and heard as little as possible. Catholic scripture

specifically states that no woman should teach or have authority over men. She is to keep

silent (Document 1). This means that women should not speak or share their opinions over men.

Similarly, in terms of the viewing of women, the Quran expects women to be as plain as

possible and to not show off their jewelry (Document 2). While in much of American culture

today, jewelry is worn specifically to bring attention to the person wearing it, this excerpt shows

that that is what religious doctrine is trying to prevent. This excerpt, like the Catholic scripture, is

reliable because it comes directly from the religious documents. In addition to the scripture,

comments from observers can bring insight about the role of women. Ibn al Hajj, an Egyptian
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December 9, 2016
Scholar, observes that some women are neglecting the norm of being more subtle when walking

in public. He describes, She goes out in the streets as if she were a shining bride, walking in the

middle of the road and jostling men. The fact that Hajj is surprised by this shows that usually

women are barely seen and not heard. Because this is commentary from an observer and not

direct religious documents, it holds a little less credibility than the other documents. However,

the commentator himself is widely known, which gives him more credibility because he may

represent the views of the other men in the community. Religious texts that display the rules as

well as reactions when women seemingly break the rules demonstrate that women are expected

to be not seen nor heard.

A final theme in monotheistic doctrines of the time was that women were the property of

men and thus men have power over women. This concept is mainly understood from the

reactions of men towards the actions of women. Hajj, observing Muslim women, comments that

men who are supposed to be superior in mind and piety stoop to talking with women about

business, suggesting that women are lower than men (Document 4). The Fourth Lateran Council

of the Roman Catholic Church decreed that because women of different religions werent

dressing differently enough, Christians have intercourse with Jewish or Saracen women and

Jews or Saracens with Christian women (Document 5). This implies that it is the mans

responsibility to monitor what women are wearing so that they wouldnt deign to speak to

women from other religions. Finally, the Torah (aimed at Jewish women) adds an obligation

concerning what to do if a man dies: the wife of the dead man shall not be married abroad unto

one who is not his kin. The brother of her dead husband shall go in unto her and take her to him

to wife and perform the obligations of a husband's brother to her (Document 3). This shows that
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women did not have a choice in her love life, and was virtually the property of all the men in the

family, passed on from man to man. The original story of creation in Christianity and Judaism is

also one that promotes superiority of men. Genesis 2:22 states that man was created first, named

Adam, and then woman was created from Adams rib. Throughout the bible this first story is

referenced as reasons why man is the glory of god but that woman is the glory of man. All of

these texts show how religious view of man being superior and in control of women translate to

the role of women in society.

Throughout history, religion has had an immense impact on society and the roles of

women. Religious doctrine was revered highly between the years of 600 and 1400 c. e., which

made the role of women constrained to child rearing, invisible, and defined as property of men.

Women in todays era, however, are looking to move past the constraints that men and religion

have put on them. Many argue that the issue isnt the fact that women shouldnt be the child

rearers or cant dress modestly, but that the issue is that men are the ones telling women what to

do. Feminism today is fighting for the right of women to be or not to be religious, the right of

women to wear whatever they want, whether it be a bikini or burkini, and the right of women to

do whatever they want to do, whether it is being a stay at home mom or working a full time

paying job.