Role of Men & Women in Worship & Authority (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Development of gender equality

• Gender equality means that men and women should have the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities in all areas of life

• Gender prejudice is when someone is unfairly judged as inferior or superior because of their gender

• Gender discrimination happens when people act on those prejudices and treat others unfairly because of their gender. This kind of unfair treatment is often called sexism

• While gender discrimination can affect both men and women, it has historically affected women more often

  • Historically, men have held more power in society and had greater rights than women

  • For example, in the UK, women could not vote or choose to divorce their husbands for many years

• Over time, attitudes towards gender have changed and laws have been introduced to protect equality

• The Sex Discrimination Act (1975) made it illegal to treat people unfairly because of their sex

• The Equality Act (2010) brought together several earlier laws and made it unlawful to discriminate against anyone based on protected characteristics, including sex

• Despite these changes, gender inequality still exists in some areas, such as pay and job opportunities

• Traditionally, men and women were thought to have different roles in the family and in religion

  • Women were seen as the main carers for children and responsible for managing the home

  • Men were expected to work and provide financially for the family

• These traditional roles were also reflected in religion, where men often held positions of leadership or authority, and women had more supportive roles

• Today, most families decide for themselves how to share work and responsibilities fairly

• In modern society, men and women have equal legal rights in education, employment and family life

• However, achieving full gender equality in practice remains an ongoing process

Christian views on gender equality in worship & authority

• Although men and women were both made in the image of God, the creation story in the book of Genesis suggests that God made women to be a “helpmate” for men

• Historically, the roles of men and women within Christianity supported traditional interpretations of these teachings

  • This was based on interpreting Bible teachings that reflect the culture of the time in which they were written literally

• Some traditional Christians still believe that men are the head of the family and that women’s primary role is to care for the home and children

  • However, most Christians today take a more modern view, seeing marriage as an equal partnership in which men and women share decisions and responsibilities

Women and roles in the church

• For most of Christian history, women were not permitted to be priests. Now, the extent to which they can take on roles of leadership and authority in worship varies depending on denomination

The Catholic and Orthodox Churches

• Although many denominations now allow women to take on leadership roles, this is still not permitted in the Catholic or Orthodox Churches

• The Catholic and Orthodox Churches teach that while men and women are equal, they have different roles. Men take leadership roles in worship, while women’s contribution is seen as equally important in family and community life

• These churches teach that women should not be priests because:

  • All twelve of Jesus’s apostles were men

  • The priest at Mass represents Jesus in blessing the bread and wine, and because Jesus was a man, a woman cannot take on this role

  • Saint Paul said that women should remain silent in church: “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak but must be in submission” (1 Corinthians 14:34). This would obviously mean they could not take on a leadership role

• Women in these traditions still play important roles in church life, including:

  • Teaching Sunday school

  • Helping with worship and music

  • Serving their communities through charity and voluntary work

• Women in these churches can also become nuns, dedicating their lives to serving God through prayer and work

• Pope Francis encouraged greater recognition of women’s work in the church and spoke of his hope that they will have a stronger voice in the future

The Anglican and Protestant Churches

In contrast, the Anglican Church and most Protestant Churches believe that men and women are equal in authority and should be allowed to hold the same roles in worship

• The Church of England began ordaining women as priests in 1994 and consecrated its first female bishop in 2014

• In 2026, Bishop Sarah Mulally will become the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, the principal leader of the Church of England

• In many Protestant denominations, women now serve as ministers, preach, lead worship and play active roles in church leadership

Protestant Christians support women’s equality in the church because:

• Jesus welcomed women among his followers 

• Jesus often challenged the gender expectations of his time. For example, he:

  • Taught women and spoke to them publicly 

  • Allowed Mary of Bethany to learn from him alongside men (Luke 10:38–42)

  • Spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)

  • Appeared first to women after his resurrection

• Saint Paul taught that everyone is equal in the eyes of God

Divergent Christian views

• Some Christians still take traditional or conservative views based on Bible teachings, such as those of Saint Paul

• Saint Paul also wrote that “the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man” (1 Corinthians 11:3), which some traditional Christians interpret to mean that men should take leadership roles in the home and church

• Others argue that these passages reflect the social customs of the time and should not dictate modern church practice

• They point to Jesus’s teaching to “love your neighbour as yourself” as evidence that discrimination of any kind is wrong

• Many Christians believe that God values men and women equally and that gender should not limit a person’s role in the church

Muslim views on gender equality in worship and authority

• In Islam, men and women have traditionally held different roles within the family

• Men and women are seen as equal in value before Allah but have different responsibilities

• This teaching shows that men and women were created from the same soul and should be treated with equal respect

Roles within the family

• Men are expected to provide financially for their families, while women are often seen as the main carers for children

• Mothers hold a position of great honour within Islam and have a vital role in raising children

  • The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said that “Paradise lies at the feet of your mother”, showing the respect Islam gives to motherhood

  • Although many Muslims believe women may work, some think this should be in professions traditionally suited to women, such as midwifery or teaching

  • Others believe women should be free to work in any suitable role, as long as it does not conflict with family responsibilities

Equality in worship

• Men and women have an equal duty to worship Allah and fulfil the same religious responsibilities, such as the Five Pillars of Islam. The Qur’an teaches that all will be rewarded for their good deeds

• Men and women usually pray in separate areas, either divided by a screen or in different parts of the mosque, to maintain modesty

• Some Muslims believe that women can perform religious duties at home rather than attending the mosque

• Some Muslims believe a woman should be accompanied by a male relative when performing Hajj, while others say this is not required today

Roles in religious leadership

• An imam leads the community in prayer and must be a respected Muslim who follows Islamic law and teaching

• Traditionally, only men have been imams because the Qur’an states that:

• In most Muslim communities, women cannot lead men in prayer, as many scholars argue that this would invalidate the men’s prayers

• However, there are some differences between traditions

  • Sunni Muslims generally allow women to lead prayers only for other women or for family groups, standing within the congregation rather than in front

  • Some modern Muslim groups, especially in Western countries, have begun to support female imams and mixed congregations. Women have led prayers in countries such as the UK and Canada

  • In the Hadith, two of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) wives, Aisha and Umm Salamah, are mentioned as having led prayers for other women

Key women in Islam

There are several examples of important women in Islamic history who demonstrate the significance of women in faith

• Khadijah, the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) first wife, was a successful businesswoman and the first person to convert to Islam

• Maryam (Mary), the mother of Isa (Jesus), is highly respected for her faith and obedience to Allah