‘Leadership’ or ‘Dialogue’? Women, Authority and Religious Change in a Netherlands Community

This article is concerned with religion and gender in the Netherlands, in particular the growing involvement and importance of women. Employing a comparative, qualitative analysis of ‘orthodox’ and ‘ liberal’ Reformed Protestants and Catholics in one particular community, it not only analyses differ...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Watling, Tony (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Oxford Univ. Press 2002
In: Sociology of religion
Year: 2002, Volume: 63, Issue: 4, Pages: 515-538
Online Access: Volltext (JSTOR)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article is concerned with religion and gender in the Netherlands, in particular the growing involvement and importance of women. Employing a comparative, qualitative analysis of ‘orthodox’ and ‘ liberal’ Reformed Protestants and Catholics in one particular community, it not only analyses different religious rules and regulations that discriminate between ‘male’ and ‘female’ but also the way different female believers interpret religious beliefs, undertake religious practices and influence their churches, thereby transforming religion. Religion, traditionally associated with dominant (male) authorities, has been challenged by recent changes that encourage individualism and cause fragmentation and diversity. Rather than decline, religion may adapt and accommodate change in diverse ways. Women may be liberated by this change and be important agents in negotiation of different religious views and practices. The article examines these issues and explores what possibilities or problems, empowerments or disempowerments, such may pose for women and for religion in general.
ISSN:1759-8818
Contains:Enthalten in: Sociology of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2307/3712305