Gender and Religion on Huffington Post

Jewish Female Scribes Receive The Torah

2012-05-25T08:01:43Z

Some say her work is forbidden. Some might say it's a complete waste of time. Others remain silent. But Julie Seltzer, one of a few women in history t...

Read more: Soferet, Video, Judaism, Jewish Women, Jewish Law, Gender and Religion, Torah, Slideexpand, Shavuot, Religion News

Jewish Female Scribes: Timeline Of A Modern Movement

2012-05-23T18:35:45Z

Their existence is unprecedented in Jewish history: a growing, loosely knit community of approximately 50 Jewish female scribes living across the Unit...

Read more: Judaism, Jewish Women, Gender and Religion, Religion News

Mary C. Johnson: The Vatican Lays A Cunning Trap For American Nuns

2012-05-21T13:54:57Z

At the end of this month, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious will meet to formulate a response to a Vatican trap whose cunning is best appreciated within the long tradition of religious authorities who craft impossible dilemmas for those they perceive as threats.

Read more: Catholic Church, Catholicism, Gender and Religion, Jesus, Joan of Arc, Catholic Nuns, Vatican, American Nuns, Religion News

Soraya Chemaly: A Message To Girls About Religious Men Who Fear You

2012-05-21T12:31:02Z

You are powerful beyond words, because you threaten to unravel the control of corrupt men who abuse their authority.

Read more: Women's Empowerment, Gender Equality, Catholic Women, Muslim Women, Christian Women, Jewish Women, Women in Religion, Gender and Religion, Slidepollajax, Becoming-Fearless, Religion News

Rabbi Jill Hammer, Ph.D.: Ruth Is Love Within Majesty

2012-05-20T14:32:34Z

The story of King David and of the Messiah must begin with an act of kindness. Ruth is the love inside the kingdom, the love of the Divine Presence, the love that flows through the whole world.

Read more: Gender and Religion, Scripture Study, Scripture Commentary, Omer 2012, Judaism, Malkhut, Women in the Bible, Chesed, Biblical Women, Religion News

Olga Bonfiglio: Vatican Decree Calls Attention To The Place Of Women Religious

2012-05-18T11:10:11Z

While Pope John Paul II's relationship with American nuns appeared to rein in the more exuberant experiments and freedoms they embraced after Vatican II, Pope Benedict XVI's recent decree is drop-dead shocking.

Read more: Religion, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican II, Catholic Church, Gender and Religion, Catholic Nuns, Religion News

Michele Somerville: United States Catholics: A Church Divided

2012-05-16T20:09:37Z

So rogue are most Roman Catholics when it comes to papal teaching, that Catholic dissidence often seems the norm.

Read more: Roman Catholic Church, Catholic Charities, Pope Benedict XVI, Barack Obama, Fornight for Freedom, Women's Ordination, Catholic Church, Timothy Dolan, Vatican, Religion and Politics, Religion News

Patricia McGuire: Girl Scouts And God's Grace

2012-05-16T15:30:29Z

Real evil abounds in our world each day, and most of us are doing our level best to relieve the pain of evil's fallout. Faith leaders should support the good people who work hard to make a positive difference for children in this very imperfect world.

Read more: Catholic Church, Bishops and Girl Scouts, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Culture Wars, Girl Scouts, Planned Parenthood, Girl Scouts of America, Gender and Religion, Religion News

Sarah O'Leary: Human Rights Begin In The Pew

2012-05-16T14:37:07Z

I believe in exacting change from the inside out by trying to make things better rather than abandoning them. But unless I can find a way to express my opposition to all forms of bigotry within the confines of my Church, I'm going to have to sit that pew out.

Read more: Women's Rights, Prejudice, Pope Benedict XVI, Catholic Church, Gender Equality, Gay Rights, Religion and Politics, Christianity, Catholic Women, Gender and Religion, Religion News

Rabbi Jill Hammer, Ph.D.: Tamar: The Strength Within Connectivity

2012-05-14T16:51:49Z

King David's eldest son Amnon is lovesick for his half-sister Tamar, a virgin princess. Amnon's slimy cousin Yonadav proposes a ruse: Amnon should pretend to be ill, ask King David to send Tamar to make cakes for him in order to help him get well.

Read more: Gender and Religion, Scripture Study, Scripture Commentary, Women in the Bible, Omer 2012, Biblical Women, Judaism, Religion News

Katherine Marshall: Mayan Visions For Peace: Mother Earth And Motherhood

2012-05-13T16:15:37Z

Celebrating women has special significance and points to the diversity and creativity of their visions and their sheer courage and gumption.

Read more: Rosalina Tuyuc Velasquez, Mayan Spirituality, Guatemala, Niwano Peace Prize, Gender and Religion, Conavigua, Mothers Day, Becoming-Fearless, Religion News

PHOTOS: Heroic Moms From The Bible And Other Religious Traditions

2012-05-13T08:01:51Z

Our religious traditions are filled with tales of extraordinary mothers. These mothers were prophetesses and goddesses; and gave birth to gods, prophe...

Read more: Mothers in the Bible, Mothers of the Bible, Mothers From Scripture, Mothers-Day, Gender and Religion, Interfaith, Mothers Day Religious, Amazing Moms From Bible, Slidepollajax, Religion News

Pope Finds Kindred Spirit In German 'Feminist' Saint

2012-05-12T08:29:28Z

By Alessandro Speciale
Religion News Service

(RNS) Here are two things that don't typically go together: Pope Benedict XVI and feminist culture.
...

Read more: Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Hildegard, Video, Hildegard of Bingen, Gender and Religion, Hildegard Von Bingen Saint, Hildebard Von Bingen, Pope Declares Hildegard Saint, Women and Religion, Catholic-Church, Religion News

Obama Cites Faith In Support Of Gay Marriage

2012-05-09T17:28:00Z

In a stark reversal of what he's previously said about how his faith informs his views on same-sex marriage, President Barack Obama prominently cited ...

Read more: Obama Same-Sex Marriage, Gay Marriage Religion, Same-Sex Marriage Religion, Elections 2012, Obama Gay Marriage, Barack Obama Gay Marriage, North Carolina Amendment 1 Religion, Video, Barack Obama Religion, President Barack Obama Gay Marriage, Gender and Religion, Faith and Gay Marriage, Religion and Sexuality, Barack Obama Faith, Barack Obama 2012, Religion and Homosexuality, Religion News

Hussain Abdul-Hussain: From One Arab Man to Mona Eltahawy: Thank You!

2012-05-08T11:40:49Z

The problem with the Arab Spring has been so far its focus on political affairs. While important, there will be no Arab revolution without a shift in cultural paradigms, and this is only possible when people like Eltahawy take the lead and provoke.

Read more: Mona Eltahawy, Middle East, Islam, Gender and Religion, Arab Spring, Women's Rights, Muslim Women, Arab Women, Religion News

Judy Batalion: Why I Loved My Ultra-Religious Wedding

2012-05-03T17:48:10Z

My big fat Orthodox Sephardi wedding taught me that there are things in Jewish tradition and law about femininity, gender and sexuality that are relevant, resonant and hugely interesting to me.

Read more: Sephardic, Traditional Wedding, Judy Chicago, Gender and Religion, Jewish Wedding, Gender and Sexuality, Groucho Marx, Bevis Marks Synagogue, Judy Blume, Religious Wedding, Orthodox Wedding, Real Weddings, Weddings News

Hadassah At 100: Honoring America's Jewish Women

2012-05-06T21:00:06Z

By Marcie Natan
Hadassah National President

In 2004, Belle Simon, who lived in New York at the time, needed a kidney transplant. A longtime membe...

Read more: Hadassah, American Judaism, Judaism, Jewish Women, Gender-and-Religion, Zionism, Slideexpand, G-20, Religion News

Rabbi Jill Hammer, Ph.D.: Hatzelponit: Generosity Within Receiving

2012-05-06T15:10:10Z

Hatzelponit is comfortable with the appearance of angels. She knows that the prophecy she has received is one of love.

Read more: Scripture Study, Scripture Commentary, Counting the Omer, Omer 2012, Hod, Gender and Religion, Chesed, Judaism, Religion News

Dan Mulhern: Nun-Sensical Male Leadership

2012-05-04T13:05:49Z

I think it's high time we build a different manly culture. It is time for a new masculine strength, where men in power stand for principles that matter.

Read more: Abortion, Catholic Church, Nuns, Masculinity, Gender and Religion, Vatican Nun Investigation, Religion News

Harry Knox: Why Religious People Should Support The Rights Of Women In Reproductive Decisions

2012-05-03T10:43:17Z

Women's reproductive rights have been so stigmatized and stripped of moral value by certain religious leaders that it can be difficult to speak up. This is a good time to reconsider.

Read more: Catholic Church, Gender and Religion, Christianity, Abortion, Contraception, Reproductive Rights, Religion News

Ali A. Rizvi: Misogyny in the Middle East: The Real Elephant in the Room

2012-05-01T16:37:26Z

A swarm of criticism has been leveled against Mona Eltahawy's recent Foreign Policy story on the state of women in the Arab world. Saying that sexism and misogyny in the Middle East has "nothing to do" with Islam is symptomatic of either denial or fear.

Read more: Patriarchy, Islam Women, Women's Rights, Religion, Women Arab Spring, Women Religion, Women Arab World, Islam Patriarchy, World News

Mark Morford: How To Properly Spank A Nun

2012-04-28T10:25:57Z

Until recently, I had not the slightest clue as to what American nuns did all day. Delivering meals to the poor. Knitting giant crucifix cozies. No idea. Until now. Until I discovered that a great many American nuns have been actively and frequently pissing off the Vatican.

Read more: Catholic Church, Priests, Female Sexuality, Leadership Council of Women Religious, Nuns, Catholic Oppression, Pope Benedict XVI, Gender and Religion, Religion News

Patricia McGuire: The True Radicalism Of Catholic Sisters

2012-04-25T14:01:55Z

Whatever the sisters might have done to cross invisible lines of vowed obedience according to Church rules, they have done so with courage and conviction. They deserve reverence, not retribution.

Read more: Women in the Church, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith, Roman Catholic Church, Catholic Nuns, Religious Sisters, Vatican, Catholic Church, Vatican Nun Crackdown, Gender and Religion, Religion News

Paul Gorrell, Ph.D.: The Vatican's War On Women

2012-04-25T15:05:44Z

This is not a new war for the Vatican. This is old time religion. The Catholic Church has been a repressive place for women for its entire history.

Read more: Catholic Church, Women, The Vatican, Nuns, Pope Benedict XVI, Lcwr, Gender and Religion, Religion News

Redemption: How I Broke The Chains Of My Religious Tradition

2012-04-25T08:00:52Z

By Fraidy Reiss
Religion News Service

(RNS) Where I come from, girls are married off as teenagers to men they barely know and are expected to spen...

Read more: Video, Judaism, Jewish Women, Fraidy Reiss, Fraidy Reiss Unchained at Least, Gender-and-Religion, Unchained at Last, Orthodox Judaism, Religion News