Women's "Experience" in New Religious Movements: The Case of Shinnyoen
While preaching a doctrine of sexual equality, many new religious movements in fact place women in a subordinate position. Previous research on these movements has claimed that it is women themselves who support the structures of male-dominance and has been critical of the women as being backward. I...
| Published in: | Japanese journal of religious studies |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Nanzan Institute
[2003]
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| In: |
Japanese journal of religious studies
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| Further subjects: | B
Women
B Gender Equality B Buddhism B Feminism B Religious Studies B Gender Roles B Men B spirit mediums |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | While preaching a doctrine of sexual equality, many new religious movements in fact place women in a subordinate position. Previous research on these movements has claimed that it is women themselves who support the structures of male-dominance and has been critical of the women as being backward. In this article I point out that such research paints women as a peculiar, problematic existence. Ironically, this has averted attention from the peculiar, problematic existence. Ironically, this has averted attention from the has hindered efforts to make a true record of the role of women in religious history. I focus on Shinnyoen as a case where traditional gender ideology does not lead to the exclusion of women's religious experience. The group has cho sen to emphasize individual spiritual development, while at the same time preserving traditional doctrines and practices, and as a result it has established an environment where gender categories are not fixed. This suggests the possibility that "spirituality" might restrain the tendency towards conservativism in gender structures. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Japanese journal of religious studies
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