Jesus can be a model for how men treat women.
This is according to a book about how theology can address male
violence against women and which was launched this week to mark the
centenary year of International Women’s Day.
The book, How Roman Catholic Theology can transform Male Violence Against Women, has the sub title, Explaining the Role of Religion in Shaping Cultural Assumptions about Gender, and is written by Jesuit Dr Michael O’Sullivan, SJ.
He told ciNews that in 1997 the United Nations stated that violence against women is the most pervasive violation of human rights.
Previously Dr O'Sullivan lived in Latin America and experienced
liberation theology and how spirituality and faith help the oppressed,
and feels this can also be true for women who have suffered violence.
In his book Dr O'Sullivan looks at the rates, incidences and types of
violence in countries across the world showing it is a global reality,
but he also looks at theologian’s response to it.
“Very often theologians haven’t engaged in this subject,” he told ciNews.
“In the book I argue why theologians have to take this on board,
providing grounds from a theological approach to include this as part of
the objective of theology. Then, having established grounds for
theologians to address the issue and to see what theologians and
theology can offer to the situation, I concentrate on doctrine of
salvation,” he told ciNews.
He explained that salvation is a core Christian doctrine and under
this heading explored the question of whether a male saviour is a
hindrance to the situation of women. But he also articulated a way of
understanding the maleness of Jesus and offered some positive value to
it in the situation of violence against women.
He spent a whole chapter on the gospel story of the attempt to stone the woman to death.
“It is about Jesus directly facing men wanting to be violent towards a
woman and on religious grounds as well,” he explained.
“He comes
across very much not favouring such action and certainly not the desire
of men to put religion on the side of justifying what they want to do.”
He also explained that Jesus came to reveal to men about how to be men in relation women.
“Being a man allows him to model that and to model to women how men
are to treat and regard women so there can be learning from the maleness
of Jesus around how men and women need to be in relationship with each
other,” he said.
The book also looks at stories of women in the Netherlands and about
incest victims, as illustrative as to how Christianity can be a
participant in violence against women, albeit sometimes unwittingly.
For example the bible story of Eve tempting man might allow women to
feel that were it not for Eve (or women) these things would not be
happening.
Dr O’Sullivan covers some of the conferences, bishops' and other
papers that have addressed the subject.
But for his book he also drew
on work with women who have experienced violence.
“It wasn’t just learning through reading - it was also through
hearing testimony from women and wanting to do something about it, and
being a theologian asking myself what contribution could I make?”
He concluded that the subject of male violence against women is not
just for the courts, police or social workers but also for theologians.
Prof. Linda Hogan, Irish School of Ecumenics and Trinity College
Dublin launched the book at All Hallows College, Dublin.
“Michael
O'Sullivan’s theological analysis of male violence against women breaks
new ground in that it seeks to interrogate the legacy of a theology and a
tradition that has, for the most part been silent on the issue of
violence against women, notwithstanding its prevalence in societies
world-wide,” she said.
“It treads where few male theologians have
previously gone.”
To buy the book contact Dr O’Sullivan: mosullivan@allhallows.ie