The image of women in the oldest religions

Abstract

Introduction. In traditional religions and cultures, there was always the asymmetry related to gender. It was believed that activities performed by men were more important than those which were carried out by women. Woman as the protectress and the guardian of the family is called the mother. The primary and the extraordinary beauty of a woman is motherhood. The attributes of women are: fertility, parenting and the mystery of new life. Over centuries, the position of women in society has changed. Nowadays, the role of women depends on the culture in which they live and the religion they confess.

Aim. The authors present the image of women in the oldest religions of the world.

Material and methods. Literature analysis in the field of culture, religion, gynaecology and obstetrics as well as the personal experience.

The results. According to Christianity, the most meaningful religion for us, we recall the approach of John Paul II who emphasized the equality between men and women. In Islam, the Koran and Hadith collect the rights and obligations for every Muslim. Allah described the role of women as less important than men’s - women have lower social status. In Judaism, according to Torah every single person has a different function in life. Woman’s main mission is to maintain a positive home atmosphere and to educate children in accordance with faith.