In her letter Feminism is anti-women, Dolores S Steenhuis maintains that feminism has been a negative influence for society and has had detrimental effects on women. The principle of feminism is the full humanity of women, a principle which the Catholic Church has not supported in theory or in fact.
Down the centuries the Church taught that women were not created fully in the image of God but only attained this through their husbands (St Augustine) and that all females were misbegotten males (St Thomas Aquinas), having been conceived at the time of the full moon or when a south wind is blowing.
To his credit, Pope John Paul II affirmed that women share equal human dignity with men and are truly created in the image of God. However, in many of his writings he consigns women to the private place of the home and never speaks of women’s leadership in the Church.
There are many varieties of feminism in South Africa and around the world. The question that needs to be asked is this: Does this practice, idea, social structure and Church teaching affirm and support the full humanity of women? If it does, this is good news. If it does not, then it is bad news for women and men.
Sue Rakoczy IHM, Cedara
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