Should Women Become Bible Scholars?

[Stone]

Should Women Become Bible Scholars?
A Q&A taken from here. 

[This seems very much in line with how the Church has traditionally acted in the past.]

Dear TIA,

Back in March, I sent you an email asking questions on academic professions and one of my questions was regarding the appropriateness or inappropriateness regarding a woman receiving a degree in religious studies and becoming a scholar on religion.

I wanted to ask your opinion on such a matter again including one regarding biblical studies by sending a new email since my older one might have gotten lost in the flood of other emails you probably receive daily.

My question is: Is it against a woman's nature to join religious studies and becoming a scholar on religion? Should this profession only be reserved for men? How about a woman receiving a degree in biblical studies and becoming a Bible scholar?

Thank you for your time. It is much appreciated.

R.T.

***

Dr. Horvat responds:


Dear R.T.,

I apologize for the delay in responding to your question. I will gladly offer my opinion on the topic of whether a woman should become a scholar in Religion.

Given that men by nature are more prone to objective and logical thinking, I believe that the fields of Religion and Philosophy belong to them, as was the rule in the past. It suits the nature of men, as the medieval Doctors noted well, but not the nature of women, to enter into serious study on these topics.

Having said this, I believe that, as an exception, if a woman were to pursue a sensible course of study in Religion or History for her own benefit, or inside a convent, it could well be beneficial and could help to fulfill her spiritual / intellectual needs, as some persons profit from studies more than others.

I believe it is not wrong for a woman to study Religion. Some women can even be called to it, although it is often the exception rather than the rule.

From the time of the Middle Ages, women in convents studied Latin, read spiritual works, and engaged in transcribing. As early as St. Jerome, we have St. Paula and her daughter assisting the Saint in the translation of the Vulgate, dedicating their lives to study under his guidance. There were many great Abbesses such as Saint Hild, Saint Lioba, Saint Gertrude, Saint Hildegarde von Bingen, who were deeply immersed in matters of Religion and read and studied much.

However, please note, until the 17th century women did not enter the universities and pursue careers as professors, and even up to the 19th century it was a novelty for a woman to pursue higher degrees. Further, the study of Theology in the medieval and even later universities (at least until the 20th century) was strictly for men.

In the study of Religion, women followed men and were directed by men, usually priests, who often encouraged them in their studies when they discerned it would be a good for them and others.

So, on one side we have Feminism pushing women to have degrees, including degrees in religious matters, and this inclines us to think it is wrong. On the other hand, we have the examples of great women saints who studied, which lead us to imitate them.

There is not one unswerving answer to your question. The spirit of the study and its aim are what should count for a decision.

As a final note, allow me to stress that more important than to have a degree is to have Catholic sense, which today has almost disappeared.

Regarding Catholic sense and common sense, in my opinion, for women the most important thing is to know how to do well those things that are proper to women: Housekeeping, sewing, cooking, home decor, gardening, playing a musical instrument and singing, besides taking care of her husband and children if she is married, or of her family if she is not.

I hope this is of some help to you.

Cordially,

Dr. Marian T. Horvat