Keywords Community Cohesion Sexism discriminating against people because

Keywords – Community Cohesion • • • Sexism – discriminating against people because of their gender (being male or female) Discrimination – treating people less favourably because of their ethnicity/gender/colour/class Ethnic Minority – a member of an ethnic group (race) which is much smaller than the majority group Multi-ethnic society – many different races and cultures living together in one society Prejudice – believing some people are inferior or superior without even knowing them Racism – the belief that some ethnic groups are superior to others Community Cohesion – a common vision and shared sense of belonging for all groups in society Multi-faith society – many different religions living together in one society Racial harmony – different ethnic groups living together peacefully Religious Freedom – the right to practise your religion and change your religion Interfaith marriage – marriage where the husband wife are from different religions Religious pluralism – accepting all religions as having an equal right to co-exist

Topics – Community Cohesion • Gender – how attitudes have changed and Christian and Jewish views on women in religion • Multi–ethnic Britain and Christian and Jewish attitudes to racial harmony • Multi-faith Britain and issues for religion • Community Cohesion - Government action and religions work to promote • Religion and community cohesion in the media – Vicar of Dibley and women in religion

How and Why Attitudes to The Roles of Men and Women Have Changed How • • Married Women’s Property Act 1882 – allowed married women to keep their own property Women used to be expected to stay at home and look after children 1928 – equal voting rights for women Equal Pay Act 1970 – employers required to give women same pay as men Sex Discrimination Act 1975 – illegal to discriminate in employment on grounds of gender Men’s attitudes to roles of men and women gradually changed But 68% of women still claim they do all the housework Why • • WW 1 and WW 2 – women had to take on jobs previously done by men Development of equal rights for women in other countries Success of women as councillors and contributions of women to developments in health and social care Suffragette movement Social and industrial developments in 1950 s and 1960 s – more need for women workers and 2 nd incomes UN Declaration of Human Rights Feminist movement Labour governments of 1964 -70 and 1974 -79 who passed the equality acts

Christian Attitudes to Women Traditional Protestants • Viewpoint - Men and women have separate and different roles so not equal. – Women to bring up children and run Christian home – Men to provide for family and lead family in religion, only they can be Church Leaders • Have these views because: – St Paul – women should not speak in Church – “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” – All of Jesus’ apostles were men – Tradition of Church to only have male leaders

Christian Attitudes to Women Catholics • Viewpoint - Men and women should have equal roles in life and equal rights in society • But - Women can fulfil any role in Church other than ordained ministry • Have these views because: – Equal because: • Creation story – God created men and women at the same time and of equal status – both created “in the image of God” • Teaching of Catholic Church that men and women are equal – BUT Only men can be priests because: • Apostles all men and priests and bishops are successors of the apostles • Jesus was a man and priests represent Jesus in Mass

Christian Attitudes to Women Modern Protestants • Viewpoint - Men and women should have equal rights • Many (Church of England, Methodist etc. ) have women ministers • Have these views because: – Creation story – God created men and women at the same time and of equal status – both created “in the image of God” – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” – Jesus treated women as his equals – e. g. Women disciples who stayed with him at the cross, Jesus first showed himself to women when he resurrected – Some evidence of women priests in early Church

Jewish Attitudes to Women Orthodox – men and women are different and so have different roles. Women can’t be Rabbis • • • Separate roles are the way for family life to develop in the way that God wants Torah and Talmud teach that men and women are different and therefore not equal. The Mitzvot (commandments) only apply to men “To the women he said, “I will increase your pain in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband he will rule over you. ” Women can’t form a Minyan Women can’t be witnesses in a Bet Din Liberal/Reform – men and women are equal and should have equal roles. Women can be Rabbis • Why would God prefer men to women? • Creation story in Genesis says that men and women were created at the same time and of equal status. • Judaism should relate to attitudes in the modern world • Believe Torah is not the word of God but inspired by God so can be interpreted for today

UK as Multi-ethnic Society • Always had a mixed society – Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Vikings etc. • UK always believed in human freedom and has offered asylum to those suffering persecution • British Empire in 19 th Century – citizens of empire allowed to settle in UK in return for being ruled by UK • Slaves who set foot on British soil immediately became free • Empire began to be known as Commonwealth as countries gained independence • 1950 s- substantial immigration from people in commonwealth – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Africa, Caribbean – to lessen labour shortage in UK – many fought for UK in WW 2 • Extension of European Union at start of 21 st Century – large influx of Eastern Europeans • Wars and racial/religious persecution has led to increase in asylum seekers • 7. 9% of total UK population is ethnic minority • Differences in different areas

Problems of Discrimination and Racism • Racially or religiously prejudiced employers will not give jobs to certain ethnic/religious groups • Prejudiced landlords likely to refuse accommodation to certain ethnic/religious groups • Teachers could be prejudices towards certain ethnic/religious groups – may discriminate in teaching and these pupils underachieve • Prejudiced police officers could discriminate in stop and search, treating evidence from different people differently

Effects of Discrimination and Racism • If certain groups feel they are being treated unfairly by society they may feel alienated by society and work against it • Some politicians believe some young black people turn to crime because they don’t feel they’ll get well-paid jobs due to discrimination • Some politicians believe some young people have turned to extremist Islamic groups because they feel they have no chance of success in prejudiced Britain – can lead to terrorist attacks • Rise of groups like BNP which stir up racial hatred and create community unrest

Benefits of Multi-ethnic Society • Less chance of war – people of different ethnic groups will get to know each other and may intermarry • More progress – new people will bring new ideas • Life is more interesting – food, music, fashion, entertainment • Helps people appreciate that different ethnic groups are equal

Government Action to Promote Community Cohesion • Financially supports groups working for community cohesion • Made it part of National Curriculum • Funding research into best way of achieving it • Appointing cabinet ministers, judges etc. from minority ethnic groups • Race Relations Act – unlawful to discriminate on grounds of race, colour, ethnicity • Crime and Disorder Act – higher penalties for racially/religiously motivated crimes • Racial and Religious Hatred Act • Establishing Equality and Human Rights Commission

Why Community Cohesion is Important • Without it different groups in society can have different visions of what society should be like – can lead to violence, civil unrest (UK RIOTS) • Bradford Riots 2001 • 7 July 2007 – London bombings • Countries without community cohesion (Iraq, Kosovo, Kashmir) violence becomes way of life

Christianity and Racial Harmony – All think it is important • “Love thy neighbour” • Parable of the Good Samaritan – Christians should treat people of all races as their neighbour • Jesus helped promote racial harmony • “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” • Christian Church has members all over the world • All Christian churches condemn racism

Judaism and Racial harmony - All think it is important • Genesis – “This is the book of the generations of man” • Torah – all humans can be traced back to Adam and Eve • Tenakh – teachings about how God cares for the oppressed and wants his people to bring justice to the world • “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not ill-treat him” • Racist acts against Jews

Benefits of UK as Multi-faith Society • People can learn about different religions • People from different religions may practise their religion more seriously which may make people think about the way they practise their own religion • Likely to become more understanding about different religions and realise everyone is entitled to own religious views • Less religious conflicts

Issues in Multi-faith Society Conversion • Many religions see it as their right/duty to try to convert • Believe their religion is only true religion • Believe everyone has right to go to heaven • Holy books teach them they should convert • Could be seen as a type of prejudice/ discrimination • Impossible to regard all other religions as wrong unless studied them all • Can lead to arguments/ violence

Issues in Multi-faith Society – Bringing Up Children • Most religions encourage parents to bring children up in religion – some parents do not want children to learn about other religions • Most religions teach that only those who follow religion will have good afterlife • Social and peer pressures can compel parents to exert pressure on children to remain in faith to preserve family and traditions • Children educated in British state schools experience secular nature of British life and could be tempted away from religion.

Issues in Multi-faith Society – Interfaith Marriages • Often can be no religious ceremony • Which religion will children be brought up in? • What will happen after death – couple buried in different places? • Parents and relatives may feel children have betrayed their roots and family by falling in love with someone from different religion

How Religions Promote Community Cohesion • Different religions working together to find similarities in their religions • Some religious groups developing ways of helping interfaith marriages • Some religious groups encouraging mixed faith parents to bring children up in both religions and leave it up to children to choose once they are adults • Joining together in groups aiming to help community cohesion

Vicar of Dibley and women in religion Why the issue is important • The issue of women’s rights within Christianity has been an extremely controversial one for a number of years. • Officially, the Church of England accept women have the right to become vicars and church leaders. • The Roman Catholic Church do not accept that women should be allowed to become leaders of the Church. • The issue has had an impact on the media, as it has been reported on a lot in the news. • It also coincides with the wider debate on the rights of women in the UK, with some people saying that any opposition to women leading the Church should be seen as a form of sexism.

Vicar of Dibley and women in religion - how this issue is dealt with • In the Vicar of Dibley, the female vicar, Geraldine, is initially treated with suspicion and resistance by some important members of the congregation. • One makes the point that the Gospels were written by men and that he did not want the parish turned into an experiment. • Some members of the congregation writing to the Church of England synod to get them to provide a male vicar, however, it turns out that most people do not have a problem with a female vicar and so she stays as vicar of the Church and a member of the Parish Council.

Vicar of Dibley and women in religion – Treatment of Religious Belief • Religious belief is not really discussed heavily in this episode apart from references to the Gospels being written by men. • This means that while this was a valid religious viewpoint that was portrayed, there was not really enough reference to religious belief to get a balanced set of views. • There are many religious beliefs about the role of women within Christianity that were not mentioned, such as the principle of equality and the notion that all human beings have been made ‘in the image of God’. • There is also the argument that St Paul stated that women should remain silent in Church which was not mentioned in the episode.

Vicar of Dibley and women in religion – Treatment of Religious People • The treatment of Christians seemed fair in that both sides of the argument were represented, however, it did not really go into detail about their motivations, other than the social reasons behind them and it did make light of their views in a comedic way, which some religious people would think is unfair given that the issue is so important to them.