Religious change

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How religions establish their
beliefs towards women & minorities.
How they change policies over time.

About establishing and changing beliefs:

Religious beliefs differ among faith groups and have changed over time, particularly those involving:

	Human slavery.
	The role of women in the home, religious organizations, and the rest of society;
	Equal rights for religious minorities,
	Equal rights for sexual minorities like gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender persons and transsexuals, including the right for same-sex couples to marry

Beliefs and policies are often established at the religious, denominational, congregational and individual level on the basis of four factors:

	What do the scriptures say, as interpreted by the group or individual?
	What have the faith group's historical policies been?
	What does one's personal experience say?
	What does reason and scientific knowledge say?

Conservative wings of Christianity tend to more heavily weigh the first two factors; the liberal and progressive wings tend to give more importance to the last two factors. A similar process is seen in other world religions.

Too often, these four factors lead to conclusions that are in conflict. Unfortunately, many faith groups do not have mechanisms to handle change well without angry debate, schism, and occasionally even violence.

This section will describe how religious groups have handled or are handling change. Most essays linked to this menu deal with three examples of changes -- relating to human slavery, the status of women, and the rights of homosexuals and bisexuals. We hope to add material on changes among faith groups in their teachings and policies on transsexuality in the future as they become clarified. These four moral and ethical conflicts in North America represent a major focus of religious activity over the past two centuries. They are interesting to study because:

	The first -- human slavery and its offshoot racism -- is largely settled (although the negative effects of slavery and racism will be with us for generations);
	The second -- status of women -- is partly settled;
	The third -- equal rights for homosexuals and bisexuals -- is in full swing;
	The fourth - elimination of discrimination of people on the basis of gender identity -- is just surfacing.

Hopefully, study of conflicts and religious changes in the past, will help us understand present-day conflicts; they may help us assess the probable outcome.

Topics covered in this section:

	What this section is about << We suggest you read this first
	How faith groups establish various religious beliefs and policies   How faith groups handle apparent internal conflicts in the Bible
	Introduction to religious change: Quotes, ethics and truth, dynamics of change, examples Racism/sexism/homophobia, visitors' reactions; why is it so touchy?
	Previously settled & currently active conflicts, mainly between religion & science
	The Manhattan Declaration of 2009 to resist change with civil disobedience if necessary
	Instances in the Bible of radical change in beliefs: Satan, sacrifices, holy days, transferability of sin, afterlife, status of women
	Editing holy books to remove passages advocating hate, violence, etc. A listing of some of the above passages in the Bible
	The church's initial assumptions about slavery, women's rights and gay rights
	Current church & societal discrimination based on race, gender & sexual orientation

Site navigation: Main path

Home > here  Home > Christianity >  Beliefs, history... > here  Home > Religious violence >  Slavery > here or Home > Christianity >  Beliefs, history... >  Slavery > here

Home > "Hot" religious topics > Homosexuality > Religion > here

Other paths too numerous to list

Copyright © 2006 to 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally posted: 2006-MAY-29
Latest update: 2009-MAY-15
Author: B.A. Robinson

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