Biblical Authority and Linguistic Ploys in Religious Discourse on Women’s Ordination
Presenter Status
Professor, English
Presentation Type
Plenary Presentation
Location
Buller Hall, Room 250
Start Date
23-5-2019 7:00 PM
End Date
23-5-2019 8:00 PM
Presentation Abstract
One of the objectives of Critical Discourse Studies is to identify how asymmetrical power structures are produced and reproduced through text and talk. Whereas much work has been done here in the area of political and media discourse, religious discourse has typically remained at the periphery. Sometimes, inequity and bigotry masquerade as religious ideologies and are promoted without guilt, and the Scripture becomes a tool that vanquishes reasoning and suppresses dialogue while advancing the interests of a dominant group. When a religious group advances specific doctrinal beliefs to exclude and marginalize certain people, it becomes not only beneficial, but necessary, to scrutinize the group’s discourse—both spoken and written--that promulgates such beliefs from a non-theological perspective. This presentation draws from the author’s four prior studies which identify various strategies used by religious leaders of four different Christian denominations in their justification of excluding women from ordained ministry. By synthesizing various tactics utilized by select Christian groups and individuals opposing women’s ordination, this presentation aims to provide an overview of how some use and misuse the Bible in their attempts to justify their position and silence their critics.
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Eun-Young Julia Kim is a Professor of English at Andrews University. She teaches first-year college writing and ESL courses, as well as second language acquisition, global Englishes, and research methods to graduate students. She currently directs the graduate program in the Department of English. Her research interests include sociolinguistics and second language writing.
Biblical Authority and Linguistic Ploys in Religious Discourse on Women’s Ordination
Buller Hall, Room 250
One of the objectives of Critical Discourse Studies is to identify how asymmetrical power structures are produced and reproduced through text and talk. Whereas much work has been done here in the area of political and media discourse, religious discourse has typically remained at the periphery. Sometimes, inequity and bigotry masquerade as religious ideologies and are promoted without guilt, and the Scripture becomes a tool that vanquishes reasoning and suppresses dialogue while advancing the interests of a dominant group. When a religious group advances specific doctrinal beliefs to exclude and marginalize certain people, it becomes not only beneficial, but necessary, to scrutinize the group’s discourse—both spoken and written--that promulgates such beliefs from a non-theological perspective. This presentation draws from the author’s four prior studies which identify various strategies used by religious leaders of four different Christian denominations in their justification of excluding women from ordained ministry. By synthesizing various tactics utilized by select Christian groups and individuals opposing women’s ordination, this presentation aims to provide an overview of how some use and misuse the Bible in their attempts to justify their position and silence their critics.