Women's Roles In Christianity And Buddhism

Words: 386
Pages: 2

Under both Christianity and Buddhism, women have held positions since the very beginning; however these roles have varied over time, particularly with respect to nuns and, in recent times, ordination itself.

At foundation, women under both Christianity and Buddhism were able to occupy religious positions. Under the Mahayana school of Buddhism, women have always been able to be Bodhisattvas, enlightened assistants to the Buddha, and this practice remains. In early Christianity, women were able to occupy positions as priestesses, but this practice was outlawed by the Council of Nicea in 325 CE. Instead, the most significant religious role accessible to Christian women was to become a nun. Throughout much of Christian history, these ‘brides