Expert: Vincent M. Wales - 3/10/2009

Question
Hi. I am taking a women's studies course called women and religion, and right now we are focusing specifically on christian teachings pertaining to women. During a discussion one of my classmates mentioned a study she had read that found that men who subscribed to a fundamentalist christian belief system were more likely to committ spousal abuse, and this was an even bigger predictor of abuse then alcoholism. I wondered if you had ever heard of this study or something similar? I would like to write a paper on the social ills caused by religion, with a focus on how it contributes to the oppression of certain minority groups particularly women and sexual minorities. Thank you for your time.

Pat

Answer
Hello, Pat.

Like you, the most I've ever heard of such a study has been apocryphal.  Others claim to have seen it, but I never have.  A quick Google search revealed little, and certainly nothing as damning as your classmate mentions.

That being said, it's not hard to look at patriarchal, fundamentalist beliefs and show how the very attitudes held highly in these faiths is potentially harmful to women and sexual minorities.

Author James Alexander wrote a nice summary of this, which can be found at http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+Theoretical+Model+of+Spouse+Abuse+by+Christian+F...

Hope that's helpful.