Reviewing the Critical Outlook of Radical Feminism on "the Prohibition of Abortion in Patriarchal Theology"

The purpose of this arƟcle is to examine one of the arguments raised by the radical feminists on the permission of aborƟon, which is Ɵed to the negaƟon of the patriarchal theology of the Holy Scriptures. The desire of liberaƟng women from male oppression is idenƟfied as one of the most important aspiraƟons of feminists. According to radical feminists, freedom in aborƟon is determined as a criƟcal feature of supporƟng this aspiraƟon. Furthermore, radical feminists, in comparison to other branches of feminism, have advocated women's right in absolute freedom of aborƟon. Mary Daly, Rosemary Reuther and Caroline Whitbeck claim that in the theology of the Holy Scriptures women are idenƟfied as subordinate and inferior creatures, they also have been recognized as incomplete creatures both physically and raƟonally. From this point of view, they further assert that since men are controlling women's lives as owners, women have no right over their fetuses and children. For this reason, radical feminists, while criƟcizing the theological outlook of the Holy Scriptures, regard freedom of aborƟon not only as a crucial step to liberate women from patriarchal oppression, but also observe it as a moral acƟon. The present study seeks to analyze and criƟcize the argument of this group of radical feminists on the permission of aborƟon based on an analyƟcal and argumentaƟve method.