Explorations in Religious Identity (RE 300 WR)

The readings we have done on the Ramayana have influenced the way I approach my research paper in multiple ways. First, our study of the Ramayana tradition and gender impacted the way I examine the role of Mary. “Sita Songs the Blues” highlighted the importance of the Ramayana and viewed the story of Sita through a woman’s lens. These readings and movie gave me an example outside of Christianity of how to explore the role of women in sacred texts and made me question whether the story of Mary has been told in a contemporary setting like in “Sita Sings the Blues.” Secondly, the readings from last week made me think about the political importance of the story of the virgin birth. The readings showed how Ram has been used for political motives, which made me examine the possible ways in which Mary has been used for political gain in Christian society.