Feminism In Dogma

In terms of religion, women aren't exactly held in the highest regard, and Kevin Smith took that dogmatic belief and ran with it in creating his 1999 film, Dogma. This film takes the patriarchal history behind the bible and turns it on it's ear as the last living relative to Jesus Christ is a woman working in an abortion clinic in Illinois, and God is shown as a woman. In the dominant view, the fact that God is a woman might be seen as quite absurd as many religious people (both men and women) look at God as a father figure, as "he" is often referred to "him". Another "absurdity" in terms of the religious view is the irony found in the last living relative of Christ being a woman working in an abortion clinic. Another thing that might be seen as strange through the patriarchal view, given that The Bible is a patriarchal text, is that a feminine muse by the name of Serendipity came up with the ideas for The Bible. This, in addition with God being a woman, is met with ridicule by the protagonist ("The Last Scion") as she does not believe the things that she is told, as the beliefs she has held were instituted by the church.

A sort of a segway into the feminist view of Dogma, the idea of God being a woman and a "woman" basically creating the foundation for The Bible could be seen as very progressive. However, the fact that the voice of God is a male could put off a feminist (despite any justification for God even needing a voice in the film), as one may feel as if God does not need a voice to speak for her, much less a man speaking for her. Also, given that Serendipity's scriptures of God being a woman were changed to the patriarchal version accepted as The Bible would also be seen as controversial. However, that could also be an inspiration for feminists to attempt to be be equal amongst men, even in a traditional setting such as a religious environment. Overall, upon looking at Dogma in the subversive view, one may find it to be a progressive film, if not controversial as it was.