Thank you for your comment. It's definitely the dominance hierarchy coming into discord with the old ways, which tended to be more partnership and egalitarian oriented. There have never been any true matriarchies (the reverse of patriarchy, a dominance hierarchy with women in the power position), but there are several modern cultures as well as many old ones that are/were matrillineal or even matrifocal. These societies all believe in the balance between male and female, and in looking at what is good for the society, and not just what is good for those with the most power (as in a dominance hierarchy - which is a social stratification even beyond male and female power differentials.

The main difference between Christianity and the older Goddess based religions is exactly this. One is based in the hierarchy of patriarchy and the other is not.