Gender issues have been the subject of debate in our community in recent years, as they have been in the wider Christian community. The purpose of this column is to examine Biblical teaching on gender related issues.
The analytic category of ‘gender’ encompasses the concepts of differences between the sexes, social relations between the sexes and the social organization of relations between the sexes. The word ‘gender’ became widely used in the 1970’s in order to distinguish socially constructed differences from biological differences denoted by the word ‘sex’; however the term ‘gender’ is now commonly used to encompass both biological and constructed differences.
‘From the beginning’ it was God’s intention that man and woman would be joined together as one flesh, to work side by side in God’s service and in their daily concerns (Matt 19:6). The woman was to be the man’s helper and companion (Gen 2:18; Mal 2:14). Together the man and woman were to have dominion over the earth; producing and raising godly offspring (Mal 2:15; Gen 1:28) so as to fill the earth with people reflecting God’s image and glory (Gen 1:28; Hab 2:14).
In a sinful world reality soon fell short of this ideal, and selfishness marred the harmonious relationship between man and woman. God said to Eve, ‘Your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you’ (Genesis 3:16). The meaning of this phrase is debated; suffice to say at this point that something about the relations between the sexes was included in Eve’s sentence and not in Adam’s, indicating that in this area, women would experience something different to men.
Throughout recorded human history and across every society, males occupy most of the positions of power and influence whilst females are most likely to be found tending to other people’s needs. Power in sinful human hands tends to result in the oppression and exploitation of the vulnerable (Ecc 4:1; 5:8). The Victorian commentator, Albert Barnes, summarised the plight of women throughout the centuries: “Under fallen man, woman has been more or less a slave. In fact, under the rule of selfishness, the weaker must serve the stronger”.
Amongst prejudices none has proved more durable, more widespread or more pervasive than misogyny. J. Holland states that “no race has suffered prejudicial treatment over so long a period of time, no group of individuals, however they might be characterized, has been discriminated against on such a global scale. Nor has any prejudice manifested itself under so many guises”.[1]
Thus, the recognition of the equal worth of men and women and the fair treatment of women are issues of perennial importance for the ecclesia. At some times men of God have treated women better than what was common in society at the time; at other times men of God have conformed to cultural norms which oppressed women.
In Western countries the feminist movement has brought about a great deal of change in the past fifty years. “The shift in thinking about gender achieved by the liberation movements of the 1970’s is irreversible” says one masculinity researcher.[2] Not long after women gained unprecedented freedom in the West, the church began to follow suit, and many churches now ordain women to ministry positions previously restricted to men.
Current Christian views on gender are commonly grouped into two categories. ‘Complementarians’ believe that men and women are equal in worth but have been proscribed different, complementary roles, with roles of leadership and public teaching confined to men. The complementarian position has been the traditional one in the Christadelphian community. ‘Egalitarians’ believe that suitability for leadership, teaching and other roles should be determined by God-given ability rather than by gender.
Evangelical egalitarians recognise scripture as the inspired word of God[3] and maintain that their ideology is derived, not from secular feminism, but from Biblical data correctly interpreted. Jesus is said to have elevated the status of women and dispensed with gender hierarchy. Leadership in the first century church is said to have been egalitarian. Texts traditionally used to support hierarchy are interpreted not as transcultural mandates, but as temporary concessions to social conventions of the time in order to address specific local problems, or to protect the reputation of the church in society.
Most egalitarians acknowledge that the scriptures do contain many examples of, in their words, a “less-than-ultimate ethic in the treatment of slaves and women”.[4] However they argue that, just as Biblical laws moved beyond existing social norms to offer greater protection and dignity to slaves, sojourners and women, so the ‘underlying redemptive spirit’ of the Scriptures ought to inspire Christians to move beyond static, culture-based applications and towards an ‘ultimate social ethic’ where inequities based upon class, race or gender are abolished.
In our community the cultural shift in thinking about gender has had an impact. Some no longer accept the traditional complementarian position and have embraced egalitarianism. Many remaining in traditional ecclesial environments are struggling with inner dissonance now that the principles of equality and non-discrimination are absorbed, consciously or unconsciously, into younger people’s minds from an early age. Today women are likely to be educated to the same level as men, and to have successful careers past or present, further highlighting the disparity between their status and opportunities in the secular world and in the ecclesia. These differences will only become more sharply felt as time goes on.
Another effect of the change of the past few decades is that many men are now uncertain about their role. The formerly simple role of a man as the provider and protector of his family has become more complex; and many men now struggle to find a strong sense of direction and purpose in life. In our community it has been observed that young men are increasingly reluctant to take on positions of responsibility; and are more likely than young women to become disengaged from the ecclesia.
In the changing times we live in, it is important to ascertain what the Bible does say about gender, about the differences and similarities between male and female, and the roles of each. It is not our intention in this column to duplicate arguments previously made by others, or to promote a particular agenda. In this column we will attempt to approach Biblical texts relating to gender in a fresh and, as far as is possible, objective manner with the aim of producing and affirming a positive picture of God’s purpose for men and women and their relations with each other.
[1] J. Holland, A Brief History of Misogyny (London: Constable & Robinson, 2006), 270.
[2] R. W. Connell, The Men and the Boys (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2000), 201.
[3] Hereafter in this column all references to ‘egalitarian’ views will be references to evangelical (conservative) egalitarian views. Liberal Christian egalitarians do not assume the inspiration or inerrancy of scripture and therefore the examination of their views is outside of the scope of this column.
[4] “As various problematic components surface within the biblical texts on slaves and women, one strong impression emerges: a less-than-ultimate ethic in the treatment of slaves and women is reflected in various parts of Scripture”. W. J. Webb, “A Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic” in Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity Without Hierarchy (eds. R. W. Pierce, R. M. Groothuis, and G. D. Fee; Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 2005), 384.
Is Pentecost Happening Today? (Part 7) – Tongues Shall Cease