What About Gender Equality?
8/29/24
In a sermon about Ephesians chapter five the pastor said something about "gender equality." He seemed to maybe be against it. What did he mean? This is the question asked of me after a recent church service.
This is a really good question, and it is about a difficult passage of the Bible and a complicated topic. There have been a lot of whole books published about it. I won't be able to go into too much detail here, and not all Christians will agree. However, I happen to know the pastor and sermon which led this particular questioner to the question.
Almost all Christians will agree that, while God created male and female humans as equally good, they have different characteristics, not only in their physical makeup, but generally in their emotional and intellectual makeup as well. On the whole, men are more likely to be motivated toward physically protective behavior, while women are more likely to engage in emotionally protective behavior. Men usually like to procure food, clothing, and shelter. Women usually like to make food, clothing, and shelter as pleasant as possible to use. Men tend to think in terms of linear arrangements, while women tend to think of details in clusters. Neither is better or worse. They are simply different. Having all the modes represented in a family and culture is good and helpful.
Expecting women to act and think like men, and men to act and think like women, is opening a door for disappointment. It may urge people to try to express their natural character in a way which is very foreign to them.
If, in fact, God created men and women with different, complementary, strengths, a male and female couple is uniquely able to function well. In this model, as we return to Ephesians chapter five, we can also see a different role of the husband and wife. This difference points to the relationship of Christ and Church.
Christ loves the Church, laying down his life for the good of the Church, sacrificing himself. So a husband is to lay down his life and sacrifice himself for his family, especially his wife. The Church is to honor and receive care from Christ. So a wife should honor her husband and joyfully receive the care of her loving husband.
Does this mean women shouldn't be leaders, well-employed people, intellectuals, and the like? Many Christians will disagree on these details. The pastor in question, I am sure, would never deny women's inherent ability to be outstanding in the workforce, academia, and any other pursuits. However, he would say that a woman should never try to form her identity by trying to be exactly like a man, and that a man should never try to form his identity by trying to be exactly like a woman. Male and female are free to be different. Each should express his or her unique and salutary gifts.
8/29/24
In a sermon about Ephesians chapter five the pastor said something about "gender equality." He seemed to maybe be against it. What did he mean? This is the question asked of me after a recent church service.
This is a really good question, and it is about a difficult passage of the Bible and a complicated topic. There have been a lot of whole books published about it. I won't be able to go into too much detail here, and not all Christians will agree. However, I happen to know the pastor and sermon which led this particular questioner to the question.
Almost all Christians will agree that, while God created male and female humans as equally good, they have different characteristics, not only in their physical makeup, but generally in their emotional and intellectual makeup as well. On the whole, men are more likely to be motivated toward physically protective behavior, while women are more likely to engage in emotionally protective behavior. Men usually like to procure food, clothing, and shelter. Women usually like to make food, clothing, and shelter as pleasant as possible to use. Men tend to think in terms of linear arrangements, while women tend to think of details in clusters. Neither is better or worse. They are simply different. Having all the modes represented in a family and culture is good and helpful.
Expecting women to act and think like men, and men to act and think like women, is opening a door for disappointment. It may urge people to try to express their natural character in a way which is very foreign to them.
If, in fact, God created men and women with different, complementary, strengths, a male and female couple is uniquely able to function well. In this model, as we return to Ephesians chapter five, we can also see a different role of the husband and wife. This difference points to the relationship of Christ and Church.
Christ loves the Church, laying down his life for the good of the Church, sacrificing himself. So a husband is to lay down his life and sacrifice himself for his family, especially his wife. The Church is to honor and receive care from Christ. So a wife should honor her husband and joyfully receive the care of her loving husband.
Does this mean women shouldn't be leaders, well-employed people, intellectuals, and the like? Many Christians will disagree on these details. The pastor in question, I am sure, would never deny women's inherent ability to be outstanding in the workforce, academia, and any other pursuits. However, he would say that a woman should never try to form her identity by trying to be exactly like a man, and that a man should never try to form his identity by trying to be exactly like a woman. Male and female are free to be different. Each should express his or her unique and salutary gifts.
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