This is a forum for thoughtful discussion and reflection on the state of the church in America, with a particular emphasis on clarifying and understanding the issues at stake in the long-running debate over differences between men and women in ministry and in marriage. On posts where comments are invited, let us strive for dialog that is logical, civil, and biblical.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Hear ye, I have finally responded to everyone's questions. I am not the fastest blogger there is (but I may be the slowest!)
5 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Thank you for your well written and carefully thought out posts on this blog! It is a wonderful resource. While I have read every word carefully, I have not posted anything because this is a topic on which I do not know nearly enough to translate a thought into a coherent question or comment (as of yet, anyway). I do look foward to more posts!
Rebecca: From a previous entry, I know you're working on a new post, but I have a question for you (no surprise, eh?).
How might the recently published Evangelical Manifesto bear upon biblical egalitarianism? Particularly,
"We call all who follow Jesus to keep his commandment and love one another, to be true to our unity in him that underlies all lesser differences, and to practice first the reconciliation in the church that is so needed in the wider world. In a society divided by identity and gender politics, Christians must witness by their lives to the way their identity in Jesus transcends all such differences."
(emphasis mine) Don't intend to read too much into the Manifesto or make it say something it does not, but this paragraph did capture my attention.
I would dearly love to see this approach to differences and disagreement applied to the gender debate. It is certainly what a church that seeks to follow Christ would do. The problem is that many evangelicals in positions of institutional influence or leadership are vigorously convinced that biblical equality is not merely a “lesser difference,” but a watershed issue—a serious biblical error that merits silencing and censuring the egalitarian voice. (A comparable situation currently exists in the larger society with regard to scientists who hold to any version of Intelligent Design. On this comparison, see my article “Strange Bedfellows” at www.RebeccaMerrillGroothuis.com). Indeed, the politics of the gender war can be brutal and intense, and recriminations aimed against individuals who support biblical equality are often vicious and personal in nature. Since the PC view is the dominant one, they “hold the microphone”—which translates into holding the reins of evangelical institutional power. As a result, most Christians never even hear biblical reasons to believe that in Christ both male and female believers have been given spiritual authority. It is my desire for this blog to set forth the biblical data on the subject—without rancor or recriminations, but simply out of love for God and his infallible Word.
5 comments:
Thank you for your well written and carefully thought out posts on this blog! It is a wonderful resource. While I have read every word carefully, I have not posted anything because this is a topic on which I do not know nearly enough to translate a thought into a coherent question or comment (as of yet, anyway). I do look foward to more posts!
Thank you again for your effort here.
Rebecca:
From a previous entry, I know you're working on a new post, but I have a question for you (no surprise, eh?).
How might the recently published Evangelical Manifesto bear upon biblical egalitarianism? Particularly,
"We call all who follow Jesus to keep his commandment and love one another, to be true to our unity in him that underlies all lesser differences, and to practice first the reconciliation in the church that is so needed in the wider world. In a society divided by identity and gender politics, Christians must witness by their lives to the way their identity in Jesus transcends all such differences."
(emphasis mine) Don't intend to read too much into the Manifesto or make it say something it does not, but this paragraph did capture my attention.
Just thinking...
paul
I would dearly love to see this approach to differences and disagreement applied to the gender debate. It is certainly what a church that seeks to follow Christ would do. The problem is that many evangelicals in positions of institutional influence or leadership are vigorously convinced that biblical equality is not merely a “lesser difference,” but a watershed issue—a serious biblical error that merits silencing and censuring the egalitarian voice. (A comparable situation currently exists in the larger society with regard to scientists who hold to any version of Intelligent Design. On this comparison, see my article “Strange Bedfellows” at www.RebeccaMerrillGroothuis.com). Indeed, the politics of the gender war can be brutal and intense, and recriminations aimed against individuals who support biblical equality are often vicious and personal in nature. Since the PC view is the dominant one, they “hold the microphone”—which translates into holding the reins of evangelical institutional power. As a result, most Christians never even hear biblical reasons to believe that in Christ both male and female believers have been given spiritual authority. It is my desire for this blog to set forth the biblical data on the subject—without rancor or recriminations, but simply out of love for God and his infallible Word.
So very true, Rebecca. Set forth your case and let the games begin!
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