Secret Women's Business

Dear Complementarian Friends, I know you are sincere in your belief that God has ordained different roles for men and women. I know you are trying to obey God's revelation through scripture. I commend you for that. However, I think it would be wise if you kept a low profile on your views about the place of women. Please bear with me as I explain. Alarmingly, some of you are claiming in public spaces that Complementarianism is THE Christian view. Some have even been saying Egalitarians are in error, unbiblical, and sinful. However many Christian denominations... Pentecostals, Baptists, Churches of Christ, Salvation Army, most Anglican Dicoese in Australia, the Uniting Church and others… DO ordain women. Making comments about how Egalitarians are sinful, unfaithful, and unbiblical doesn't exactly help the cause of church unity. Do you really think it’s a salvation issue? Is it a question you ask at confirmation or Baptism? It’s one thing to have a strong view, it’s quit...

Once upon a time those who opposed women exercising any leadership in the church, the family, or the workplace, spoke of women’s “inferiority” to men. In the post-sexual revolution world, the “inferiority” term became socially unacceptable, so in the 70’s those of a theological bent coined the term “complementarianism”. Women were not inferior to men, but complementary… the role of men is to lead, and the role of women in the church and in the family is to support and submit. Humans have been designed for this and are happiest this way, apparently. (They had to backtrack too on women not exercising leadership in “secular” spheres, as this also became utterly socially unacceptable.) In the teaching of Jesus, the one who serves is great, and Jesus modelled exemplary servant leadership. However, there is a world of difference in having personal power and using this to serve and empower others, from being powerless. The former leads to shalom, the latter so often leads to exploitation. ...

The faciliator or a pastors' wives retreat found herself in deep water within the first few minutes together. All the women shared around the circle, introducing themselves as the wife of pastor X at church Y. The facilitator responded: "No, no... I'm not interested in any of that. I want you to tell me about YOU... what you love doing, what your hobbies are, what kind of person you are." A significant number of women in the room promptly burst into tears. These were good, wonderful Christian women. They submitted to their husbands, they served in their churches, they loved God. But somewhere along the way, something had disconnected inside them. They had lost touch with something of the unique, authentic "me" that lurks within every person God has created. Christ is the one who brings abundant life... or as this is expressed in the Message bible: "More and better life they they ever dreamed of". In relationship with God, we should become MORE of o...