Group of Twin Cities evangelicals pushes Bible-based gender equality

Martha Sawyer Allen, Star Tribune

Published August 2, 2003

When about 350 men and women meet in Orlando next weekend, it will be far more serious than the Mickey Mouse activities that made the city famous.

They'll be pondering age old questions: Are men and women equal in the Bible? Did the writers of the sacred texts follow God's direction? Or did they write in the context of their society's time and leave the wrong message for modern-day theologians and laypeople?

The people leading the discussion will be a bunch of evangelicals from the Twin Cities. The Upper Midwest is the hotbed of the longstanding argument among Christians who find comfort in a literal interpretation of the Bible, but who differ on what the words mean: Did God intend for women to be ministers in the church? Did God intend for men and women to share equally in the call to ministry?

Some in the Twin Cities say "No." Others, specifically the small band of people at Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE), say "Yes," emphatically.

The 10 people working out of the Minnesota Church Center in south Minneapolis are campaigning to convince evangelical Christians that there are no biblical passages that can be interpreted to mean that women should be subordinate to men. The movement began in 1987 at Bethel College in Arden Hills and has spread beyond our state and national borders.

"The founders felt that the church was developing this misguided view of gender and marriage," said Mimi Haddad, president of CBE. "The first conference we had a book table about the size of my desk, and now we have 160 titles in our library," and being in their catalog is coveted by many scholars.

"We are the largest clearinghouse on evangelical material on the Bible and gender," she said with obvious pride. This year's conference is Aug. 8-10. Next year they're considering one in Britain to coincide with the celebrations of the 10 years of ordination of women in the Church of England.

About 2,500 names are on the membership lists for CBE, but there is considerable turnover, Haddad said. She thinks that people come to CBE with questions, get answers and then don't feel the need to stick around. And she said that's OK with her.

"I think we're becoming more of a silent majority in societies like the Evangelical Theological Society [of which she is a member] than we had been even 10 years ago," Haddad said. "It seems to me we're part of a reformist movement. We have 97 different denominations among our members. I liken it to the milfoil machine on the lakes. We're going around gobbling up the weeds. There are always more weeds, but the lake is more habitable, and there's new life teeming underneath."

However, for every stride CBE makes there is a counter-movement, this being the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW), headquartered in Louisville, Ky. One of its leading scholars is the Rev. John Piper, senior pastor of Minneapolis' Bethlehem Baptist Church, and a former associate professor of Biblical studies at Bethel College.

The issue

One well-known Bible passage illustrates the issue.

In Paul's first letter to Timothy there is the following: Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to keep silent.

CBE experts argue that the Bible must be read in the full context of the times, and that when that is done it is clear that Paul promoted the equality of men and women. CBMW argues that the words must be taken only as they are written.

While Piper and Wayne Grudem, writing for CBMW, say clearly that they sense "a kinship far closer with the founders of CBE than with those who seem to put their feminist commitments above scripture," they nevertheless disagree with the CBE contention that texts must be read in context and not at face value.

They argue in written papers on their Web site that using the context of the times -- what they call broader teachings -- "is not an approach to scripture that secures the full authority of all that it has to say."

CBMW also states that both sides in the argument "are persuaded that something immense is at stake. It is not merely a minor intramural squabble. It has important implications for marriage, singleness and ministry, and thus for all life and mission."

In a recent paper in the CBE journal, Alan Padgett, professor of systematic theology at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, wrote, "The Bible is the highest written authority for faith and practice in the Christian church . . . The church has not always understood true biblical equality nor acted upon it. Christian leaders have tolerated slavery and racism; they have welcomed the wealthy and powerful while neglecting the poor. They have taught the inferiority of women and promoted sexism in the name of God. These are terrible sins, which are not yet fully overcome."

Haddad sees the affects of CBE's work every day. "All you have to do is look in the eyes of a woman who has just learned that her status is not lowered by God and that the people who are holding her back do not represent the core message of the Bible. I don't care what you pay me, I'll always do this job!"

She said that at a recent meeting where she was giving the CBE view, "two women came up afterwards and said they were crying as I talked. It's so exciting to see other people come to life when they know women have been set free to use their gifts."

Women disagree

In another paper on the CBMW Web site, author Kim Pennington wrote, "We believe the Scriptural passages found in Ephesians 5 and 1 Timothy 2, are still applicable today . . . we are required to obey them so that the world may see God's wisdom and glory in the design He has made in creating us male and female. We are women who believe that, rather than stifling and oppressing us, the commands and role distinctions between men and women that are seen in scripture are good -- not always easy to follow -- but good."

Haddad acknowledged that women "are often our chief antagonists." But she doesn't spend much time answering her critics.

"I don't know if we're going to change their minds. Our feeling is that our time and resources are limited, so we're going to invest in people who are interested in looking at the Bible and who are open to our ideas."

Ron Sider, who heads Evangelicals for Social Action, said, "CBE is doing a great job articulating a solidly biblical understanding of the full dignity and equality of women."

Alvera Mickelsen, a founding member of CBE who has deep ties to the Bethel College community, writes in CBE literature, "CBE has the unique function of informing Christians and misinformed non-Christians of what the Bible actually teaches about relationships of gender and race and modeling those teachings."

Martha Sawyer Allen is at 612-673-7919, or mallen@startribune.com.

Copyright 2003 Star Tribune. Republished with permission of Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul. No further republication or redistribution is permitted without the written consent of Star Tribune.

  At a glance: Gender-equity conference, Published August 2, 2003

• What: A three-day conference titled "Celebrating the Priesthood of All Believers; Serving Christ as a Global Community."

• Who: Christians for Biblical Equality, which teaches that "the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of men and women."

• When: Aug. 8-10.

• Where: Orlando.

• More information: Click here or call 612-872-6898.