Mutuality | Blog + Magazine | Autumn 2021
The print + digital magazine of CBE International
Mutuality offers articles from diverse writers who share egalitarian theology and explore its intersection with everyday life.
Blog + Magazine ArticlesThe opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CBE International or its members.
Autumn 2021
Volume: 28 | Number: 3
Gendered Language and the Church
The authors in this issue invite you to consider the various ways that gendered language affects the church—and the egalitarian movement.
Contents
We in the church have the responsibility to lead the charge in revolutionizing our misuse of gendered language. We have the clearest picture of how gender relations should be. We have the power to change the narrative.
The Bible is full of vivid maternal descriptions of God, yet many of us are still uncomfortable using maternal language to talk about God or to God. Reclaiming God’s feminine attributes helps us grow closer to God.
Hidden preconceptions cloud the behavior and language of our lives. One place this is clear is in how male pronouns and language dominate the language of educational settings, society, and the church.
The ESV translation of Ephesians 4:13 only creates confusion in a complementarian setting. It causes some women to question whether they can become mature Christians to the extent that men can. And that’s not okay.
A deeper understanding of how the Finnish and German languages approach pronouns helps us see that it is possible to move past the nuances of language to the universal message of the Gospel.
When translators choose to use “whore” throughout Ezekiel 16, they let readers think it’s okay to use words with inescapably derogatory connotations. And the true focus of the passage—apostasy—gets lost.
We stand united in Christ to proclaim women’s dignity and purpose through accurate Bible translations, remembering that dehumanizing ideas about people lead to dehumanizing actions.
