What an amazing week. Because of a week-long synchroblog called Faith Feminisms, the Christian blogosphere has exploded with posts about biblical gender equality. Can faith and feminism coexist? The resounding answer: YES! Not only coexist, but feminism comes out of our faith in a Lord who breaks down the walls that divide us and limit us along gender lines. There is no hierarchy in the kingdom of God. I’ll highlight some posts here, but if you want to immerse yourself in the bounty of these writings, please go to FaithFeminisms.com to check out the entire list.
Here are a few of our favorites:
RECORDING: Faith Without Feminism, by Emily Rice (Thirty Seconds or Less)
I need feminism in my faith to challenge those lies and to remind me that all are made in the image of God, that women’s lives matter and that our call to live out the gospel includes fighting oppression against women, people of color, and others who are marginalized.
#FaithFeminisms: Loving Eve and Ham, by Austin Channing Brown (FaithFeminisms.com)
My feminism will always live at the intersection of race. It recognizes the Divine within all black women, all women of color, all women, all people. It doesn’t erase me from the Bible or make me the scourge of it. It proclaims the innate goodness of womanhood.
Why I don’t talk a lot about feminism, and why I should, by April Yamasaki
Years ago, when I preached my first sermon at a church that had never had a woman preach before, the pastor who invited me said, “You’re our first woman preacher, but we’re not going to introduce you that way, or explain it to people, we’re just going to do it as if it’s part of our theology and understanding of church — because it is. You just go ahead and preach it, sister!”
We need feminism because my daughter thinks most TV shows are for boys, by Ben Irwin
Patriarchy is not natural. Our daughters are not born into this world thinking they’re inferior or subordinate to men. They get that idea because that’s what the dominant culture tells them.
Two Paths to Affirming Women’s Ordination, by Tim Peck (The Junia Project)
I’ve observed at least two different paths people may take to arrive at an egalitarian view of gender. Failure to understand these two paths can lead to all sorts of misunderstandings, accusations, and pronouncements of heresy. Although the boundary between them can be blurry at times, I think that distinguishing them from each other in broad brush terms might help to deescalate the rhetoric and contribute toward more virtue laden conversations.
This Week on the Scroll
A Rose by Any Other Name…, by Susan Howell
Calling a woman a girl makes it easier to think of her as immature, more dependent on others, and less worthy of our full respect. Likewise, referring to a mother as full-time or to one who is employed as a working mom molds our thoughts about women, our roles, and the value ascribed to the things that take up our time.
CBE Founders: A Prophetic Witness and Defense against Abuse, by Mimi Haddad
CBE founders were a solitary voice supporting the equal humanity, dignity, and authority of girls and women who had been marginalized and exploited by a shallow interpretation of Scripture. Demanding that what is unclear in the Bible be understood through that which is clear, their prophetic work made the church stronger biblically and therefore socially.
Surprised by Scripture? by Paul Adams
Although complementarians are right that Galatians 3:28 addresses the scope of the Gospel, my contention is that it does not ignore pastoral, practical issues and has implications beyond salvation. The schism between Peter and Paul in Gal 1 with the diet and tabling habits show that far more is at stake than simply entrance into the kingdom, though certainly not less.
Any other posts we should know about? Feel free to recommend blog posts that affirm mutuality in ministry and marriage by sharing the title, author name, and URL in the comments.
*Note: Linking to these posts is not a CBE endorsement of previous or future written work or statements made by the authors.
