Biblical gender equality in Christian Academia.
Elliott, Susan E.
Biblical Gender Equality in Christian Academia:
In spring 2008 a private evangelical, interdenominational
university in Southern California, USA released the findings of the
university's two-year gender climate study. While positive findings
were revealed (i.e.; equal salary for equal faculty rank), so were such
concerns as the favoring of men for promotion and tenure, in leadership,
and in essential departmental information-sharing networks. (1) The
perception of the university female faculty, who represented 27% of the
total faculty at that time, was that a dominant influence on cause for
their concerns is theological. The authors state "the data suggest
that individuals holding more conservative theological views on
women's roles tend to be more established at Biola and tend to be
less supportive of women's leadership." (2) These concerning
theological views were thought by some study participants to be
perpetuated by what is taught in the campus seminary.
It is not assumed that such seminary teaching is not isolated to
this university. From many seminaries to many pulpits, the message of
male rule over women is preached on Sunday mornings and then applied by
the congregants into life's scenarios. Unfortunately, Christian
academia is not immune and too often the stain-glassed ceiling remains
unbroken. An analysis of the Bible and theological thought on gender
equality is indicated.
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
This analysis applies the theological model of 18' century
British theologian John Wesley, a graduate and fellow of Oxford
University. It is well acknowledged that one of the greatest influences
in his life was his own Christian mother Susanna. (3) Even so, Wesley
early struggled with the idea of women in leadership and the pulpit.
With further study and the reality of his lived experience, he came to
heartily support women in these roles. (4) Today's Wesleyan
theological denominations (i.e.: Church of the Nazarene, Salvation Army,
and Church of God Anderson) ordain women and women hold senior pastorate
and other essential leadership positions.
While Wesley did not coin the title "Wesleyan
Quadrilateral" to describe his theology, he did travel 250,000
miles on horseback across England sharing his holiness theology grounded
in the tenants of the quadrilateral. He believed that our relationship
with God is based on the tenants of "Scripture (the inerrant Word
of God; truth as the foundation of reason, tradition and experience),
Reason (where God's wisdom enters our minds, our place of critical
reasoning and moral decision making), Tradition (our social attitudes
and customs, what we hold dear), and Experience (practical identities
and the journey to change and reconciliation." (5) It is these
tenants which provide a model for analysis of biblical gender equality.
Scripture and Reason
Scripture has many themes such as truth, love, grace, mercy,
justice, compassion, faithfulness, and equality. The core of theological
conflict on gender equality is grounded in human interpretation and
application. The Bible says that we see as through a glass darkly, and
no human is perfect in all things. Reason is our God-given ability to
have critical reasoning, to conduct logical analysis, to make moral
decisions, to communicate and to have a point of general and special
revelation. "Through the renewing of our minds (Romans 12: 2),
reason is where God's wisdom enters our experience, His wisdom
which is "impartial and sincere" (James 3:17). (6)
Equality is a dynamic and repeated theme from Genesis to
Revelation. From the moment of creation (Genesis 1:1 "In the
beginning God created"), God's word validates the importance
of women. God created both men and women in His image (Genesis 1:27),
they were both very good (Genesis 1:51) and they were both in equal
relationship with God. Eve was not an afterthought. God wanted man to
realize he needed a helper of equal status, that he could not make it
alone (Genesis 2:18). (7) However, the concept of helpmeet is often used
as an argument for male dominance. Further study shows this to be in
error. The Hebrew for "meet" translates to equal to. The word
for "helper" is the same word used in the other Bible verses
for the many ways God helps us. There is no subordinate or gender
attached. (8)
This created equal Adam and Eve, male and female relationship was,
as were all things in that moment, changed when both Adam and Eve
sinned. Like the male, Eve's sin was disobeying God and eating from
the forbidden tree. Together they listened to the serpent's
tempting, together they sinned and together they knew evil had entered
their existence. (9) Eve's sin was never about disobeying her
husband. However, Eve's consequence of disobeying God included a
future where her once equal husband would now has rule over her (Genesis
3:16).
As He is a loving God, God had a plan for the forgiveness of sin
and He did not intend this rule to last for all time. Move forward
centuries to the first coming of Jesus, the Son of God to die and pay
the price for all sin. In John 3:16 Jesus himself states "For God
so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever
believed in Him should not parish but have eternal life." And John
1:12 "Yet to all who received Him, those who believed in His name,
He gave the right to become children of God." (10)
Jesus Christ came to the world to redeem humanity from the curse of
sin ushered in by Adam and Eve's disobedience. God evidently
thought women were still all right and usable. Eve's offspring
would bring the remedy for sin. Mary, a virgin girl was chosen to
bring forth God's Son. This is quite a quite a high honor, one that
should not be overlooked. If women were so tainted, why didn't God
choose another vessel to bring redemption? After all, God is God.
If He could accomplish a birth without a man, why couldn't the same
be done without a woman?" (11)
Scripture and Tradition
Traditions are our social and religious attitudes, practices and
customs. Tradition is our beliefs and actions related to dating,
marriage, pregnancy, birth, lifecycles and death, cultural moral
responsibilities, worship, and the focus of this discussion, gender
equality. (12) Consider the vast number of global cultures and how each
race, ethnicity, faith, nation, and indigenous group value their
traditions. Many socially accepted customs are biblically wrong and
Christ warned us of this very thing. In Mark 7:9, 13 Jesus said
"You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order
to observe your own traditions.... Thus you nullify the word of God by
your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like
that. "It is not tradition, those beliefs and practices taught by
one generation to the next which keep beliefs and practices of gender
inequality in place?
Jesus repeatedly challenged the traditional social norms about
women and modeled equality of women. (13) Women are listed in the
genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1). A woman, not a man, was chosen to be the
earthly birthparent of the Son of God. Mary was the first to know the
long-awaited Messiah was coming and she was the first to sing a song of
praise about the coming of Jesus (Luke 1-2). When infant Jesus was taken
to the temple to be presented to the Lord, scripture tells us that both
a man (Simeon) and an elderly woman (Anna) recognized that the child was
the Messiah. Anna "gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to
all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke
2: 38).
Thirty years later, it was a Samaritan woman, not only a woman but
also an ethnic outcast, who was the first to be told by Jesus Himself
that He was the Messiah. She became the first missionary (John 4:1-42).
Jesus regularly taught outside of the synagogue so that women and other
disenfranchised people could learn about Him and from Him (Luke 10:
38-42). At the home of Martha and her sister Mary, He was pleased the
Mary broke from tradition and sat at Jesus' feet with the men to
learn directly from him (Luke 10: 38-42) (14). Jesus spoke directly to
women, healed women (Luke 13:10-17; Matthew 9: 20-22), and welcomed
women as His followers (Luke 8:2-3).
After Christ's resurrection, it was women who were first told
by God's angel that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead, thus
becoming the first preachers of the Gospel, the first apostles to the
apostles (Matthew 28: 8-10; John 20: 14-16). (15) Jesus then appeared to
women as well as men (Matthew 28: 8-10; John 20: 14-16). Before
ascending into heaven Jesus directed that women should wait with the men
in the Upper Room. They waited and they received the same empowerment of
the Holy Spirit to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). It was women who, like men,
had active leadership positions in the early church. And it is to the
Bride (female representation) of Christ to whom Jesus will return
someday for His church (Revelation 12).
The argument that Jesus called only twelve men as His disciples and
that therefore only men should be leaders cannot be ignored. However,
Brower and Serrao state "to our knowledge no other group [also]
insists that all ordained leaders be circumcised and Jewish. The Twelve
are symbolic and representative of the whole, restored, holy people of
God. In fact, Jesus invites all who come after Him to take up their
crosses and follow". (16)
Scripture and Experience
Scripture, reason and tradition are manifested in our lived
experience. "Christian experience adds nothing to the substance of
Christian truth; its distinctive role is to energize the heart so as to
enable the believer to speak and do the truth in love". (17)
Across the New Testament, the Apostle Paul wrote multiple letters
to churches and he repeatedly acknowledged the importance of women in
the ministry and in leadership positions. He often referred to
"hard work" for areas of ministry. In Romans 16: 1-16, Paul
greets nine women, specifically noting Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa and
Persis for their hard work. In Philippians 4: 2-3 he asks the church to
help his women co-workers in ministry. (18) Other women Paul named as
leaders included Phoebe (Romans 16) and Priscilla (Acts 18 and Romans
16),
However, the lived experience of Christian women has been most
challenged by male interpretation and misrepresentation of Paul's
writings. Two verses taken from the whole of scripture (proof texting)
(19) have created centuries of oppression. I Timothy 2: 11-12 states
"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not
permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, she must be
silent". I Corinthians 14: 34-35 states "As in all
congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches.
They are not allowed to speak but must be in submission as the Law says.
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own
husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the
church."
First it must be noted that Paul wanted women to have the
opportunity to learn and then teach. As Jesus had modeled by inclusion
of women to learn from him, in the Timothy letter Paul is opening the
opportunity for women to study scripture. Earlier in this same letter,
Paul had stated that it was good for all to be saved and to grow in
knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2: 4). Academics surely appreciate
that knowledge comes from study.
Therefore, the cultural and traditional environmental context for
women learning must be considered. These new Christians were breaking
from Jewish law which held the teaching of women in contempt and they
were living in a Hellenistic society. So Paul set guidelines. He wanted
the women to learn, not in submission to men, but in submission of their
hearts and minds to learn from God about God. Submission to God would
prevent the learning of false teachings common to that time and place.
Paul was not describing a learning behavior but a spirit of intent to
learn and to obey God's truth. (20)
The Timothy letter then states that the woman is not to teach men.
He states "I" do not permit, not that God forbids. Again Paul
was addressing issues within that specific church, for no other Pauline
letter prohibits women from teaching. (21) In Paul's letters to
Corinth and to the Ephesians he describes the church as one body with
Christ as the head, as the only designated part. As he describes the
other body parts, no gender assignment is made. "God has appointed
first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of
miracles, also those having fits of healing, those able to help others,
those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different
kinds of tongues" (I Corinthians 12: 28). In Ephesians 4: 3-6 he
states "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through
the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were
called to one hope when you were called-one Lord, one faith, one baptism
one God and Faith of all, who is over all and through all and in
all".
The letter to the Corinthians states women are to be silent.
However, it is believed that these words were not Paul's at all.
The comment is inconsistent with Paul's style of writing and the
content of his other writings. Paul had stated a strong conviction to
model Christ (I Corinthians 11:1) who as was previously stated, offered
women equality. And the statement is not present in all early scripture
documents. Therefore, after study of the words, the placement of the
comments in the side margins and date testing on ink, most theologians
find strong evidence that the statement is the result of interpolation,
a side note added in some western transcripts by a scribe. (22)
Conclusion
God's design for gender equality is documented from Genesis to
Revelation. The human life of Jesus Christ modeled to men how they
should treat women. The Bible offers many examples of women in
leadership, women who teach, preach, heal, and minister to the glory of
God. Christi's death on the cross to pay the salvation price for
humanity's sin was paid equally for men and women. Jesus rose from
the grave, lives today and is returning again for both men and women of
every nation, tribe people and language (Revelation 7:9). For as Paul
stated, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor
female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3: 28).
Christian churches and academia institutions should model gender
equality in Christ to the world. The Christian tradition should be for
women the safe haven from the sinful culture. It should be a place where
women know they are valued and restored through the forgiveness of sin.
Biblically, there should be no ministry or academic leadership
stain-glassed ceilings.
References
Anderson, Garwood. "Paul's Women Associates
Commentary" Wynkoop Center Bible Studies on Women in Ministry, Unit
Three, Session Six. Kansas City: Nazarene Theological Seminary, 2007,4,
Branson, Robert "Broken Fellowship Commentary". Wynkoop
Center Bible Studies on Women in Ministry, Unit One, Session Four.
Kansas City: Nazarene Theological Seminary, 2007.
Brower, Kent and Jeanne Serrao. "Reclaiming the radical
story." Holiness Today 11(3), 22-24, 2009.
--. "Reclaiming the radical story. Part Two" Holiness
Today 11(5), 18-20, 2009
Cowles, Charles. A Women's Place? Leadership in the Church.
Kansas City; Beacon Hill Press, 1993.
Elliott, Susan. "When You Speak I Hear More Than Just Words:
Christian Nursing and Ministry at the Moment of Disability
Awareness." Foundations: Christian Perspectives on Disability
Ministry, USA: Joni and Friends, in publication.
Elwell, Walter (Ed.). Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd Ed.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001.
Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology 2"d Edition. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998).
Hall, Elizabeth, Shelly Cunningham and Bradley Christerson. Biola
University Gender Climate Study. USA: Biola University, 2008.
Laird, Rebecca, 1993. Ordained Women in the Church of the Nazarene:
The First Generation.
Kansas City: Nazarene Publishing House.
McKenna, David. Wesleyan Leadership in Troubled Times: Confronting
the Culture, Challenging the Church. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press.
2002.
Outler, A. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral in John Wesley. USA: Wesley
2000.
Payne, Phillip. Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and
Theological Study of Paul's Letters. USA: Zondervan, 2009.
Shelley, Bruce. Church History in Plain Language 2"J Ed.
Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.
Swoope, Diana. Chosen and Highly Favored: A woman's sacred
call to holiness. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 2001.
The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 1983.
Tracy, Wes and Stan Ingersol. What is a Nazarene? Understanding Our
Place in the Religious Community. Kansas City; Beacon Hill Press, 1998.
Williamson, Glen. Sons of Susanna. Wheaton, IL; Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., 1991.
Wright, N.T. 2004. Women's Service in the Church: The Biblical
Basis. Paper presented at the Men, Women and the Church conference, St.
John's College, Durham.
Wynkoop, Mildred. Foundations of Wesleyan Anninian Theology. Kansas
City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967.
Susan E. Elliott, Director, Department of Nursing, Biola University
(1) Elizabeth Hall, Shelly Cunningham, and Bradley Christerson,
Biola University Gender Climate Study. {USA: Biola University, 2008),
2-6.
(2) Ibid, 2
(3) Glen Williamson, Sons of Susanna, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc.
(4) Rebecca Laird, Ordained Women in the Church of the Nazarene:
The First Generation (Kansas City: Nazarene Publishing House, 1993),
27-28.
(5) Susan Elliott, "When You Speak I Hear More Than Just
Words: Christian Nursing and Ministry at the Moment of Disability
Awareness". Foundations: Christian Perspectives on Disability
Ministry. USA: Joni and Friends, in publication.
(6) Philip Payne, Man and Woman, One in Christ: An Exegetical and
Theological Study of Paul's Letters. (USA: Zondervan, 2009), 44
(7) Walter Elwell (Ed.). Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd
Ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1281.
(8) Charles Cowles, A women's place? Leadership in the church.
Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 65.; Millard Erickson, Christian
Theology 2nd Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 564.; Diana Swoope,
Chosen and Highly Favored: A woman's sacred call to holiness.
Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 24.
(9) Robert Branson, "Broken Fellowship Commentary".
Wynkoop Center Bible Studies on Women in Ministry, Unit One, Session
Four. (Kansas City: Nazarene Theological Seminary, 2007), 6. In ancient
Israel only the conversation between two people is recorded. Thus while
Adam was present during the temptation and sin, only the words of the
snake and Eve are recorded. Robert Brower and C. Jeanne Serrao.
"Reclaiming the Radical Story". Holiness Today 11(3), 2009,
22-24
(10) Italics added to whoever and all for emphasis of point.
(11) Diana Swoope, Chosen and Highly Favored: A Woman's Sacred
Call to Holiness. (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 2001), 29. Mary is
the only human who had any role in Christ's birth.
(12) Elliott, in publication
(13) Historically, women had held prominent positions in the Jewish
culture. Miriam, Moses' mother, was the first woman in the Bible to
be given the title of prophet (Exodus 15:20). Deborah (Judges 4-5) was a
judge, a prophet and a military victor. Huldah read and interpreted the
writings. Her judgment determined what became what is today known as
scripture (2 Kings 22; 14-20; 2 Chronicles 34: 22,28).
(14) Sitting at one's feet in that day was not a position of
subordination. It was a position of welcome and honor, a position of
being in close fellowship with another.
(15) N.T. Wright "Women's Service in the Church: The
Biblical Basis" (paper presented at the Men, Women and the Church
conference, St. John's College, Durham, September 4, 2004). Bishop
of Durham Wright states "If an apostle is a witness to the
resurrection, there were women who deserved that title before any of the
men".
(16) Brower and Serreo, 23.; Payne, 59 adds "It is one thing
for a number of women to be mentioned as following Jesus from time to
tome in his preaching in the towns, but traveling full time for three
years with late night meetings such as at the Garden of Gethsemane and
spending periods of time in the wilderness are quite another thing.
Strong cultural objections and moral suspicions would undoubtedly be
raised not only about Jesus, but also about the men whom he chose to be
with him." Questions about the women would also be raised.
(17) A. Outler The Wesleyan Quadrilateral in John Wesley. {USA:
John Wesley), 2000, 3
(18) Garwood Anderson, "Paul's Women Associates
Commentary" Wynkoop Center Bible Studies on Women in Ministry, Unit
Three, Session Sir. (Kansas City: Nazarene Theological Seminary, 2007),
4.
(19) Kent Brower and C. Jeanne Serrao, "Reclaiming the Radical
Story Part Two," Holiness Today September October (2009): 19.
"Good interpretation requires that any universal principle be found
in the whole of scripture and not just drawn from proof tests that have
been taken out of cultural and literary contexts."
(20) Payne, 316
(21) Ibid, 324.
(22) Ibid, 225-267,461.
Box 1: Summary of Biblical Foundation for Gender Equality
Scripture Scripture/ Scripture/ Scripture/
Reason Tradition Experience
Creation: Both made in Interpreted by No matter what
Genesis 1:1 In the image of society, men may do.
the beginning God-equal culture (i.e.: women may live
God created ... only Jewish men knowing that
could study the they too were
Genesis 1:27 So Adam from Torah) made in the
God created in "adamah"-- image of God;
His own image feminine form that God is
... male and of the word for manifested in
female He ground women as well
created them. as men.
Genesis 5:2 He "Them" were Religions have
created them blessed. They misinterpreted
male and were declared "man" for male/
female, and good. men and thus
blessed them. tried to take
And when they away the
were created, blessing given
He called them to the female/
man. woman
Helper/ Adam had been Biblical and "As a category,
helpmeet: with the modern women across
Genesis 2:18 animals. He societies the years,
The Lord God needed to see applied the cultures,
said, it is not that none were words civilizations,
good for the his equal. He subordinate to races, nations,
man to be needed an the word and religions
alone. 1 will equal. helper. have been the
make a helper most
suitable for discriminated
him. against"
(Crowles,
Hebrew words- 1993).
Helper is the
same word used
in the Bible
for the way God
helps us. Meet
means ''equal
to". Psalm 46:1
God is our
refuge and
strength, an
ever-present
heal in
trouble."
Sin and the Both male and Women have been "Die" for too
Curse: female were told their many women has
Genesis 2:16- given the relationship been not only a
17 You are free individual with God is human body
to eat from any right at through death but also
tree in the creation to obedience to a lifetime of
garden but you choose whether their husband. emotional and
must not cat to be obedient There is no intellectual
from the tree to God. God Scripture to death of
of the wants a support this. oppression.
knowledge of personal
good and evil, relationship
for when you with the each.
cat of it you
will surely It is illogical
die. and unbiblical
that Christian
Genesis 2-3 Eve men continue to Some men have Until women
ate first. Adam hold sin interpreted know the truth,
immediately against 'husband" to they live a
followed then Christian mean all men life under
blamed Eve for women. dominance to
his sin. Women men and may
were cursed to "Since man's miss
be under the ruling over experiencing a
rule of her women is the personal,
husband. Both result of the joyful
heard the fall, man must relationship
temptation, not have ruled with God
both sinned, over women through Jesus
both realized before the Christ and the
they were fall" (Payne, Holy Spirit.
naked, both 1999, 51) (see Jesus/
tried to hide Redemption
from God. below)
Jesus and "Whomever" and Man-made The church and
Redemption: "everyone" traditions the church's
John 3:16 For includes women. block the influence into
God so loved God had only equality of the society too
the world that one way for men cross. Jesus often do not
He gave His Son and women to be said "You have see that
that whomever restored in a fine way of forgiveness in
believed in Him relationship setting aside Christ means
would not with Him- the commands of restoration of
parish but have Jesus. God in order to creation
eternal live. observe your equality; that
own traditions" the curse was
Mark 7:9 reversed.
John 6: 40 For Why are they
my Father's not considered
will is that equal?
everyone who
looks to the
Son and
believes in him
shall have
eternal life.
Jesus and
Women:
--A woman, not If Eve remained Jesus went "Although in a
a man, was sin forever, against culture minority, at
chosen by God why was Mary, a and spoke to a all times of
to be the human daughter of Samaritan biblical
birthparent of Eve, chosen to woman-she was history there
Jesus. give birth to the first to be have been women
the Son of God? told He was the who occupy
--A woman was Messiah. positions
chosen to first If women are leadership and
know the not equal, not Jesus regularly influence"
Messiah was worthy, why did taught outside (Erickson,
coming. the Son of God the synagogue 1998, 565.
repeatedly so that women
--A woman was treat them as could learn. Jesus "elevated
the first to be human equals women to the
told the adult with all rights same human
Jesus was the and respect? If status as men,
Messiah and she not equal in restoring them
shared (first God's sight for to their
missionary) leadership in created value;
the pulpit, the sacred, blessed
church and in and highly
Christian favored"
academia, why (Swoope, 2001,
were women 31)
anointed by God
to be the first
messengers of
the redemption
Gospel?
--Women were
the first to be
told He had
risen from the
dead and they
shared the Good
News (first
preacher).
Paul and the
proof-text
controversy
I Corinthians Paul had Paul was Denominations
14:33-36 Women context reasons bringing i.e.; Church of
be silent in in these Christian faith the Nazarene,
church, ask churches. There into cultures Salvation Army,
there husbands is no universal of the time. Church of God
at home. law from God. Women had not Anderson, some
been able to Lutheran
I Timothy 2:11 Passage has no study, were conference, and
Paul said "I implication or asking some
will not permit application in disruptive Presbyterian
a woman to the church or questions. conferences, do
teach or have roles in ordain women
authority over society. Men Paul served/ and place women
a man. had the greater ministered with in leadership
demand. women in of their church
Ephesians 5:22- (Elwell, 2001, leadership and their
33. Wives 1284) roles and universities.
submit to expected the Unfortunately,
husbands, Paul declares churches to do too many
husbands love the restoration the same. churches and
and give up his of equality universities
life for his through Jesus The Gospel "is continue to
wife as God did Christi in not compatible limit the
the church race, in status with assigning blessing of
and in gender. privileges or women in their
Galatians 3: 28 Why do too many special God-given
There is Christians treatment only rights and
neither Jew nor ignore this. to members of responsibilities
Greek, slave or particular to teach, to
free, male or groups. whether preach, to
female, for you ethnic, proclaim and to
are all one in economic or by lead. Thus here
Christ Jesus. gender" (Payne, the sin culture
1999, 102) is perpetuated.
The stained
glassed ceiling
is not broken
by biblical
truth.
