A Biblical & Theological Statement on the Roles of Men & Women in the Church Date: March 1, 2021
Introduction Conversations about the roles of men and women in the church are challenging. We tend to enter them with different starting points that inevitably influence our conclusions far more than we think. Some of us want to prioritize the conversation around authority, thinking if we could all just see the patterns of authority throughout the Bible, we could set the record straight. So we quickly point to the examples of male leadership in the Old Testament, the male requirement for elders in the New Testament, and the roles of husbands to lead the family. But while the Bible does discuss different realms of authority, it also stresses humility. The greatest picture of leadership and authority in the Bible is seen in Jesus as He lovingly lays down his power for the benefit of others.1 Others want to prioritize these conversations around equality, and there is a high value for equality in the Scriptures. As we will see, Paul understands as a foundational biblical truth that God created all humanity in his image, which means all people are equal in worth, dignity, and value. At no point does Paul, or any other biblical author, indicate that one group is more valuable than another. He wrote two of his letters to make that very point!2 And yet, while we may want to talk about equality, the Bible consistently draws its readers beyond equality to unity.3 To miss this is to miss the beautiful truth that the gospel is wonderfully inclusive for all people. These two starting points generally end up leading us to one of two sides of thinking about the roles of men and women in the church. These sides are commonly known as complementarianism4 and egalitarianism.5 There are godly men and women who land on either side of this discussion, and to be sure, the difference between an egalitarian and complementarian is not biblical literacy.6 While not an issue that determines one's salvation, it 1
Drawn out from Jesus’ humble incarnation in Philippians 2:5-8. Both the letter of Romans and Galatians deal with this issue of superiority; Gentile superiority in the former and Jewish in the latter. 3 See Galatians 3:27-28, where equality is certainly talked about, but the emphasis is on unity. "You are all one in Christ Jesus". 4 This starting point will lead to a position known as Complementarianism. Complementarians believe that God created complementary roles for men and women in the church and home. These roles are not based on skill or value, but the beauty of God’s design and intention in creation. 5 Egalitarians believe all roles in the church and home are open to both men and women. Moreover, any comments that Paul makes about the role of women in his letters are understood to be isolated instructions to specific churches and not universal principles to be applied today. 6 Though, to be sure, some who hold either position will be there by default and not through careful study of the Word. 2
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