Feminism/Egalitarianism

Feminism has made a enormous and undeniable impact on our culture in the last generation. From the folks at Wikipedia: "Feminism comprises a number of social, cultural and political movements, theories and moral philosophies concerned with gender inequalities and equal rights for women." I am well acquanted with feminism. I have a Bachelors degree in Sociology and there is not a more feminist dominated degree field. Admittedly, feminism can be complicated and its by no means monolithic. The main thrust of feminsm, in my estimation, is the total erradication of all gender distinctions. (This is also the meaning of the more euphemistic term "egalitarianism"). On the surface this seems farfetched, yet it has been very effective. Feminism's has left no stone unturned including Christ's church. The result? Churches acquiesce, seminaries vacillate, preachers get lock jaw and elders get weak kneed.

Readers of WTBW? know that I'm a complementarian. I was not always one. I was, for a time, agnostic. In reality, however, I was simply ignorant. I have not yet read a feminist/egalitarian argument that did not fail upon close examination. In fact, most are easily dispatched. So, how do we explain the success of egalitarians within the church? Frankly, it is willful ignorance on behalf of many. You may have noticed a trend with regard to this "sensitive" and "complicated" topic. Chirstians increasingly seem willing to put the whole gender issue into the "opinion" category. Convenient? Yes. Compromise? Yes again! Some church leaders enact a pragmatism akin to "don't ask, don't tell." We just "don't go there." Yet, feminism/egalatirianism remains the proverbial elephant in the church.

Consider...
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (Genesis 3:1)

Today he says, "Did God really say, 'You must not teach or have authority over a man?"

Folks, we can't all be simultaneously right, especially when our positions flatly contradict each other. (Note to my emerging church readers: WTBW? embraces the concept of linear truth.)

More on this "touchy topic" later...