http://www.christianegalitarians.org/archives/61 Evangelicals for Gender Equality Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:38:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 http://www.christianegalitarians.org/archives/61#comment-53 Sun, 11 Sep 2005 12:33:00 +0000 http://www.christianegalitarians.org/archives/61#comment-53 Singingowl says it wonderfully, that we'd lose a lot of talking out of both sides of our mouths (e.g., women are not inferior to men -- they just have different functions) if egalitarians had their way. I've always wondered why heirarchicalists don't understand the horror of this argument. They (or their spouses) must not ever have had the experience of having one of their God-given gifts being denigrated by being placed on some man-made non-approved list.<BR/><BR/>Let me tell you, it is one of the most chilling things I've ever experienced, to hear a church leader present the heirarchicalist position with my wife present. She didn't react in a way that pleased that person and I don't blame her.<BR/><BR/>Most of the egalitarian position is just common sense. For example, isn't it only right that my wife insist on being called "doctor" in the same situations when her male doctor colleagues insist on it? Most of the non-evangelical Christian world gets it. Isn't it time we do, too? Singingowl says it wonderfully, that we’d lose a lot of talking out of both sides of our mouths (e.g., women are not inferior to men — they just have different functions) if egalitarians had their way. I’ve always wondered why heirarchicalists don’t understand the horror of this argument. They (or their spouses) must not ever have had the experience of having one of their God-given gifts being denigrated by being placed on some man-made non-approved list.

Let me tell you, it is one of the most chilling things I’ve ever experienced, to hear a church leader present the heirarchicalist position with my wife present. She didn’t react in a way that pleased that person and I don’t blame her.

Most of the egalitarian position is just common sense. For example, isn’t it only right that my wife insist on being called “doctor” in the same situations when her male doctor colleagues insist on it? Most of the non-evangelical Christian world gets it. Isn’t it time we do, too?

]]> http://www.christianegalitarians.org/archives/61#comment-52 Sat, 10 Sep 2005 17:17:00 +0000 http://www.christianegalitarians.org/archives/61#comment-52 Where is everybody? <BR/><BR/>I can't think of a single positive thing that would be lost. (A few men undoubtedly would disagree <BR/>;-) ) But I can think of a lot of negatives.<BR/><BR/>1. Marriage as a corporation (husband as CEO, of course) would disappear. Instead we could begin to have true partnerships.<BR/><BR/>2. We would lose a whole level of "hight priests" in homes too. Instead we could all just be part of the priesthood of believers.<BR/><BR/>3. We'd hopefully lose the dismal statistic I just read...that MORE evangelical Christians are divorcing than the general population. (!) <BR/><BR/>4. We'd lose a lot of sermon material. No more sermons about manly "roles" and womanly "roles." We could just serve cinnamon rolls at church potlucks instead.<BR/><BR/>5. We'd lose something that currently provides endless arguments between believers. Instead we could return to arguing about baptism modes or the gifts of the Spirit. <BR/><BR/>6. We'd lose a layer of legalism. We would better learn how to discover who God created us to be. (Men could even work in the nursery! Yay!)<BR/><BR/>7. We'd lose a set of beliefs and practices that makes the younger generation laugh at the Church and thus at the cause of Christ. Instead we could begin to realize that women and men can serve at all levels in church as well as the military, business, science, etc.<BR/><BR/>8. We'd lose a whole lot of misery. We'd lose a lot of manipulation. A lot of talking out of both sides of our mouths (i.e. "women are not inferior to men...they just a have different funcion...yada yada yada."<BR/><BR/>9. Uh oh! We'd lose some pastor's wives. Not talking about divorce. I'm talking about some women who felt called to serve and so decided they would be a pastor's wife. Now they'd decide to just be a pastor instead!<BR/><BR/>:-D Where is everybody?

I can’t think of a single positive thing that would be lost. (A few men undoubtedly would disagree
;-) ) But I can think of a lot of negatives.

1. Marriage as a corporation (husband as CEO, of course) would disappear. Instead we could begin to have true partnerships.

2. We would lose a whole level of “hight priests” in homes too. Instead we could all just be part of the priesthood of believers.

3. We’d hopefully lose the dismal statistic I just read…that MORE evangelical Christians are divorcing than the general population. (!)

4. We’d lose a lot of sermon material. No more sermons about manly “roles” and womanly “roles.” We could just serve cinnamon rolls at church potlucks instead.

5. We’d lose something that currently provides endless arguments between believers. Instead we could return to arguing about baptism modes or the gifts of the Spirit.

6. We’d lose a layer of legalism. We would better learn how to discover who God created us to be. (Men could even work in the nursery! Yay!)

7. We’d lose a set of beliefs and practices that makes the younger generation laugh at the Church and thus at the cause of Christ. Instead we could begin to realize that women and men can serve at all levels in church as well as the military, business, science, etc.

8. We’d lose a whole lot of misery. We’d lose a lot of manipulation. A lot of talking out of both sides of our mouths (i.e. “women are not inferior to men…they just a have different funcion…yada yada yada.”

9. Uh oh! We’d lose some pastor’s wives. Not talking about divorce. I’m talking about some women who felt called to serve and so decided they would be a pastor’s wife. Now they’d decide to just be a pastor instead!

:-D

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