Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen’s lecture on C.S. Lewis was outstanding. Her talk, “A Sword Between the Sexes: C.S. Lewis’ Long Journey to Gender Equality” is available on CD at Equality Depot. Basically, she picked out all of Lewis’s statements on gender equality throughout his writings. Early in his career Lewis’s writings imply his […]
CBE Workshop: There is something about Mary: From Magnificat to Model Disciple.
I chose this workshop when I realized that the leader would be the author of a quotation which had appeared on a recent issue of the monthly publication of our Missouri Synod congregation.
One of the visual aids was an ancient painting of Mary […]
I asked Dr. Craig Keener about his current thoughts on “headship.” He noted that “headship” has a range in meanings in the ancient sources and possibly doesn’t mean “source” as the old CBE literature strongly advocated. But Paul does not use “head” in a strong hierarchical way either. Craig is still reading […]
Finally, a comprehensive scholarly book from the egalitarian position! I have been in academic circles and egalitarian circles and I had not heard that this new book is out! It is Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity Without Hierarchy. Its general editors are Ronald W. Pierce and Rebecca Merrill Groothuis and its contributing editor is Gordon Fee […]
Having taught Mere Christianity in small group over the last year, I was not pleased with the comments C.S. Lewis makes in this book that he published early in his writing career. It was of great interest to me, then, to see this topic addressed at the CBE conference by Dr. Mary Stewart Van […]
Were ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish cultures more liberating for women than the early church? Dr. Craig Keener argues that there was a range of perspectives on women in the cultures where the early church found itself, but that Paul was more liberating in his writings about women than any other writer of his […]
I asked Dr. Craig Keener, CBE workshop presenter, why more New Testament scholars are not writing on gender equality (both pro and con). He said that the vast percentage of NT scholars do not know much about New Testament backgrounds or ancient Judaism so they are not equipped for these sort of discussions. He mentioned […]
CBE Workshop — Craig Keener
There are instructions in Ephesians 5:21-6:9 for both husbands and wives and slaves and masters. Craig Keener began his workshop with a presentation about how the church has viewed slavery over its history. Slavery was justified for many years within the Christian community by a so-called “plain reading” of […]
Craig Keener’s “Marriage: A Biblical Model of Submission”
Keener discussed Aristotle’s “household codes,” a set of values widely regarded in Paul’s day which instructed men to rule over their wives, children and slaves. Paul, in Ephesians 5:18, sets forth his primary charge: “Be filled with the Spirit.” Then he offers practical “how-tos” by adapting the household […]
Charles Reed’s “Doctrine of God and Inclusive Language”
This workshop, lead by Anglican minister and professor Charles Reed, was the surprise hit of the conference for me. It wasn’t my first choice for that time slot, but I’m glad I attended the session. You see, I’ve not previously been interested in inclusive language, considering it to […]