It's Friday again and time to discuss Wayne Grudem's book, Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth.  Since Grudem's first two chapters describe the foundational thinking behind the rest of the book, I don't want to move past them too quickly.  Too often people begin and end their arguments with "the Bible says," and that's the end of the matter.  Now don't get me wrong--the Bible does teach the truth and is perfectly authoritative, and in the sense of truth and authority, it is the end of the matter, but that doesn't mean the discussion about that truth ought to end there.  For an emotionally charged subject such as this one, a stark command ("women can't be pastors") that doesn't include a rounded explanation of the goodness of that command can be confusing and difficult to swallow.  Even women (and men) who desire to submit to the teachings of the Bible could submit with their actions but still be in pain and perhaps even misunderstand the character of God if those actions don't make sense to them. 

I've changed my perspective on these things quite dramatically over the past 10 years, and I still have not settled my understanding of all the details.  At first the change came in submission to biblical truth, but from that moment to this, my life experiences have consistently proven its wisdom and strengthened my complementarian view.  I've come to see male leadership as being a result of the positive qualities of women rather than a consequence of women's lack of masculine qualities.  (I'll explain more of what I mean by this as we go.)  I haven't heard this perspective much, but I think if we could start thinking of this subject in these positive terms, the entire tone of the discussion could change.  Some of that may sound cryptic for now, but I will flesh it out in the coming weeks.

So for my first post on this book, I want to start at the beginning and defend the very notion of hierarchy and submission as positive and necessary for members of a body who are working together towards a common goal.  First, consider this chart from Chapter One which deals specifically with the organization of the family:

Leaving behind the issue of husbands and wives for a moment, I can give you an illustration--one that is not so emotionally charged--of a beautiful hierarchy and submission in another kind of organized group I've been involved with for years, and in which I've seen these same errors and ideals lived out at various times...   more »

The first point, as it ought be, is that the church should recognize the equal value and dignity of men and women. “Both men and women are in God’s image, and we share that status equally. We are equally valuable to God and equally important to God’s work in the world and in the church. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is poured out in a new kind of fullness on both men and women.” (62) However, equal value does not mean equal function.

With Scripture as our foundation, we should consider where the lines in church practice should be drawn. “We should not make rules that the Bible does not support, and we should not add restrictions to ministry positions when the Bible does not justify these restrictions. Where the Bible allows freedom, we should encourage ministries by women as well as men.” (63)

            Many have claimed that this was Paul’s personal impression, or a temporary command for the social situation. However, “Paul’s words do not at all give the appearance of a temporary command for a specific situation, for he grounds his instructions in the situation of Adam and Even before the Fall.” (66) This command “applies to men and women as they were created by God at the beginning, and it is not due to any distortion brought on by sin or the Fall.” (69)

The second reason Paul presented is that “God gave men, in general, a disposition that is better suited to teaching and governing in the church, a disposition that inclines more to the rational, logical analysis of doctrine and a desire to protect the doctrinal purity of the church, and God gave women, in general, a disposition that inclines more toward a relational, nurturing emphasis that places a higher value on unity and community in the church (v14)” (72)

In regards to “women being saved by child-bearing:” “The point of 1 Timothy 2:15 is that women are not eternally lost because of Eve’s sin, but they will be saved and will experience the outworking of their salvation throughout their Christian lives if they follow the roles God has given to them and continue in faith and obedience.” (74)

1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6
            Paul taught in these verses that elders ought to be husbands of one wife. This restricts elders to being male and restricts these males to having no more than one wife. One the subject of elders, Paul also stated that for a man to be eligible for the position of elder he must manage his household well. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 and 5:1-2 indicate, “male leadership in the home and in the church are closely tied together, and that in today’s controversy, male leadership in the home and in the church will likely stand or fall together.” (81)

The first two chapters provide a description and positive case for the Complementarian view. Following that foundation, Grudem analyzes Egalitarian arguments and objections through eleven chapters, with a concluding chapter summarizing the current controversy in evangelical circles. The following is a summary of chapter 1: A Biblical Vision of Manhood and Womanhood as Created by God, which explains six key issues revolving around creation and marriage.

 Key Issue #1: Men and Women Are Equal in Value and Dignity

            All discussions of gender should start here since this is where the Bible starts (Gen 1:27)

Key Issue #2: Men and Women Have Different Roles in Marriage as Part of the Created Order

            Grudem puts forward ten arguments from Scripture (some stronger than others) that there was male headship prior to the Fall; thus distinct roles from creation.

1. “The order: Adam was created first, then Eve (note the sequence in Genesis 2:7 and Genesis 2:18-23).” (p30) Paul saw this as important- 1 Timothy 2:12-13.
2. “The representation: Adam, not Eve, had a special role in representing the human race.” Eve sinned first, but Scripture says we fell in Adam- 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45-49)
3. “The naming of the woman: When God made the first woman and ‘brought her to the man,’” (31) Adam named her- Genesis 2:23. Naming is a function of authority- See God’s naming creation Genesis 1:5-2:20.
4. “The naming of the human race: God named the human race ‘Man,’ not ‘Woman.’ (34)- Genesis 5:1-2 “Does this make any difference? It does give a hint of male leadership, which God suggested in choosing this name. It is significant that God did call the human race ‘Woman.’” (35)
5. “The primary accountability: God spoke to Adam first after the Fall…. It indicated a primary responsibility for Adam in the conduct of his family.” (36) Genesis 3:9
6. “The purpose: Eve was created as a helper for Adam, not Adam as a helper for Eve.” (36) She was Adam’s helper by virtue of creation, not in certain situations, but in a normative sense. Genesis 2:18, 1 Corinthians 11:9
7. “The conflict: The curse brought a distortion of roles, not the new introduction of roles.” (37) Genesis 3:16 is not how the roles ought to be, but is how the created roles were distorted.
8. “The restoration: When we come to the New Testament, salvation in Christ reaffirms the creation order.” (40) In Christ the curse is reversed and the created roles are restored- Colossians 3:18-19.
9. “The mystery: Marriage from the beginning of Creation was a picture of the relationship between Christ and the church.” (41) Paul makes this point in Ephesians 5:31-32, and it is applied in 5:23.
10. “The parallel with the Trinity: The equality, differences, and unity between men and women reflect the quality, differences, and unity in the Trinity.” (42) See issue #3 below.

This Biblical model can only be worked out when husband and wife each avoid errors of distortion in either being too passive or too aggressive with their roles. Apart from headship, the man’s responsibility is to provide for and protect his family. Apart from support, the woman’s responsibility is to care for the home and nurture the children.