yeahmicah:
I don’t know much about Feminism. I am, however learning about Complementarianism. I want to know if those two are related, and whether they complement or clash with each other.
From a biblical standpoint.
Please no controversy. I’m here to learn. Will somebody explain this to me?
Also, please don’t message me. Just reblog this and explain it. Please.
LEARN MEH.
I know you’ll know this but I’ll start with definitions of the terms so you’re clear where I’m coming from on this.
Complementarianism is a theological view held by some in Christianity and other world religions, such as Islam, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere.
Feminism – The advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.
First of all, I would say that these are largely unrelated concepts.
Lots of Christians justify the complementarian viewpoint from passages from the Bible such as:
1 Timothy 2:12 ‘I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.’
And 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 ‘Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.’
Colossians 3:18 ‘Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.’
Personally, I disagree with the idea of complementarianism, but not because I am a feminist. Since we can’t pick and choose what bits of the Bible we listen to, then we need also consider these verses, which seem to me to contradict complementariansm and separate gender roles.
Galatians 3:28 ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’
Joel 2:29 ‘In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.’
Joel 2:28 ‘Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy.’
Acts 2:18 ‘In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.’
I do, however, agree that men and women do complement each other, particularly in marriage, though this depends on the individuals and what God has called them to do. This should be both physically and spiritually building each other up.
I disagree with complementarianism on the whole, not because I am a Feminist (although I do think that women should be equal in society and not treated as less than equal to men just because they are female – even outside of religion, this is irrational!).
But yeah, I disagree with complementarianism, not because I am Feminist, but because I think the Bible says we are equal. The most prominent complementarian view is that women should not be leaders. I used to blindly agree until God spoke leadership over my own life.
Then because of the view I’d been taught that men are leaders, I questioned God whether he was right. Then I dug into his word even more and found that actually this, to me, seems to be a construct of the modern church.
Since there were women leaders in the early church that feature in the Bible, I don’t see why gender should hold us back from God’s plan for us – if God wants me to lead, he will show me where and give me opportunity – but I am coming from a personal journey, not a feminist point of view, which is what many people would assume I am advocating instead.
Complementarianism is the biblical view that men and women are equal in the eyes of God, and that in the church and marriage setting the man/men have the primary responsibility to lead the congregation/marriage in a God glorifying direction.
This does not leave women void of leadership responsibilities and opportunities, but it does, specifically, denies them the vocation of pastor, elder, deacon, or overseer of the church, and the primary leadership responsibility in marriage.
