In a
previous post examining the Council
on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's Problematic Doctrine of God,
I briefly mentioned how changes in language and perhaps language
translation contributes to the understanding and use of the word
“role” as opposed to “function,” “act.” or “operation.”
It
is my hope that by
pointing out the major issues that I have with CBMW's doctrines that
readers here will be encouraged to join with the Freedom
for Christian Women Coalition in signing the
petition at Change.org, demanding an apology of the group because
of the harm that their teachings have done to so many.
Exploring Gender and Relationship “Roles”
A new
friend, a Country
Parson named Gerald
Ford, directed me to a very good blog post which explores this point.
Pastor Gerald is also a marriage counselor and has authored another
book entitled Marriage
Minutes. I haven't had
an opportunity to read his book, but I have been blessed and
encouraged by his other
writings online.
The blog
post of interest offers a synopsis of Kevin
Giles' position on the use of the word “role” as used by
complementarians. I encourage you to read the whole post, but offer
an excerpt here.
It is not a biblical word and the Bible knows nothing of people assuming differing ‘roles’ in a sociological sense. What is more, the word is not found in the theological tradition. If the word is to be introduced into theological discourse in reference to the man-woman and divine Father-Son relationships as a technical term it demands careful definition. . . .
What this means is that for ‘complementarians’ the word ‘role’ is given a meaning not found in dictionaries or sociological texts. It would seem to be a word chosen because it sounds acceptable to the modern ear and obfuscates what is really being argued, namely that women are permanently subordinated to men, the divine Son to the Father. . . .
This means that until evangelicals publicly give an agreed definition of what they mean when they use this word, the word should not be used in trinitarian discourse or in speaking of the man-woman relationship. I completely agree with the German scholar Werner Neurer, a supporter of the subordination of women, who says to his fellow travelers, ‘In the cause of truth we should (therefore) give up talking about the roles of the sexes,’ [Man and Woman in Christian Perspective, trans by G. Wenham (London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1990), p. 30.] and I would add, and the roles of the divine three.
Read the post in its entirety HERE.
Marriage Conference!
For
those of you in the Houston, Texas area, Gerald Ford will be teaching at a marriage conference held at the Houston Graduate School of Theology (HGST). The Friday evening and Saturday
sessions on April 25 - 26 qualify for continuing education credits
for counselors and social workers through HGST.
Please visit
HERE for more information.
~~~~~
Learn More
For
more information and documentation concerning the criticisms of CBMW,
just start googling if you cannot find information on this
blog or through recommended
links (particularly those dealing with domestic abuse and women
in ministry). I also recommend the following books as introductory
ones that will help the reader understand the teachings pertaining to
the issues that most concern me personally.
- A Cry for Justice: How the Evil of Domestic Abuse Hides in your Church (Jeff Crippen and Anna Wood *blog)
