Some ideas gain traction not because they are entirely true, but because they respond to something that is painfully existing. Feminism, for all its flaws, has rung true with many women, Christian and non-Christian alike, because it exposes wounds that have often been left untreated. Sadly, those wounds are sometimes caused or ignored by the very institution that was meant to embody healing: the Church.
We cannot begin to correct the errors of secular ideologies if we do not first acknowledge the failures within our own ranks. Historically, many church leaders misused their positions of authority, confusing biblical headship with control. Others stayed silent in the face of abuse, thinking it was more spiritual to preserve a marriage than to protect a woman’s life. Some traditions buried women under legalistic rules rather than lifting them with gospel hope. These are real accounts, and they must be brought to light if we are to speak with any moral transparency.
Scripture does not permit us to distort God’s design to protect our pride. In Genesis, God created man and woman with distinct roles, but with equal dignity and shared responsibility (Gen. 1:27–28). The woman was made as a helper, as I mentioned in a previous writing, not because the man was lacking in value, but because the calling God gave required partnership. The task of cultivating creation and displaying God’s image was never meant to be carried by one alone. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see women given wisdom and vital roles in the unfolding story of redemption. From Deborah, judging justly, to Mary Magdalene walking with Christ alongside others as a disciple. These were women helping the mission of God.
Still, the Church has not always reflected that vision. When leadership becomes a tool for domination rather than service, women are dishonored and stripped of their God-given roles. When purity is demanded without compassion or wisdom, women are humiliated. When silence is urged in situations of abuse, women are further harmed. These distortions of biblical authority make feminism seem like the only available alternative. But feminism, too, offers its own distortion. It promises empowerment but often at the cost of biblical order. It answers injustice with rebellion rather than redemption. That may feel like justice, but it does not restore what has been broken.
The gospel does. Jesus Christ never belittled women. He defended them. He taught them. He dignified them. His interaction with the Samaritan woman was just an example of that (Jn. 4:7–26) as well as His praise of the woman who anointed His feet (Lk. 7:44–48). He elevated women by honoring their faith. He did not flatten their distinctions.
When the Church fails to live like Christ, it should not be surprising that other movements step in. But we must be watchful. The solution to injustice is not to reject God’s design, but to recover it. That means training men to lead sacrificially and nurturing women to serve faithfully, without competition. It means repenting for past wrongs and committing to truth, even when it implicates us.
If we want to speak credibly to a generation drawn to the flaws of feminism, we must show them that the gospel speaks more profoundly. It does not merely acknowledge their pain; it heals it. And when the Church embodies that redemption, feminism no longer sounds like hope. Christ does.
Scripture does not permit us to distort God’s design to protect our pride. In Genesis, God created man and woman with distinct roles, but with equal dignity and shared responsibility (Gen. 1:27–28). The woman was made as a helper, as I mentioned in a previous writing, not because the man was lacking in value, but because the calling God gave required partnership. The task of cultivating creation and displaying God’s image was never meant to be carried by one alone. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see women given wisdom and vital roles in the unfolding story of redemption. From Deborah, judging justly, to Mary Magdalene walking with Christ alongside others as a disciple. These were women helping the mission of God.
Still, the Church has not always reflected that vision. When leadership becomes a tool for domination rather than service, women are dishonored and stripped of their God-given roles. When purity is demanded without compassion or wisdom, women are humiliated. When silence is urged in situations of abuse, women are further harmed. These distortions of biblical authority make feminism seem like the only available alternative. But feminism, too, offers its own distortion. It promises empowerment but often at the cost of biblical order. It answers injustice with rebellion rather than redemption. That may feel like justice, but it does not restore what has been broken.
The gospel does. Jesus Christ never belittled women. He defended them. He taught them. He dignified them. His interaction with the Samaritan woman was just an example of that (Jn. 4:7–26) as well as His praise of the woman who anointed His feet (Lk. 7:44–48). He elevated women by honoring their faith. He did not flatten their distinctions.
When the Church fails to live like Christ, it should not be surprising that other movements step in. But we must be watchful. The solution to injustice is not to reject God’s design, but to recover it. That means training men to lead sacrificially and nurturing women to serve faithfully, without competition. It means repenting for past wrongs and committing to truth, even when it implicates us.
If we want to speak credibly to a generation drawn to the flaws of feminism, we must show them that the gospel speaks more profoundly. It does not merely acknowledge their pain; it heals it. And when the Church embodies that redemption, feminism no longer sounds like hope. Christ does.
Comments
Post a Comment