Some ideas gain traction not because they are entirely true, but because they respond to something that is painfully real. Feminism, for all its flaws, has resonated 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 remained 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 not caricatures. These are real accounts, and they must be brought to light if we are to speak with any moral clarity.
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—not because the man was lacking, 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 entrusted with wisdom and vital roles in the unfolding story of redemption. From Deborah judging with justice to Mary Magdalene walking with Christ alongside others as a disciple. These were not women waiting on the sidelines. They were 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. When purity is demanded without compassion or wisdom, women are shamed. When silence is urged in situations of abuse, women are 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 not an accident (Jn. 4:7–26). His praise of the woman who anointed His feet was not hyperbole (Lk. 7:44–48). His resurrection appearances to women were not marginal (Mt. 28:5–10). Christ elevated women by honoring their faith, not by flattening their distinctions.
When the Church fails to live like Christ, it should not be surprising that other movements step in. But we must be careful. 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 powerfully, 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 feminism, we must show them that the gospel speaks more deeply. 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—not because the man was lacking, 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 entrusted with wisdom and vital roles in the unfolding story of redemption. From Deborah judging with justice to Mary Magdalene walking with Christ alongside others as a disciple. These were not women waiting on the sidelines. They were 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. When purity is demanded without compassion or wisdom, women are shamed. When silence is urged in situations of abuse, women are 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 not an accident (Jn. 4:7–26). His praise of the woman who anointed His feet was not hyperbole (Lk. 7:44–48). His resurrection appearances to women were not marginal (Mt. 28:5–10). Christ elevated women by honoring their faith, not by flattening their distinctions.
When the Church fails to live like Christ, it should not be surprising that other movements step in. But we must be careful. 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 powerfully, 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 feminism, we must show them that the gospel speaks more deeply. 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