When Feminism cries out against mistreatment, how should Christians respond?

Mary Magdalene recognizing Jesus after His Resurrection.
Photo by anyka, via Canva
     
        Few topics provoke more confusion today than womanhood. In the wake of modern feminism, many women find themselves torn between competing ideals—encouraged to pursue autonomy, yet left yearning for meaning; told they are victims, yet expected to shoulder the weight of the world. Feminism often claims to speak on behalf of the marginalized and abused, and in some cases, it has exposed real injustices that the Church must not ignore. Yet while feminism identifies certain wounds, it cannot provide healing, because its tools are not shaped by truth.

        Biblical womanhood is not an alternative to justice—it is what justice looks like when it conforms to the wisdom of God. Justice, in its truest sense, is not defined by autonomy or sameness, but by right order under the Lordship of Christ. God’s Word does not reduce women to roles or erase their distinctiveness. It reveals their value through the lens of creation and redemption.

        From the beginning, woman was made by God—not as an afterthought, but as a necessary counterpart to man (Gen. 2:18). Her worth is not defined by cultural systems or shifting norms, but by the Creator who called her “very good” (Gen. 1:31). In Scripture, we find women honored not because they mimic men, but because they reflect God’s glory in uniquely feminine ways. Eve was the mother of all living (Gen. 3:20). Deborah exercised godly wisdom (Judg. 4–5). Ruth was praised for her covenant faithfulness (Ruth 3:11). Mary bore the Messiah and magnified the Lord with her soul (Lk. 1:46–55). None of these women needed to abandon womanhood to fulfill their calling.

        Sadly, the Church has not always reflected this biblical vision. In efforts to preserve male leadership, some have dismissed the full value of women. In reaction against feminism, others have ignored cries for justice. But biblical womanhood does not shrink from justice—it demands it. The same passage that calls wives to submit (Eph. 5:22) also calls husbands to love with the self-emptying pattern of Christ (Eph. 5:25). That kind of love leaves no room for domination or abuse—only honor, protection, and sacrificial leadership.

        When feminism cries out against mistreatment, Christians should not scoff. We should be the first to listen and to act. But we must do so with discernment. Justice that breaks away from God’s design ceases to be just. Equality that flattens male and female into indistinguishable roles robs both of the glory God assigned them. A woman’s worth does not come from replicating masculinity, but from bearing the image of Christ in the distinct calling she has received.

        Our task is not to rival feminism with better slogans. Our task is to bear witness to a better kingdom. Biblical womanhood offers not less than feminism promises—but more, because it is rooted in the very character of God. In Christ, women are not defined by power or pain, but by grace. They are not victims of a cosmic mistake, but chosen stewards of a divine calling. And in Christ, they are full heirs of a kingdom that will never pass away (Gal. 3:28; Rev. 21:7).

        Let us, then, recover the beauty of biblical womanhood—not as a counter-slogan to feminism, but as a faithful expression of God’s justice and wisdom. In this vision, women are not bound by worldly ideals, but freed to live as God intended—honored and cherished in their calling and equipped by His grace. May we then return to the Scriptures—not to defend tradition or react to culture, but to behold God’s design anew, and to walk in it with reverence and joy.

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