The Intelligent Christian
Gender Passages
To paraphrase Charles Coulson (in his before-Christ life as aide to US President Nixon) 'when you've got them by their bibles, their hearts and minds will follow'.
Has the bible been deliberately mis-translated with respect to gender? In my opinion, yes. Why? I think it is because these men (yes, they're all men) are still trapped in the consequences of what we call the 'Fall'. We'll come to this when we look at Genesis 3:16.
Recently (in 2004), I was in a discussion with a married couple. They are Christians and psychologists (both double doctorates) and, as well as their day jobs, they have a global ministry in counselling. The woman does a lot of counselling by email with women missionaries who have been raped. Ever heard about this all too common outrage from your male preacher? And they travel to parts of the world where Christians are murdered. So, they are the real thing.
I asked the couple what was their understanding of the infamous 1 Timothy 2:10-15 passage.
They told me they thought it should be understood in the context of the time when it was written but that it didn't necessarily apply to today.
That was the moment I realised that the message of biblical equality has not adequately been stated and sent out. These psychologists are bible-believing evangelicals, yet they cannot hold that the bible they know applies today.
There are many Reverend Doctors who have not done their homework on gender and who rely unquestioningly on the 'authority' of a few (male) scholars who assert that the bible wants women to be subservient to men. They may couch their teaching in dubious phrases such as 'authority to serve' but when all the fat is boiled off their career-boosting posturing their teaching simply means 'men are bosses; women are slaves'
It doesn't mean 'their women' are necessarily abused, it just means that 'their women' don't know what the bible teaches about women. And, frankly, a lot of 'their women' don't care. There are a lot of Stepford Wives in Christendom.
There are also a lot of women (old and young) who feel the leading of the Holy Spirit but don't know where to turn for information. Sadly, they all too often turn to hideous sources for help, like the young Christian women quoted on the page Gender.
Jesus is Lord
'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.'