Evidently my last post (happily) has provided a little fodder for discussion. In case you missed it, my good friend and a writer I admire a great deal, Bonnie Kristian wrote the first post on Christianity and Feminism.
Rather than having her shrink her thoughts into the “comments” section, I’ve asked another good friend and smart woman, Betsy Barnes, to guest post on this issue. You can read her musings on most other things and see her super cute kids on her blog: http://inwhispersandshouts.blogspot.com/.
My friend,
Marian, posted a guest post on her
blog about Christianity and feminism. She asked about my thoughts on the subject and said she might want to post them on her blog as well. I was surprised and pleased that anyone wanted to re-post something that I write, but I wasn’t sure if this was a topic I’d ever want to address. At least not in this sort of format.Then, as usually happens, my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about the topic. I kept tossing around different approaches I could take if I were to write it. Not that I was going to write it. At least, I didn’t think I was going to write it. It sounded too political and I try to keep politics off my blog (except for the occasional Ron Paul shout-out).
However, my mind had it’s own, um, mind. So write it I did. I’m not sure if my approach was what Marian wanted, but it’s where my mind took the topic. (And my mind can be rather persuasive.)
If y’all aren’t interested in my thoughts on Christianity and feminism then carry on… I’ll have something else posted soon, I’m sure.
If, for some reason, you are interested in my thoughts on this topic then you can continue reading after the jump break:
I’ve often heard people say that Christianity keeps women down. It puts them in a box and forces them to behave a certain way. In actuality, feminism keeps women down and puts them in a box. Christianity does the exact opposite. Christianity allows women to be women. Allows them their femininity. Allows them their freedom.
There is the feminist belief that ‘traditional’ roles for women are sexist. What Christian conservatives consider to be feminine behavior is only man’s way of making sure women stay put in their submissive roles… behavior like nurturing, putting others first, peacemaking, etc. Because feminists believe these behaviors are not natural to women, they also believe we should should stop these behaviors.
If I were writing an academic paper right now I’d be forced to start citing my work and show where feminists have made these claims. While it would be fairly easy to find some sources spouting these ideas, it’s not necessary. My sources have been face to face conversations with feminists. I attend a university that is an offshoot of a larger university and caters to the non-traditional college student. The largest demographic group are women and many of these woman are in their 40s and 50s. Several times I was confronted by women in this age group who were appalled that women my age (20s) were choosing to get married and have children while or before they attend college. One woman told several of us that she was angry that our generation would throw away all the hard work her generation did to give us real choices. I was appalled that she thought my personal choices were her any of her business and that by making these choices I was succumbing to man’s ability to keep me in my place. My choices weren’t the product of a culture that had influenced me to believe certain behaviors are natural. They were the product of me being me… of me being who God made me to be.
As calmly as I could I told her that I thank her, and her generation, for illustrating the many abilities of women and opening doors for later generations to have more opportunities and choices. And that my choice and desire was to marry the man that I love and to start a family with him. This woman and I didn’t have many more conversations with one another after that and I steered clear of any woman’s studies class that served up more of this fodder.
Women like her think they gave us the freedom to be strong women by refusing to marry (and, therefore, becoming a helpmeet to a husband) and proving that women can do anything men can do by forcing their way up the corporate ladder. What these women don’t understand is how unnecessary it was to purposely set out to prove their abilities instead of just doing whatever it was they wanted to do. By trying to free themselves they’ve put themselves in a box.
Christianity, on the other hand, has no such box for women. We are encouraged to grasp hold of our womanliness and take it to the fullest. We are each given different gifts and are free to use them… as women! We weren’t given our gifts and then expected to use them like men might. There’s nothing to prove with God. He knows who we are and what we’re capable of doing.
A few years ago our church was given the opportunity to take a spiritual gifts test. My husband and I both tested for the gift of teaching, but we teach very differently. Fortunately the Bible doesn’t say that I have to use my gift as my husband uses his. I’m just told to use it! So I do.
My point is this: the Bible never says that a woman using her gift as a woman is inferior to a man using his as a man. And even amongst women, gifts vary and the way they use those gifts vary. The Bible praises women who use their hands in a physical way (like Ruth) and women who use their hands in service in the home (like Martha). One is not superior to the other. Ruth was strong and went out to gather food for herself and for her mother in law. Martha was strong and served others, including Jesus, in her home.
Beyond the Bible giving women the freedom to use their gifts as a woman would use them, the Bible gives women the freedom to work as needed. No where does the Bible say women must keep to the home and be doormats for their husbands. The woman described in Proverbs 31 is not a bare-foot and pregnant homemaker. She makes money! She runs her home AND her business. She is intelligent, wise and uses her gifts to benefit herself and her family. Does she support her husband? Yes! But that does not make her week.
There’s also Deborah, who ruled over the Israelites. She was a judge, ruler, peacekeeper and war leader. Barak, her chosen warrior to lead the soldiers against the Canaanites, refused to go into battle unless she went with him. She, and Jael (the woman who killed the Canaanite leader), were revered and celebrated by God’s people. Why would God consider women inferior to men and then place a woman as chief and judge over His people?
Priscilla made tents with her husband and helped Paul with his mission work. She and her husband moved a few times but were able to continue their business in their new cities. Starting a business in a new city can’t be an easy thing to do. Obviously she was good at her profession and worked hard at being one of the best.
Then, there’s my favorite example of Biblical women- Lydia. She was another businesswoman and was at a river Paul went to “where prayer was wont to be made”. Paul and Silas spoke to some women who had gathered there. Lydia was amongst them. She believed the Gospel message, was baptized and then opened her home to Paul and Silas. Acts 16:15 says that she “constrained” them. The Greek word for constrained is parabiazomai, which means to comply by employing force. She was adamant that they stay with her, despite the danger it put her in. John Gill writes that “she not only invited them, but obliged them to go with her; she would take no denial, and by her arguments, entreaties, and importunity, as it were forced them, and prevailed upon them to go with her”. This sounds like many women I know- looking after the welfare of others and accepting no response other than the allowance of her ministrations. She saw a need and was set on fulfilling that need no matter the cost.
She was a businesswoman who sold purple (the dye and/or purple silks), which was very valuable. Starting a business and being successful is not easy. Surely she worked hard and worked well. But she did not forsake her feminine ‘role’ as a caring, giving woman. She was who she was and received no rebuke from Paul.
Why would modern day women be expected to behave differently then all these women? We serve the same God today that women have always served. God has always admonished women to work hard, use their gifts and find strength in their womanliness.
So how do I reconcile femininity and Christianity? By understanding that the Bible underscores the strengths of women, it does not weaken them.
It begins!
Fall colors and snow
View of my house and field across the street from my parking spot
The garage, early evening
Delia and big tree from the side porch
Wilson
Delia and big tree from the Treehouse front door
Neighbor’s house from loft stair window, morning after
Delia and big tree morning
Beautiful in the morning sun!
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