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There is much discussion and confusion around the issues of gender equality and gender roles, and the church is not exempt. Some even believe that the Bible contributes to sexism against women and that God is, in some way, sexist.
In this warm, conversational and sympathetic book, Kathleen Nielson looks at what the Bible really says about women and what it reveals about God’s attitude towards them. She asks the hard questions about the Old Testament Law, the role of women in marriage and the role of women in the church, consistently pointing us to God’s word and his perfectly created order. Women and men of all backgrounds, views, and ages will find this a valuable book.
“Kathleen does not duck the hard questions, is devoted to Scripture, and treats other viewpoints with courtesy.” Don Carson, President of The Gospel Coalition
Kathleen Nielson is a renowned conference speaker internationally, and served as Director of Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition. Kathleen is the author of numerous Bible studies and books, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Charles Simeon Trust. She is married to Niel and they have three sons and five granddaughters.
This summary of the complementarian position is provided by The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. You can read a more detailed explanation here.
A. Created Equality of Essence and Distinction of Role
Male and female were created by God as equal in dignity, value, essence and human nature, but also distinct in role whereby the male was given the responsibility of loving authority over the female, and the female was to offer willing, glad-hearted and submissive assistance to the man. Gen. 1:26-27 makes clear that male and female are equally created as God’s image, and so are, by God’s created design, equally and fully human. But, as Gen. 2 bears out (as seen in its own context and as understood by Paul in 1 Cor. 11 and 1 Tim. 2), their humanity would find expression differently, in a relationship of complementarity, with the female functioning in a submissive role under the leadership and authority of the male.
B. Fallen Disruption of God’s Created Design
Sin introduced into God’s created design many manifestations of disruption, among them a disruption in the proper role-relations between man and woman. As most complementarians understand it, Gen. 3:15-16 informs us that the male/female relationship would now, because of sin, be affected by mutual enmity. In particular, the woman would have a desire to usurp the authority given to man in creation, leading to man, for his part, ruling over woman in what can be either rightfully-corrective or wrongfully-abusive ways.
C. Restored Role Differentiation through Redemption in Christ
Passages such as Eph. 5:22-33 and 1 Tim. 2:8-15 exhibit the fact that God’s created intention of appropriate male leadership and authority should now, in Christ, be fully affirmed, both in the home and in the church. Wives are to submit to their husbands in the model of the Church’s submission to Christ, and women are not to exercise authoritative roles of teaching in the Church in view of Eve’s created relation to Adam. Male headship, then, is seen to be restored in the Christian community as men and women endeavor to express their common humanity according to God’s originally created and good hierarchical design.
