Complementarian
Encyclopedia
Complementarianism is a theological view held by some in Christianity
and other world religions, such as Islam
, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage
, family
life, religious leadership, and elsewhere. The word ‘'complementary’' and its cognates are currently used to denote this view. For those whose complementarian view is biblically-prescribed, these separate roles preclude women from specific functions of ministry within the Church
. It assigns leadership roles to men and support roles to women, based on the interpretation of certain biblical passages. One of its precepts is that while women may assist in the decision making process, the ultimate authority for the decision is the purview of the male in marriage, courtship, and in the polity of churches subscribing to this view.
Contrasting viewpoints maintain either that women and men should share identical authority and responsibilities in marriage, religion and elsewhere (Egalitarianism
), or that men and women are of intrinsically different worth (a position usually known as chauvinism
, usually male, although female varieties do exist).
The complementarian position is seen to uphold what has been the most traditional teaching on gender roles in the church. However, the terms traditionalist or hierarchicalist are usually avoided by complementarians, as the former “implies an unwillingness to let Scripture challenge traditional patterns of behavior”, while the latter “overemphasizes structured authority while giving no suggestion of equality or the beauty of mutual interdependence”. Therefore, they prefer the term complementarian, “since it suggests both equality and beneficial differences”.
The Roman Catholic Church
and Eastern Orthodox Church
both advocate complementarianism with regards to the social doctrine of the Church
. The former, for example, asserts that "God gives man and woman an equal personal dignity" but also that the harmony of society "depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out."
In contrast with adherents of Biblical patriarchy
, some complementarians are open to the possibility of women assuming leadership roles in civic and commercial life.
loves the Church, and instructs wives to respect their husbands’ leadership out of reverence for Christ
.
An example of the Complementarian view of marriage can be found in the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message
(2000):
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
teaches that "Christ is the supreme authority and guide for men and women, so that no earthly submission—domestic, religious, or civil—ever implies a mandate to follow a human authority into sin."
The expression Sponsa Christi is sometimes used by complementarians, who note that Paul of Tarsus
himself advocated such views. Accordingly, the Christ symbolizes the man, while the Church (Ecclesia) represents the woman.
For instance, the president of a large conservative denomination has written that "...while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of Pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
holds that “[i]n the church, redemption in Christ gives men and women an equal share in the blessings of salvation; nevertheless, some governing and teaching roles within the church are restricted to men .” Some believe that women should be ordained neither as a pastor nor as an evangelist, while others believe that it is acceptable for women to be evangelists but not pastors. This would not support placing women in leadership roles in the church or family that would imply or provide some authority over men. Which other specific ministry roles are open to women varies among complementarians.
Roman Catholic complementarianism has generally advocated roles for women as teachers, mothers and nuns. Some traditionally Roman Catholic countries have been called matriarchal because of the high value that was placed on women, and there are numerous women who have been beatified and who are venerated among the saints
. However, the Roman Catholic Church restricts ordination
to men, since "The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry."
, Jehovah's Witnesses
and Eastern Orthodox. These groups of churches that support forms of this position specifically include the Southern Baptist Convention
, Eastern Orthodox Church
, Presbyterian Church in America
, Anglican Diocese of Sydney
, Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Roman Catholic Church
, Conservative Mennonites, Newfrontiers
, Evangelical Free Church of America
, Christian and Missionary Alliance
, Sovereign Grace Ministries
, and the Calvary Chapel
movement.
, "a tension exists between the egalitarian view that believers are judged on the basis of merit and the inegalitarian view that women and men should fulfill distinct, complementary roles in the family and society".
, FamilyLife
, Focus on the Family
, Campus Crusade for Christ
, and Promise Keepers
.
Noted supporters of the Complementarian position include J.I. Packer, Wayne Grudem
, Albert Mohler
, Mark Dever
, Mark Driscoll
, C. J. Mahaney
, Adrian Rogers
, Richard Land
, Ligon Duncan
, Gerald Bray
, Terry Virgo
, John Wimber
, Tim Keller, John F. MacArthur
, C.S. Lewis, John Piper
and Elisabeth Elliot
, missionary and wife of the missionary Jim Elliot
.
Christian
organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr. Randy Stinson who is also Dean of the School of Church Ministries at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
. The CBMW publishes a biannual newsletter called the Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood.
on "Manhood and Womanhood in Biblical and Theological Perspectives" at a 1986 meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society
(ETS), where he invited delegates to join "a new organization dedicated to upholding both equality and differences between men and women in marriage and the church." This was followed by a meeting in Dallas with Grudem, John Piper
, Wayne House, and others. A subsequent meeting was held in Danvers, Massachusetts
. Here the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood was finalized. A full page advertisement containing the full Danvers Statement was published in Christianity Today
in January 1989.
In 1991, Crossway Books
published the organisation's lengthy book, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism. Edited by Piper and Grudem, this book included contributions by D. A. Carson, John Frame
, Vern Poythress
, Douglas J. Moo
, Paige Patterson
, Elisabeth Elliot
, and several other writers. Bill Bright
of Campus Crusade for Christ
also supported the organisation.
The Danvers Statement recognised the "genuine evangelical standing of many who do not agree with all of our convictions." In 1994, three leaders of CBMW met with Christians for Biblical Equality
(CBE) for discussions. While there was much dialog, little agreement was found.
In 1998, the organisation established a British branch, in which Terry Virgo
was active.
As of December 2010, the CBMW had a funding level of around $127,000, down from $336,000 two years earlier.
such as Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism: A Documentary Reader (NYU Press, 2008) and Eve and Adam: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim readings on Genesis and gender (Indiana University Press
, 2009).
The CBMW takes the position that the Bible restricts the ordination of women
.
In the late 90s CBMW published articles and papers critical of gender-neutral Bible translations, such as Today's New International Version
of 2002. CBMW has drawn Christian media attention by expressing concerns about such translations. The organizations thoughts on Bible translations have had influence upon Southern Baptists
, Focus on the Family
, and other evangelical organizations.
is a predominantly Catholic
philosophy which emphasizes a belief in an integral complementarity of men and women, rather than the superiority of men over women or women over men.
Difference feminism
is a philosophy that stresses that men and women are ontologically
different versions of the human being. Many Catholic
s adhere to and have written on the philosophy, though the philosophy is not specifically Catholic.
, which note that complementarianism "sidesteps the question at issue, which is not whether there are beneficial differences between men and women, but whether these differences warrant the inequitable roles, rights, and opportunities prescribed by advocates of gender hierarchy."
In February 1989, R.K. McGregor Wright put out "Response to the Danvers Statement," an unpublished paper delivered to the Christians for Biblical Equality Conference, St. Paul, which was later revised and republished. In 1990 Christians for Biblical Equality
published a statement "Men, Women & Biblical Equality," in Christianity Today
.
Related secular:
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and other world religions, such as Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
life, religious leadership, and elsewhere. The word ‘'complementary’' and its cognates are currently used to denote this view. For those whose complementarian view is biblically-prescribed, these separate roles preclude women from specific functions of ministry within the Church
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
. It assigns leadership roles to men and support roles to women, based on the interpretation of certain biblical passages. One of its precepts is that while women may assist in the decision making process, the ultimate authority for the decision is the purview of the male in marriage, courtship, and in the polity of churches subscribing to this view.
Contrasting viewpoints maintain either that women and men should share identical authority and responsibilities in marriage, religion and elsewhere (Egalitarianism
Christian Egalitarianism
Christian Egalitarianism , also known as biblical equality, is a Christian form of the moral doctrine of Egalitarianism. It holds that all human persons are created equally in God's sight—equal in fundamental worth and moral status...
), or that men and women are of intrinsically different worth (a position usually known as chauvinism
Chauvinism
Chauvinism, in its original and primary meaning, is an exaggerated, bellicose patriotism and a belief in national superiority and glory. It is an eponym of a possibly fictional French soldier Nicolas Chauvin who was credited with many superhuman feats in the Napoleonic wars.By extension it has come...
, usually male, although female varieties do exist).
Christianity
Complementarianism holds that "God has created men and women equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in function with male headship in the home and in the Church."The complementarian position is seen to uphold what has been the most traditional teaching on gender roles in the church. However, the terms traditionalist or hierarchicalist are usually avoided by complementarians, as the former “implies an unwillingness to let Scripture challenge traditional patterns of behavior”, while the latter “overemphasizes structured authority while giving no suggestion of equality or the beauty of mutual interdependence”. Therefore, they prefer the term complementarian, “since it suggests both equality and beneficial differences”.
The Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
both advocate complementarianism with regards to the social doctrine of the Church
Catholic social teaching
Catholic social teaching is a body of doctrine developed by the Catholic Church on matters of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state...
. The former, for example, asserts that "God gives man and woman an equal personal dignity" but also that the harmony of society "depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out."
In contrast with adherents of Biblical patriarchy
Biblical patriarchy
Biblical patriarchy is a set of beliefs in evangelical Christianity concerning marriage, the family, and the home. It sees the father as the head of the home, and responsible for the conduct of his family. Notable adherents of biblical patriarchy include Douglas Wilson, R. C. Sproul, Jr. and...
, some complementarians are open to the possibility of women assuming leadership roles in civic and commercial life.
Roles in marriage
The complementarian view of marriage asserts gender-based roles in marriage. A husband is considered to have the God-given responsibility to provide for, protect, and lead his family. A wife is to collaborate with her husband, respect him, and serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Complementarians assert that the Bible instructs husbands to lovingly lead their families and to love their wives as ChristChrist
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
loves the Church, and instructs wives to respect their husbands’ leadership out of reverence for Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.
An example of the Complementarian view of marriage can be found in the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message
Baptist Faith and Message
The Baptist Faith and Message is the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention . It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Bible and its authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation,...
(2000):
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is an evangelical Christian organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr...
teaches that "Christ is the supreme authority and guide for men and women, so that no earthly submission—domestic, religious, or civil—ever implies a mandate to follow a human authority into sin."
The expression Sponsa Christi is sometimes used by complementarians, who note that Paul of Tarsus
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
himself advocated such views. Accordingly, the Christ symbolizes the man, while the Church (Ecclesia) represents the woman.
Roles in the Church
Based on their interpretation of certain scriptures Complementarians view women's roles in ministry, particularly in church settings, as limited. The complementarian view holds that women should not hold church leadership roles that involve teaching or authority over men.For instance, the president of a large conservative denomination has written that "...while both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of Pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is an evangelical Christian organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr...
holds that “[i]n the church, redemption in Christ gives men and women an equal share in the blessings of salvation; nevertheless, some governing and teaching roles within the church are restricted to men .” Some believe that women should be ordained neither as a pastor nor as an evangelist, while others believe that it is acceptable for women to be evangelists but not pastors. This would not support placing women in leadership roles in the church or family that would imply or provide some authority over men. Which other specific ministry roles are open to women varies among complementarians.
Roman Catholic complementarianism has generally advocated roles for women as teachers, mothers and nuns. Some traditionally Roman Catholic countries have been called matriarchal because of the high value that was placed on women, and there are numerous women who have been beatified and who are venerated among the saints
Roman Catholic calendar of saints
The General Roman Calendar indicates the days of the year to which are assigned the liturgical celebrations of saints and of the mysteries of the Lord that are to be observed wherever the Roman Rite is used...
. However, the Roman Catholic Church restricts ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to men, since "The Lord Jesus chose men (viri) to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry."
Other religions
Differentiation of women's roles on the basis of religious beliefs are not unique to Christianity or Western culture.Christian
Christian denominations that support complementarianism are Evangelical, CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
and Eastern Orthodox. These groups of churches that support forms of this position specifically include the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
, Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church . The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education...
, Anglican Diocese of Sydney
Anglican Diocese of Sydney
The Diocese of Sydney is a diocese within the Anglican Church of Australia. The majority of the diocese is Evangelical and low church in tradition and committed to Reformed and Calvinist theology....
, Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Conservative Mennonites, Newfrontiers
Newfrontiers
Newfrontiers is a neocharismatic apostolic ministry network of evangelical, charismatic churches founded by Terry Virgo. It forms part of the British New Church Movement, which began in the late 50s and 60s combining features of Pentecostalism with British evangelicalism...
, Evangelical Free Church of America
Evangelical Free Church of America
The Evangelical Free Church of America is an evangelical Christian denomination. The EFCA was formed in 1950 from the merger of the Swedish Evangelical Free Church and the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Free Church Association.-History:...
, Christian and Missionary Alliance
Christian and Missionary Alliance
The Christian and Missionary Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity.Founded by Rev. Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887, the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not start off as a denomination, but rather began as two distinct parachurch organizations: The Christian...
, Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries is a group of Reformed, neocharismatic, Evangelical, restorationist, Christian churches primarily located in North America. It has been described as an apostolic network...
, and the Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel
Calvary Chapel is an evangelical association of Christian churches with over one thousand congregations worldwide. Calvary Chapel also maintains a number of radio stations around the world and operates many local Calvary Chapel Bible College programs. It presents itself as a "fellowship of...
movement.
Islam
Within IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, "a tension exists between the egalitarian view that believers are judged on the basis of merit and the inegalitarian view that women and men should fulfill distinct, complementary roles in the family and society".
Complementarian advocates
Complementarianism is promoted by parachurch organizations including the Council on Biblical Manhood and WomanhoodCouncil on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is an evangelical Christian organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr...
, FamilyLife
FamilyLife
FamilyLife is a Christian non-profit organization with headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA, and a subsidiary of Campus Crusade for Christ...
, Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
, Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ is an interdenominational Christian organization that promotes evangelism and discipleship in more than 190 countries...
, and Promise Keepers
Promise Keepers
Promise Keepers is an international conservative Christian organization for men. While it originated in the United States, it is now world-wide...
.
Noted supporters of the Complementarian position include J.I. Packer, Wayne Grudem
Wayne Grudem
Wayne A. Grudem is a Protestant theologian and author. He was born in 1948 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and married Margaret White on June 6, 1969 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin...
, Albert Mohler
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Mohler's approach to Muslims is driven by his belief in the relevance of the Christian Gospel to all people.-Media appearances:Mohler appeared on MSNBC's Donahue on August 20, 2002. The subject was Christian evangelization of Jews...
, Mark Dever
Mark Dever
Mark E. Dever has been the senior pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. since 1994, and is the president of 9Marks , a Christian ministry he co-founded "in an effort to build biblically faithful churches in America."...
, Mark Driscoll
Mark Driscoll
Mark A. Driscoll is an American pastor and author. He is the founder and preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, he co-founded the Acts 29 Network and Churches Helping Churches, and has contributed to the "Faith and Values" section of the Seattle Times and the "On Faith"...
, C. J. Mahaney
C. J. Mahaney
Charles Joseph Mahaney is the former leader of Sovereign Grace Ministries , a network formed to establish and support local churches, and was one of the founding pastors and leaders of Covenant Life Church, in Gaithersburg, Maryland.-Selected publications:* Why Small Groups?* Disciplines for Life*...
, Adrian Rogers
Adrian Rogers
Adrian Pierce Rogers served three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention , a Southern Baptist pastor, and a conservative author....
, Richard Land
Richard Land
Dr. Richard D. Land, aka Chief Red Bull, is the president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission , the moral and ethics concern entity of the Southern Baptist Convention in the United States, a post he has held since 1988...
, Ligon Duncan
Ligon Duncan
J. Ligon Duncan III is an American Southern Presbyterian scholar and pastor.-Early life and education:Duncan is native to Greenville, South Carolina. His father, J. Ligon Duncan, Jr. was an eighth-generation Southern Presbyterian ruling elder. He had a small commercial printing company, still in...
, Gerald Bray
Gerald Bray
Gerald L. Bray is an English theologian and church historian. From 1993 to 2006 he taught at Beeson Divinity School, where he is now a research professor. He is the editor of the Churchman journal. His book, Biblical Interpretation: Past and Present was one of Christianity Today's books of the...
, Terry Virgo
Terry Virgo
Terry Virgo is a prominent leader in the British New Church Movement, . He is the founder of the Newfrontiers family of neocharismatic evangelical churches, which has grown into an international apostolic network of over 700 churches in more than 60 nations. He is a leading Reformed Charismatic...
, John Wimber
John Wimber
John Richard Wimber was a musician, charismatic pastor and one of the founding leaders of the Vineyard Movement, a neocharismatic Evangelical Christian denomination which began in the USA and has now spread to many countries world-wide.-Life and ministry:John Richard Wimber was the son of Basil...
, Tim Keller, John F. MacArthur
John F. MacArthur
John Fullerton MacArthur, Jr. is a United States evangelical writer and minister noted for his internationally known and broadcast radio program titled Grace to You...
, C.S. Lewis, John Piper
John Piper (theologian)
John Stephen Piper is a Christian preacher and author, currently serving as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
and Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot is a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband...
, missionary and wife of the missionary Jim Elliot
Jim Elliot
Philip James Elliot was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador.-Early life:...
.
Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) is an evangelicalEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
organization promoting a complementarian view of gender issues. CBMW's current president is Dr. Randy Stinson who is also Dean of the School of Church Ministries at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
. The CBMW publishes a biannual newsletter called the Journal for Biblical Manhood & Womanhood.
History
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood was organized in 1987. Its origins lie with a talk by Wayne GrudemWayne Grudem
Wayne A. Grudem is a Protestant theologian and author. He was born in 1948 in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and married Margaret White on June 6, 1969 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin...
on "Manhood and Womanhood in Biblical and Theological Perspectives" at a 1986 meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society
Evangelical Theological Society
The Evangelical Theological Society is a professional society of Biblical scholars, educators, pastors, and students with the stated purpose of serving Jesus and his church by advancing evangelical scholarship. It was established in 1949 in Cincinnati. The number of members in 2005 was over 4,200...
(ETS), where he invited delegates to join "a new organization dedicated to upholding both equality and differences between men and women in marriage and the church." This was followed by a meeting in Dallas with Grudem, John Piper
John Piper (theologian)
John Stephen Piper is a Christian preacher and author, currently serving as Pastor for Preaching and Vision of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
, Wayne House, and others. A subsequent meeting was held in Danvers, Massachusetts
Danvers, Massachusetts
Danvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, Danvers is most widely known for its association with the 1692 Salem witch trials, and for its famous asylum, the Danvers State Hospital.-17th century:The land...
. Here the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood was finalized. A full page advertisement containing the full Danvers Statement was published in Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
in January 1989.
In 1991, Crossway Books
Good News Publishers
Good News Publishers is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that publishes and distributes gospel tracts. Good News Publishers is the parent company of Crossway Books, a publisher of evangelical Christian books. Good News/Crossway is headquartered in Wheaton, Illinois...
published the organisation's lengthy book, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism. Edited by Piper and Grudem, this book included contributions by D. A. Carson, John Frame
John Frame
John M. Frame is an American philosopher and Calvinist theologian especially noted for his work in epistemology and presuppositional apologetics, systematic theology, and ethics...
, Vern Poythress
Vern Poythress
Vern Sheridan Poythress is a Calvinist philosopher and theologian and New Testament scholar.-Biography:Poythress lived on his family farm in Madera, California until he was five years old and later moved with his family to Fresno, California...
, Douglas J. Moo
Douglas J. Moo
Douglas J. Moo is a New Testament scholar who, after teaching for more than twenty years at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, has served as Blanchard Professor of New Testament at the Wheaton College Graduate School since 2000. He received his Ph.D. at the University of St. Andrews,...
, Paige Patterson
Paige Patterson
L. Paige Patterson is the eighth president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.- Education :*B.A. - Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, Texas*Th.M. - New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary...
, Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot
Elisabeth Elliot is a Christian author and speaker. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956 while attempting to make missionary contact with the Auca of eastern Ecuador. She later spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed her husband...
, and several other writers. Bill Bright
Bill Bright
William R. "Bill" Bright was an American evangelist. The founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, he wrote The Four Spiritual Laws in 1952 and produced the Jesus Film in 1979.-Early life:...
of Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ is an interdenominational Christian organization that promotes evangelism and discipleship in more than 190 countries...
also supported the organisation.
The Danvers Statement recognised the "genuine evangelical standing of many who do not agree with all of our convictions." In 1994, three leaders of CBMW met with Christians for Biblical Equality
Christians for Biblical Equality
Christians for Biblical Equality is non-profit organization of churches and individual members who believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of believers of both sexes, all racial and ethnic groups and all economic classes...
(CBE) for discussions. While there was much dialog, little agreement was found.
In 1998, the organisation established a British branch, in which Terry Virgo
Terry Virgo
Terry Virgo is a prominent leader in the British New Church Movement, . He is the founder of the Newfrontiers family of neocharismatic evangelical churches, which has grown into an international apostolic network of over 700 churches in more than 60 nations. He is a leading Reformed Charismatic...
was active.
As of December 2010, the CBMW had a funding level of around $127,000, down from $336,000 two years earlier.
Positions
The CBMW position is articulated in the Danvers Statement. The statement has been endorsed or adopted by the Southwestern Baptist Seminary and several independent churches. Randall Balmer says that the Statement was an attempt to "staunch the spread of biblical feminism in evangelical circles." Seth Dowland suggests that the authors of the statement "framed their position as a clear and accessible reading of scripture. The Danvers Statement is included in readersAnthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
such as Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism: A Documentary Reader (NYU Press, 2008) and Eve and Adam: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim readings on Genesis and gender (Indiana University Press
Indiana University Press
Indiana University Press, also known as IU Press, is an academic publisher at Indiana University that specializes in the humanities and social sciences. It was founded in 1950. Its headquarters are located in Bloomington, Indiana....
, 2009).
The CBMW takes the position that the Bible restricts the ordination of women
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
.
In the late 90s CBMW published articles and papers critical of gender-neutral Bible translations, such as Today's New International Version
Today's New International Version
Today's New International Version is an English translation of the Bible developed by the Committee on Bible Translation. The CBT also developed the New International Version in the 1970s. The TNIV is based on the NIV. It is explicitly Protestant like its predecessor; the deuterocanonical books...
of 2002. CBMW has drawn Christian media attention by expressing concerns about such translations. The organizations thoughts on Bible translations have had influence upon Southern Baptists
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
, Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
, and other evangelical organizations.
Complementarian movements within feminism
New feminismNew feminism
New feminism is a predominantly Catholic philosophy which emphasizes a belief in an integral complementarity of men and women, rather than the superiority of men over women or women over men....
is a predominantly Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
philosophy which emphasizes a belief in an integral complementarity of men and women, rather than the superiority of men over women or women over men.
Difference feminism
Difference feminism
Difference feminism is a philosophy that stresses that men and women are ontologically different versions of the human being. Many Catholics adhere to and have written on the philosophy, though the philosophy is not specifically Catholic....
is a philosophy that stresses that men and women are ontologically
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
different versions of the human being. Many Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s adhere to and have written on the philosophy, though the philosophy is not specifically Catholic.
Criticism
It is argued by some who disagree within Christianity, such as Christians for Biblical EqualityChristians for Biblical Equality
Christians for Biblical Equality is non-profit organization of churches and individual members who believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of believers of both sexes, all racial and ethnic groups and all economic classes...
, which note that complementarianism "sidesteps the question at issue, which is not whether there are beneficial differences between men and women, but whether these differences warrant the inequitable roles, rights, and opportunities prescribed by advocates of gender hierarchy."
In February 1989, R.K. McGregor Wright put out "Response to the Danvers Statement," an unpublished paper delivered to the Christians for Biblical Equality Conference, St. Paul, which was later revised and republished. In 1990 Christians for Biblical Equality
Christians for Biblical Equality
Christians for Biblical Equality is non-profit organization of churches and individual members who believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of believers of both sexes, all racial and ethnic groups and all economic classes...
published a statement "Men, Women & Biblical Equality," in Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
.
See also
- Biblical patriarchyBiblical patriarchyBiblical patriarchy is a set of beliefs in evangelical Christianity concerning marriage, the family, and the home. It sees the father as the head of the home, and responsible for the conduct of his family. Notable adherents of biblical patriarchy include Douglas Wilson, R. C. Sproul, Jr. and...
- Christian egalitarianismChristian EgalitarianismChristian Egalitarianism , also known as biblical equality, is a Christian form of the moral doctrine of Egalitarianism. It holds that all human persons are created equally in God's sight—equal in fundamental worth and moral status...
- Christian views about womenChristian views about womenGender roles in Christianity vary considerably today as they have during the last two millennia. This is especially true with regards to marriage and ministry.Christianity traditionally has given men the position of authority in marriage, society and government...
- Christian views of marriageChristian views of marriageChristian views on marriage typically regard it as instituted and ordained by God for the lifelong relationship between one man as husband and one woman as wife, and is to be "held in honour among all...."...
- Gender roles in IslamGender roles in IslamIn Islam, the sexes are considered equal before God in the complementarian sense. Allah says in verse 13 of chapter 49 in the Holy Qu'ran: "O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of...
- FamilyLifeFamilyLifeFamilyLife is a Christian non-profit organization with headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA, and a subsidiary of Campus Crusade for Christ...
- Ordination of womenOrdination of womenOrdination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
- Rights and obligations of spouses in Islam
Related secular:
- AntifeminismAntifeminismAntifeminism is opposition to feminism in some or all of its forms. Modern antifeminists say that the feminist movement has achieved its aims and now seeks higher status for women than for men.-History:...
- Family valuesFamily valuesFamily values are political and social beliefs that hold the nuclear family to be the essential ethical and moral unit of society. Familialism is the ideology that promotes the family and its values as an institution....
- MasculismMasculismMasculism may refer to political, cultural, and economic movements aimed at establishing and defending political, economic, and social rights and participation in society for men and boys. These rights include legal issues, such as those of conscription, child custody, alimony, and equal pay for...