3.9.4
Discussion Points: Secular Views of Gender
Should Christianity Resist Secular Perspectives on Gender?
Should Christianity Resist Secular Perspectives on Gender?
Here are arguments for and against the idea that Christians should resist contemporary secular perspectives on gender.
For - importance of the Bible
For - importance of the Bible
- Some Christians believe that Christians have a responsibility to defend traditional Biblical ideas about gender roles and family.
- Christians believe that the Bible has authority as the word of God, even though there are differences of opinion about what this means in practice.
- Some Christians use ‘Sola Scriptura’ - meaning only the Bible - for making decisions. These Christians may even go so far as to support the idea that a wife should be subservient to her husband.
For - separate roles
For - separate roles
- Other Christians apply heteronomous ethics. They believe the Bible needs to be read in the context in which it was written.
- Nevertheless, both the Bible and the Church state that men and women have different roles to play. Biblical teaching is consistent in saying that God deliberately created two distinct sexes, male and female, and that each gender was created for different purposes.
For - heterosexuality is ideal
For - heterosexuality is ideal
- Many Christians (especially more conservative Christians) believe that the ideal family is a heterosexual married couple.
- Some Christians might consider secular views of gender that are at odds with traditional Christian teaching destabilising. They might see these views as depriving children of the security offered by clear gender roles and an established hierarchy in the family.
Against - legal exemptions
Against - legal exemptions
- The sex discrimination act and the equality act both make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual identity in the UK.
- But there are exemptions from this including “priests, monks, nuns, rabbis and ministers of religion.” In these cases, it is legal to have male or female-only roles.
- To many people, this exemption seems unfair and unjustified.
Against - British Humanists
Against - British Humanists
- The British Humanist Association, for example, thinks this exemption is unjust.
- “There are a number of exemptions in the Equality Act 2010 that means parts of it do not apply to religion or belief groups. We want to see many of these exemptions removed as they enable religious groups to discriminate...”.
- The Humanist Association might argue that the Church should accept current secular views on gender and change.
Against - Church leadership
Against - Church leadership
- There has been a decline in vocations to the priesthood.
- Some people might argue that if Christianity did not resist secular views of gender, they would allow women to enter the priesthood and there would more equality in Church leadership.
Has Secularism Undermined Gender Roles in Christianity?
Has Secularism Undermined Gender Roles in Christianity?
Here are arguments for and against the idea that secular perspectives on gender equality have undermined gender roles in Christianity.
Conservative Protestant view
Conservative Protestant view
- Conservative Protestants argue that men and women are created ‘equal but different’ by God and each must fulfil their gender roles: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27.
- God created specific gender roles and secular views should not undermine this.
For - fluidity of roles
For - fluidity of roles
- Conservative Protestants also look to the Bible: in particular, St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. This letter outlines that God orders that men and women have different gender roles and that society functions best when these ‘orders of creation’ are observed.
- This argument says that man is the ‘head of the woman’: “Wives be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord” Ephesians 5:22.
- But secular views that say gender roles are fluid, and so undermine Christian belief.
Liberal Protestant view
Liberal Protestant view
- Liberal Protestants might argue that secular views of gender equality do not undermine Christian gender roles.
- Liberal Protestants might appeal to St. Paul's teaching: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
- This is clear biblical evidence that Jesus wanted equality in gender roles.
Against - texts supporting equality
Against - texts supporting equality
- Mulieris Dignitatem argues that the Bible recognises the essential equality of men and women.
- In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis says that the language of headship and submission from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is part of the ‘cultural matrix’ of the time. In other words, he thinks that the language of submission is part of the historical context rather than the kind of language we should use today about the relationship between men and women in marriage.
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Jump to other topics
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
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