3.9.4

Discussion Points: Secular Views of Gender

Test yourself

Should Christianity Resist Secular Perspectives on Gender?

Here are arguments for and against the idea that Christians should resist contemporary secular perspectives on gender.

Illustrative background for For - importance of the BibleIllustrative background for For - importance of the Bible ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for For - separate rolesIllustrative background for For - separate roles ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for For - heterosexuality is idealIllustrative background for For - heterosexuality is ideal ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for Against - British HumanistsIllustrative background for Against - British Humanists ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for Against - Church leadershipIllustrative background for Against - Church leadership ?? "content

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?

Here are arguments for and against the idea that secular perspectives on gender equality have undermined gender roles in Christianity.

Illustrative background for Conservative Protestant viewIllustrative background for Conservative Protestant view ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for For - fluidity of rolesIllustrative background for For - fluidity of roles ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for Liberal Protestant viewIllustrative background for Liberal Protestant view ?? "content

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.
Illustrative background for Against - texts supporting equalityIllustrative background for Against - texts supporting equality ?? "content

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.

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

1.10Religious Language: 20th Century Perspective

2Religion & Ethics

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

3.11Challenges

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