CHRISTIAN FEMINISM? LET'S JUST BE “BIBLICAL”

When I studied about “myself” in the Bible and who women are created to be I grew into a different person. I understood then that I alone could contribute to our marriage, to our children and to our world in a profound way that no other person could. And it came from inside.

 

I knew about the history of how women lived, laws that controlled them, religion that coerced them.  Then it was thrilling to discover what the Bible teaches about women.  History of cultures and religion and the Bible did not match up.

 

On that “hill” I nearly died . . . so to speak . . . and nearly took my husband and three sons with me. I was unhappy because of what I understood my “silent”, “unimportant” position as a female was. There was so much passion in my head and soul, but there were no expressions in my experience growing up.  Strong opinions in my head and heart: what to do with them. I was frustrated.

 

I guess I knew that I liked myself, I knew there were gifts in me (when I studied Scripture closely on the topic of being created in God’s image).  Giftedness was given me, and surprise of surprises, as I grew, more gifts emerged from within.

 

Five years, I studied and read only the Bible about the doctrine of women; five more years of thinking and study and we published “Submission is Not Silence, Boldness from a Quiet Spirit.”

 

What happened in our marriage is mysterious: but we grew together. He encouraged every thought, every move I made, every idea. Over coffee fifteen years into our marriage, he said, “I never thought I had the right to tell you what to do.” I stared into his serious, thoughtful, loving eyes. He meant it!

 

It was after that comment that I discovered that nowhere in the Bible did God tell a husband to tell his wife what to do. Nowhere did it instruct him to speak for her, tame or train her! And so I began to feel free to think for myself: it was the first time in my life that I did!

 

A lot of things have been said to me about the book, “This is not what women need;” “What about submission? It’s in the Bible?” But along with negative comments, there have been the positive ones which have made it worthwhile.  Eric edited every page.

 

A married woman, with wisdom and courage, is a balance of power alongside her husband. Her compassion, her perspective, her vision for life as a female created in the image of God and her gifts are needed . . . and when shared with courage and love, a man respects her.