bible teachings

order of nature?

the idea that God created distinct but complementary gender roles, this is then exaggerated at the Fall

God’s covenant ideal?

the idea that because of the fall living together in relationship is no longer natural and has to be governed by God’s laws. many of these laws are about self-sacrificial love for one another

patriarchal reading - Adam and Eve?

Adam was created first and Eve was created out of hum to be his helper

patriarchal reading - genders?

* God creates two distinct sex and genders, and is God’s plan that the two should be together.
* Both genders are equally important to God, they have roles that are different but complementary

patriarchal reading - why is Eve weak?

Eve is the weaker of the two as she gives into temptation first, then tempts Adam to sin, therefore women should not make decisions

patriarchal reading - what does the fall do?

the fall damages the relationship between man and woman, cursing women to desire men and be subservient to him.

feminist reading - what happens after the fall?

the distinctions between male and female become more pronounced after the Fall, God’s original intention was for a more equal relationship

feminist reading - how were the genders originally creates?

both men and women were created in God’s image, in Genesis 1 this happens simultaneously.

feminist reading - view on Genesis 2

* Genesis 2 uses a gender neutral word for the creature that God creates from the mud
* gender specific words are only used for Adam and Eve after the woman was created from the rib.

feminist reading - what does helper mean?

the Hebrew word for helper implies that the man needs and relies on the woman

Mary and Martha - patriarchal reading?

* women and men are spiritually equal - Jesus was rightly concerned with Mary’s soul.
* Hwvr - they are not socially equal, God has created men and women to have distinct roles.
* Mary sits at the feet of Jesus

Mary and Martha \n - feminist reading?

* men of Jesus’ time would not have spoken to women outside of their family and would not have discussed religious matters with them, Jesus is adopted a radical new approach to women.
* Jesus believed that women were intellectual and spiritual equals.
* he did not consider that a woman’s place was just to be a homemaker.

Ephesians 5 - patriarchal reading?

* husbands are the head of the household, their wives should obey them.
* Jesus is in charge of the church, so men are in charge of women.
* women should adopt traditional gender roles of mothers and homemakers.
* the man should make decisions.
* the man should protect and provide for the wife.

Ephesians 5 - feminist reading?

* this passage contains household rules, which was influenced by the social expectations of the Greek society at the time.  These societal norms are no longer relevant.
* a Christian marriage is expected to be founded on love – this is a radical concept at the time.
* the man must love his wife like his own body, this is a reminder that the two are one and a corporate ‘body.’
* the passage emphasises ‘submission to one another’, following the general Christian principle of putting others before yourself. This is about a relationship not authority.
* the Greek for head is *‘kephale*’                                   which means ‘source of life’, which may refer back to the creation story in Genesis 2

1 Timothy 2 - patriarchal reading?

* women should not be ordained as priests or lead or teach in Christian worship
* husbands should make decisions for their wives
* women were created intellectually inferior in creation

1 Timothy 2 - feminist reading?

* this is another example of Ancient Greek cultural expectations being written into the Bible
* this teaching is at odds with other parts of the Bible, for example Paul describes female leaders in the early church