Christian - Feminism and the Church

Unfortunately, the very words "feminism, or feminists" tend to portray the repellent extremes of culturally inappropriate or abrasive behavior like abortion, lesbianism, and scheming behavior that prohibits honest relationships.

Have you ever wondered why did the Feminist movement begin? Simple. Bewildered women banded together in search reasons for their suppression. In the search, they discovered the historical evidence that the source for most of their difficulty ended up to be the religious teachings of celibacy, Mariology, patriarchy, hierarchy, and Gnosticism. The feminist solution was to aggressively end all monotheistic allegiance.Unfortunately, they used these often-accurate historical records to falsely judge Christianity, rather than to grasp that close-minded men distorted the holy thought of God.

Many persuasive and militant women passed their hurts on to weaker and more vulnerable women.Some overreactive and embittered feminists challenge the church in ways that haven't made a great impression on those who stoically insist that they're in charge.Many times, their caustic gatherings sourly challenge the Gospel itself. Still, no one can deny that what they discovered about the causes for inequality was generally accurate.Feminist scholars unveiled a lot of medieval delusion. It's true. We have to face it. The Church held women at bay.The irrefutable facts are clear; womankind has been bedeviled, brutalized, victimized, hurt, and oppressed by Christendom for centuries.

I listen to the feminist's well-presented arguments, knowing that they also need the Gospel -- a true one.The deceiver brought enmity and specialized in trapping these women into responding with emotional anger. Truth is, until the Church thoroughly laces its message with the impassioned laws of love, acceptance, and equality, these feminists will continue to abort their children, spit hatred, and be a law unto themselves.

We must obtain the nature of God-one, yet separate and distinct in function.No justification can validate our losing sight of the explicitly revealed fact that, "God so loved the world." And that means both men and women.We must all stop our combative striving.

The understanding of the function of gender is culturally preprogrammed. Because of socialization, most women consider themselves to be isolated and fragmented.The enemy pressures to bring them under condemnation -- and he does a good jobkeeping them from realizing their self worth. He defeats them by inferring that they still are deceived temptresses, weak, silly, and stupid. He overcomes them by postulating "Christian rules" that necessitate a position of inferiority.

Fortunately, feminists began to do research! Some of their motives may have been rebellious. Some of their findings may have led to some outlandish results - BUT they found truth! They discovered WHY women were considered "less than men." in every arena of life in general.

As feminism grew, so did their distain for the church - because ... it's true. The cause for their dismay was the church.

The early church Fathers blamed their own natural sexual appetites on all women! Through many writings, synods, and apostolic dictates, they deemed women as the cause of the Fall in the Garden. (You know the story... the weak and deceived woman gave the fruit to the man to eat.) There was the whole crux of the problem. Women were the reason for being thrown out of the Garden! Women were the reason for the difficult life now led.

The Church leaders decided that women were wanton and incapable of leadership. Why, they even determined that women didn't have a soul!

After 300 AD, the early church consistently restricted women from leadership. In order to express their spiritual passions, women began to form other forms of networking. Oppression has ruled for centuries.

What feminists discovered can be used for the good. What the early Church did, in all of its superstition and fear was not God's intention. It's all about what God MEANT - not what men have interpreted the Scriptures to say.

In-equality was never the design of the Creator. Genesis clearly shows us that God created men and women to rule and have dominion together. That was His plan from the beginning. "He gave them." He gave them BOTH this earth to populate, to subdue, and to rule.

We understand that equality was in Divine design from the start. Equality is not feminism. Feminism tends to revolt and protest.

Equality just is. We don't have to fight for it. Equality stands on solid ground without rebellion or dissent. Equality allows men and women to fully engage in LIFE and to be effective in every arena.

This problem of Gender prejudice is not over. But... the solution comes from knowing the cause. It was NEVER God's intention to silence the woman. Religion has tried and tried to do that. But, be encouraged! Truth sets us free!

---------------------------

If this article was helpful to you, please go to the bottom of the page and click the "thumbs up!" And then, also leave your comments! Let's learn together! Your online pastor Dr. Kluane

Many details about this dilemma are available on my website, www.kluane.org and in my books, "From Enmity to Equality" and "Understanding Headship."