Complementarianism
From Neoredemptive
Theological complementarianism says that scripture holds some roles in the family and the church as normative for and permissible only for men, and other roles as permissible only for women, and that those roles are complementary. It is the right pole in the gender roles debate, in opposition to the left pole of egalitarianism.
Complementarianism is often miscategorized as hierarchialism and misogynism (which describe its corrupted hyper- forms, much as misandry describes some forms of egalitarianism).
Rationale
The argument for complementarianism is straightforward: the New Testament enumerates restrictions upon church offices and perscriptions for how the family is to be ordered which are structured around natural genders. E.g.:
- /TODO/
- /TODO/
Critique
The present-day critique of complementarianism within evangelicalism -- evangelical feminism -- has several roots, none of which we find terribly compelling.
- "A literal reading of these texts disagrees with our enlightened and progressive concept of rights, dignity, and value." So what? Sounds like Chronological prejudice to me.
- "A literal reading of these texts chafes with women's natural sense of their identities, capabilities, and selves." (Or, said differently, "women have the right to name God, the world, and themselves." -- see The Feminist Mistake.) So what? Gynocentrism is just another flavor of anthropocentrism, and both are idolatry.
- "The word translated 'head' is actually translated 'source'." So what? At issue is the connotation of primacy and authority.
- "1 Timothy was addressing a particular problem with particular women, not a general perscription for women in all churches at all times." Then why does Paul base his argument upon Genesis 1-3 instead of addressing the particulars of the problem?
- "The redemptive theme of Scripture -- crystalized in Galatians 3:28 -- drives toward the abolition of gender-role distinctions, just as it drives toward the abolition of slavery." First, the subject of social liberation is entirely out-of-scope in Galatians 3:28. Second, we do not find anywhere in the New Testament an endorsement of master-slave relationships, only instructions to both parties how to behave within them. The gathering of the church and the union of husband and wife, however, are clearly endorsed and marked with God's approval, and instructions for how to live within them happen within the context of this systemic endorsement.
