Lots to think about here. I agree that humans are memetic creatures and need a model to imitate.
This brings to mind Paul’s call to imitate Christ and also frequently his call to imitate himself (as he imitates Christ). But it does seem that this call is clearly extended to both men and women - and Paul seems to be calling both to imitate Christ and Paul - as humans first - not a particular gender.
And while I agree that our biological sex is part of the gift of a body that God has given us, it’s also interesting how little there is in scripture that prescribes a certain model of masculinity or femininity for imitation. It seems perhaps the goal is to be asking first “am I becoming the kind of human that Christ modeled” rather than am I becoming a certain model of male or female.
Gender performance differs so radically in different contexts and I wonder if scripture is more concerned to call us all together to model Christ and then gives us the freedom to contextualize what that looks like at the gender level.
Rather than having an ideal man or an ideal woman to model after, if both men and women are living in Christ and growing in the fruits of the spirit, it seems that they would have the wisdom to exhibit those fruits in creative and diverse gender specific way - without having other humans tell them there is some platonic form of masculinity or femininity that they are failing at.
Seems to me that the boat is missed when we lament that men don’t know how to be men or women don’t know how to be women, when the problem is we all don’t know how to be the humans God created us to be unless we are in Christ.
I don't think we should pursue some "platonic form of masculinity or femininity", however in our pursuit of Christ-likeness if we ignore gender dynamics we are making a big mistake. God made us male and female. That's a huge significant truth. If Christ followers can't help in the arena of gender dynamics, or are absent to the discussion, wrong things will fill the vacuum and people will suffer. I don't think Christ-likeness equates automatically to healthy and biblical gender perspectives. There may be more scripture on holiness, but there is plenty also re:gender. And truth in both areas is desperately needed today.
Yes, gender is not playdough, it has biological pulls and pushes if you like, but it is flexible. As a man, I hate fishing, cars, and four-wheel driving, but I like musical theatre, books, and tennis. The danger is that we stereo-type gender oles in ways that are unhealthy.
I’m genuinely curious about examples you see in scripture that tell us how to be masculine or feminine in a way that transcends time and culture. For example, the call to be “humble” and “gentle” in scripture is given to all humans, regardless of gender. What is an example you see in scripture for a quality or performance that is gender specific? (Other than the obvious biological things like being a mother or a father?)
My basic reply on this would be perspective from reading the whole Bible. That's not a cop out. We could list specifics like husband's love your wives, 1 Cor. being courageous as men, etc., but these don't do justice to the entire scriptural picture of gendered humans living life before God. If we take the Wesleyan quadrilateral as having some validity: revelation, reason, tradition and experience, this certainly takes the discussion much deeper and broader. I guess what I'm saying is the answer to gender issues is not "just be more like Jesus."
Not trying to be argumentative at all but just really wondering on the specifics. I guess “read the whole Bible” just sounds like another version of “be like Jesus.” The two examples you gave aren’t really uniquely gendered - surely wives should also love their husbands. 1 Cor 16:13 is an idiom addressed to the whole church, both men and women - thus a number of versions translate it as “be courageous” - it’s not a gender specific command. I agree there are biological differences between men and women. But if the Bible gives clear “for all time and places” gender performance directions that are specific to one gender and never the other, I’m just wondering where that is. I really am genuinely curious and willing to be persuaded if there is evidence that I have missed.
Michelle, I can only refer back to my reply. It is the larger perspective that gives the clues. Similar to exegesis on the Trinity, I don't think it takes hyper specific commands or verses. Gender qualities are not hyper structured, but they do exist. P.S. The literal word in the Greek in 1 Cor.16.13 is actually "manly". We could argue interpretation :-). But it's only one item. So that's my real answer, not trying to dodge anything or push an unsupported opinion. Blessings!
Doesn't Christ model the perfect masculinity for us? One that uplifts male colleagues, respects and values women and their voices, resolves problems with wisdom, not violence, and endures difficulty for the good of others? He explicitly asks people to be accountable for their desires instead of gendering their gaze. I mean, after all, he's a grown man who is still close with his mother.
As a teacher and coach of high school students, I see young men looking for older models, and I absolutely agree with you that they will find someone to fill the vacuum (a la Peterson or Tate). Definitely the complementarian stuff and Piper stuff makes Christianity a bastion of problematic masculinity, especially when alloyed with the hypermasculine Western macho stuff a la Trump.
The solution, as Christians, is we need to point back to Christ as the model.
Isn’t Christ the model of the perfect human? Isn’t he a model for women also? What does Jesus do in his incarnated life that only a man could do and not a woman? Does he exhibit any qualities or virtues that are uniquely masculine? Is this perhaps one reason why Jesus does not marry/have children - so he can be the universal human model for both genders?
Yes, masculinity is suffering today. Partly due to reactions to toxic masculinity, men now don't know how to solve that as they are being pressured to drop all proper masculine qualities.
Related to that, I find the word "egalitarian" too flat. I have my own word, "complegalitarian". It probably won't catch on :) But I coined it because I think flattening of the genders today hugely affects men in negative ways.
Lots to think about here. I agree that humans are memetic creatures and need a model to imitate.
This brings to mind Paul’s call to imitate Christ and also frequently his call to imitate himself (as he imitates Christ). But it does seem that this call is clearly extended to both men and women - and Paul seems to be calling both to imitate Christ and Paul - as humans first - not a particular gender.
And while I agree that our biological sex is part of the gift of a body that God has given us, it’s also interesting how little there is in scripture that prescribes a certain model of masculinity or femininity for imitation. It seems perhaps the goal is to be asking first “am I becoming the kind of human that Christ modeled” rather than am I becoming a certain model of male or female.
Gender performance differs so radically in different contexts and I wonder if scripture is more concerned to call us all together to model Christ and then gives us the freedom to contextualize what that looks like at the gender level.
Rather than having an ideal man or an ideal woman to model after, if both men and women are living in Christ and growing in the fruits of the spirit, it seems that they would have the wisdom to exhibit those fruits in creative and diverse gender specific way - without having other humans tell them there is some platonic form of masculinity or femininity that they are failing at.
Seems to me that the boat is missed when we lament that men don’t know how to be men or women don’t know how to be women, when the problem is we all don’t know how to be the humans God created us to be unless we are in Christ.
Amen to all of that. We have allowed sex and gender to come above everything else. Not so in scripture.
Yes, it’s trying to find identity in things other than Christ, whether it’s gender or class or anything else.
I don't think we should pursue some "platonic form of masculinity or femininity", however in our pursuit of Christ-likeness if we ignore gender dynamics we are making a big mistake. God made us male and female. That's a huge significant truth. If Christ followers can't help in the arena of gender dynamics, or are absent to the discussion, wrong things will fill the vacuum and people will suffer. I don't think Christ-likeness equates automatically to healthy and biblical gender perspectives. There may be more scripture on holiness, but there is plenty also re:gender. And truth in both areas is desperately needed today.
Yes, gender is not playdough, it has biological pulls and pushes if you like, but it is flexible. As a man, I hate fishing, cars, and four-wheel driving, but I like musical theatre, books, and tennis. The danger is that we stereo-type gender oles in ways that are unhealthy.
I agree. I do think though there are some more basic gender qualities to be considered that are beyond preferences or personality.
I’m genuinely curious about examples you see in scripture that tell us how to be masculine or feminine in a way that transcends time and culture. For example, the call to be “humble” and “gentle” in scripture is given to all humans, regardless of gender. What is an example you see in scripture for a quality or performance that is gender specific? (Other than the obvious biological things like being a mother or a father?)
My basic reply on this would be perspective from reading the whole Bible. That's not a cop out. We could list specifics like husband's love your wives, 1 Cor. being courageous as men, etc., but these don't do justice to the entire scriptural picture of gendered humans living life before God. If we take the Wesleyan quadrilateral as having some validity: revelation, reason, tradition and experience, this certainly takes the discussion much deeper and broader. I guess what I'm saying is the answer to gender issues is not "just be more like Jesus."
Not trying to be argumentative at all but just really wondering on the specifics. I guess “read the whole Bible” just sounds like another version of “be like Jesus.” The two examples you gave aren’t really uniquely gendered - surely wives should also love their husbands. 1 Cor 16:13 is an idiom addressed to the whole church, both men and women - thus a number of versions translate it as “be courageous” - it’s not a gender specific command. I agree there are biological differences between men and women. But if the Bible gives clear “for all time and places” gender performance directions that are specific to one gender and never the other, I’m just wondering where that is. I really am genuinely curious and willing to be persuaded if there is evidence that I have missed.
Michelle, I can only refer back to my reply. It is the larger perspective that gives the clues. Similar to exegesis on the Trinity, I don't think it takes hyper specific commands or verses. Gender qualities are not hyper structured, but they do exist. P.S. The literal word in the Greek in 1 Cor.16.13 is actually "manly". We could argue interpretation :-). But it's only one item. So that's my real answer, not trying to dodge anything or push an unsupported opinion. Blessings!
Doesn't Christ model the perfect masculinity for us? One that uplifts male colleagues, respects and values women and their voices, resolves problems with wisdom, not violence, and endures difficulty for the good of others? He explicitly asks people to be accountable for their desires instead of gendering their gaze. I mean, after all, he's a grown man who is still close with his mother.
As a teacher and coach of high school students, I see young men looking for older models, and I absolutely agree with you that they will find someone to fill the vacuum (a la Peterson or Tate). Definitely the complementarian stuff and Piper stuff makes Christianity a bastion of problematic masculinity, especially when alloyed with the hypermasculine Western macho stuff a la Trump.
The solution, as Christians, is we need to point back to Christ as the model.
True, Jesus is the perfect men, for men AND women to emulate.
Isn’t Christ the model of the perfect human? Isn’t he a model for women also? What does Jesus do in his incarnated life that only a man could do and not a woman? Does he exhibit any qualities or virtues that are uniquely masculine? Is this perhaps one reason why Jesus does not marry/have children - so he can be the universal human model for both genders?
Yes, masculinity is suffering today. Partly due to reactions to toxic masculinity, men now don't know how to solve that as they are being pressured to drop all proper masculine qualities.
Related to that, I find the word "egalitarian" too flat. I have my own word, "complegalitarian". It probably won't catch on :) But I coined it because I think flattening of the genders today hugely affects men in negative ways.
Randy, yes, there's a needed reaction, but often an unhealthy over-reaction.
Great article! Thanks Dr. Bird