Through the Eyes of a Woman

          Christian feminism looks at the equality of men and women from a Christian perspective and tries to advance equality morally, socially, spiritually, and in leadership within the Christian sphere. Christian feminists argue that contributions by women, and an acknowledgment of women's value, are necessary for a complete understanding of Christianity. They believe that God does not discriminate based on sex and race, but created all humans to exist in harmony and equality, regardless of race or gender. The issues include the ordination of women, biblical equality in marriage, recognition of equal spiritual and moral abilities. Those who do not want to be associated with the feminist movement use the term Christian egalitarianism.         A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. That is why we should look at how Jesus treated women.       Jesus, the Feminist         In ancient Roman society, women were second-class citizens, with no voice and no real hope for a future. Thei

  Patriarchy is a social system in which society is organized around male authority figures. In this system, fathers have authority over women, children, and property. It is about male rule and privilege and is dependent on female subordination. Feminism characterizes patriarchy as an unjust social system that is oppressive to women.  History shows us that women have lived in patriarchal social systems as long as we can think. The women’s movement came about because women refused to continue to live in a system where they could not make their own decisions. I am sure we would not like to live in a world where women are completely dependent on men because they have no other financial alternatives. We know about the injustice inflicted upon women for hundreds and thousands of years. Beth Allison Barr recently published her book: The Making of Biblical Womanhood , [1] in which she as a medieval historian shows where patriarchy originated. It is an interesting and enlightening rea

  Although the word feminist is not found in the Bible, there are women in the Bible we could consider to be feminists. They had their own opinions, overcame great difficulties, and questioned the status quo around them. Although they lived in a patriarchal culture, they were women like you and me, who wanted to be able to make their own decisions. These women took the initiative and used their intelligence to make an impact or change the circumstances. They took charge of their fate and lives in a society where that was nearly impossible A patriarchal interpretation of the Bible usually blames women for anything bad that happens. Eve is blamed for Adam’s sin, Bathsheba for tempting David, and Sarah for being impatient with God about bearing children. There are also horrific crimes committed against women by men like the rapes of Dinah and Tamar. These women had no chance to defend themselves or protect their lives.   Let’s look at some women of the Bible from a feminist viewpoi

A current newsworthy development in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Bavaria leads me to change the order of my original plan in presenting my thoughts on Feminism, but I will get back to Biblical Feminism in my next blog.   As Adventists, we have embraced the equality of men and women based on the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians (3:28) “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.“ This is reflected in our Fundamental Beliefs:   BELIEF 14: UNITY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served wit

Often people don’t really know what feminism is and just think it is something bad – something a decent person should not even speak about. If you ask them, “Do you think men and women should be treated equally?” they will often say, “Yes, of course.” But they do not want to be associated with feminism. The word brings up images of aggressive, demonstrating women in their minds that produce fear. I would like to show what feminism is really about. So let’s take a look at what we can find out about the history of feminism. History of Feminism Feminism advocates for equal rights, human dignity, and self-determination of all people, as well as standing against sexism. Nobody can deny that societies prioritize the male point of view and that women have long been treated unjustly. Feminism wants the same opportunities for women as for men. Feminist campaigns have improved social conditions, particularly in the western world. The history of the modern western feminist movement is di