ebook img

Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood - John Piper PDF

482 Pages·1997·1.4 MB·English
by  
Save to my drive
Quick download
Download
Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.

Preview Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood - John Piper

R B ECOVERING IBLICAL M W ANHOOD AND OMANHOOD A Response to Evangelical Feminism Edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem CROSSWAY BOOKS WHEATON, ILLINOIS A DIVISION OF GOOD NEWS PUBLISHERS Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Copyright © 1991 by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Published by Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. First printing, 1991 Printed in the United States of America This book is sponsored by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, P.O. Box 317, Wheaton, IL 60189. Readers may order booklets of chapters 1, 3, 4, 13, 22, and 23 by writing the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, P.O. Box 317, Wheaton, IL 60189. Other chapters may be available as booklets in the near future. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Recovering Biblical manhood and womanhood /John Piper and Wayne Grudem, editors. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Sex role-Religious aspects-Christianity-Miscellanea. 2. Sex role-Biblical teaching-Miscellanea. 3. Men (Christian theology)-Miscellanea. 4. Woman (Christian theology)-Miscellanea. 5. Men (Christian theology)-Biblical teaching-Miscellanea. 6. Woman (Christian theology)-Biblical teaching-Miscellanea. I. Piper, John, 1946- . II. Grudem, Wayne, 1948 BT708.R415 1991 261.8’343-dc20 90-20258 ISBN 0-89107-586-0 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 To Noël and Margaret 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS About the Authors 7 Preface John Piper and Wayne Grudem 10 Foreword For Single Men and Women (and the Rest of Us) John Piper 13 Section I: Vision and Overview Chapter 1: A Vision of Biblical Complementarity: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible John Piper 25 Chapter 2: An Overview of Central Concerns: Questions and Answers John Piper and Wayne Grudem 56 Section II: Exegetical and Theological Studies Chapter 3: Male-Female Equality and Male Headship: Genesis 1-3 Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) 86 Chapter 4: Women in the Life and Teachings of Jesus James A. Borland (Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary) 105 Chapter 5: Head Coverings, Prophecies and the Trinity: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Thomas R. Schreiner (Bethel Theological Seminary) 117 Chapter 6: (cid:210)Silent in the Churches(cid:211): On the Role of Women in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36 D. A. Carson (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) 133 Chapter 7: Role Distinctions in the Church: Galatians 3:28 S. Lewis Johnson (Believers Chapel, Dallas) 148 Chapter 8: Husbands and Wives as Analogues of Christ and the Church: Ephesians 5:21-33 and Colossians 3:18-19 George W. Knight III (Knox Theological Seminary) 161 Chapter 9: What Does It Mean Not to Teach or Have Authority Over Men?: 1 Timothy 2:11-15 Douglas Moo (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) 176 4 Chapter 10: Wives Like Sarah, and the Husbands Who Honor Them: 1 Peter 3:1-7 Wayne Grudem 193 Chapter 11: The Valuable Ministries of Women in the Context of Male Leadership: A Survey of Old and New Testament Examples and Teaching Thomas R. Schreiner (Bethel Theological Seminary) 211 Chapter 12: Men and Women in the Image of God John M. Frame (Westminster Theological Seminary) 228 Chapter 13: The Church as Family: Why Male Leadership in the Family Requires Male Leadership in the Church Vern Sheridan Poythress (Westminster Theological Serminary) 237 Chapter 14: The Meaning of Authority in the Local Church Paige Patterson (Criswell College) 251 Section III: Studies from Related Disciplines Chapter 15: Church History Women in the History of the Church: Learned and Holy, But Not Pastors William Weinrich (Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne) 265 Chapter 16: Biology The Biological Basis for Gender-Specific Behavior Gregg Johnson (Bethel College, St. Paul) 285 Chapter 17: Psychology Psychological Foundations for Rearing Masculine Boys and Feminine Girls George Alan Rekers (University of S. Carolina School of Medicine) 299 Chapter 18: Sociology The Inevitability of Failure: The Assumptions and Implementations of Modern Feminism David Ayers (The King’s College) 320 Chapter 19: Law Is It Legal for Religious Organizations to Make Distinctions on the Basis of Sex? Donald A. Balasa (Attorney, Chicago, IL) 343 Section IV: Applications and Implications Chapter 20: The Family and the Church: How Should Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Work Out in Practice? George W. Knight III (Knox Theological Seminary) 353 Chapter 21: Principles to Use in Establishing Women in Ministry H. Wayne House (Western Baptist College) 366 5 Chapter 22: The High Calling of Wife and Mother in Biblical Perspective Dorothy Patterson (Criswell College) 371 Chapter 23: Where(cid:213)s Dad? A Call for Fathers with the Spirit of Elijah Weldon Hardenbrook (St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church, Santa Cruz) 384 Chapter 24: Women in Society: The Challenge and the Call Dee Jepsen (Author, Washington, D.C.) 394 Chapter 25: The Essence of Femininity: A Personal Perspective Elisabeth Elliot (Author, Massachusetts) 400 Section V: Conclusion and Prospect Chapter 26: Charity, Clarity, and Hope: The Controversy and the Cause of Christ (including a response to the statement by Christians For Biblical Equality) John Piper and Wayne Grudem 405 Appendices Appendix 1: The Meaning of Kephaleł ((cid:210)Head(cid:211)): A Response to Recent Studies Wayne Grudem 424 Appendix 2: The Danvers Statement The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 477 6 ABOUT THE AUTHORS John Piper is Senior Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. He has authored a number of books, including Desiring God and The Supremacy of God in Preaching. He received his B.A. from Wheaton College, B.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and Dr. Theol. from the University of Munich. Wayne Grudem is Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He received his B.A. from Harvard, M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Cambridge, England. He has written three books, including The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today and 1 Peter in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. He and his wife, Margaret, have three children. David J. Ayers is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Kings College. He is a graduate of Edinboro University, PA(B.A.), American University (M.A.), and is in the process of finishing his Ph.D. at New York University. He and his wife, Kathleen, have two daughters. Donald A. Balasa is Executive Director and Legal Counsel for the American Association of Medical Assistants. He has a B.A. and J.D. from Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from University of Chicago. He and his wife, Kate, have one child. James A. Borland is Professor of New Testament and Theology at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of L. A. Baptist College (B.A.), L. A. Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Grace Theological Seminary (Th.D.). He has written Christ in the Old Testament, A General Introduction to the New Testament, Old Testament Life and Literature, and Lectures on Bible Prophecy. He and his wife, Cheryl, have six children. D. A. Carson is Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He received his Ph.D. from Cambridge University. He and his wife, Joy, have two children. Elisabeth Elliot is a noted speaker and author whose books include Shadow of the Almighty, Passion and Purity, and Let Me Be a Woman. She is the mother of one and grandmother of seven. John M. Frame is Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary and Associate Pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church (PCA). He is a graduate of Princeton University (B.A.), Westminster Theological Seminary (B.D.), and Yale University (M.A. and M.Phil.). He has written Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, Medical Ethics, and Toward Reunion: A Critique of Denominationalism. He and his wife, Mary Grace, have five children. Weldon Hardenbrook has been pastor of St. Peter/St. Paul Orthodox Church for seventeen years. He is the editor of Again magazine and is the author of Missing in Action. He is a former Campus Crusade for Christ staff member. He lives in Ben Lomond, California. H. Wayne House is Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Theology at Western Baptist College. He has a B.A. from Hardin-Simmons University, an M.A. from Abilene Christian University, an M.Div. and Th. M. from Western Baptist Seminary, a Th.D. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and a J.D. from O. W. Coburn School of Law. He is the author of The Role of Women in the Ministry Today, Civilization in Crisis, and Dominion Theology, Blessing or Curse? A Biblical Look at Christian Reconstructionism. He and his wife, Leta, have two children. 7 Dee Jepsen is Chairman of the Board at Regent University (formerly CBN University). She was formerly public liaison to President Reagan for women’s organizations. She has authored three books, including Women Beyond Equal Rights. She is married to former Iowa senator Roger Jepsen. They have six children and eight grandchildren. Gregg Johnson is Associate Professor of Biology at Bethel College, St. Paul. He has a B.S. from Bethel College and a Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota. He is the author of Cyto-genetics. He and his wife, Lois, have four children. S. Lewis Johnson, Jr. is minister at Believers Chapel in Dallas, Texas. He is a graduate of the College of Charleston, SC (A.B.) and Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., Th.D.) and has done graduate study in Edinburgh, Scotland, University of Basil, Switzerland, and Southern Methodist Seminary in Dallas. He is the author of The Old Testament in the New. George W. Knight, III is Administrator, Dean and Professor of New Testament at Knox Theological Seminary. He has earned a B.A. from Davison College, North Carolina, a B.D. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Th.D. from Free University in Amsterdam. He has written Faithful Sayings in the Pastoral Letters, Prophecy in the New Testament, and The Role Relationship of Men and Women. He and his wife, Virginia, have five children and four grandchildren. Douglas Moo is Associate Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is a graduate of the University of DePauw (B.A.), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.D.), and the University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.). He wrote The Old Testament in the Gospel Passion Narratives and A Commentary on James. He and his wife, Jenny, have five children. Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. An ordained minister with the Presbyterian Church in America, he is a graduate of Wheaton College (B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), the University of California at Berkeley (M.A.), and the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (Ph.D.). He and his wife, Jani, have four children. Dorothy Patterson is a homemaker and adjunct faculty member of the Criswell College. She has a B.A. from Hardin-Simmons University, a Th.M. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Luther Rice Seminary. She is a contributor to the NIV Women’s Devotional Bible, contributor of notes on James in the NKJV Study Bible, and assistant editor of the Criswell Study Bible and its revision The Believer’s Study Bible. She and her husband, Paige (see below), have two children. L. Paige Patterson is President of The Criswell College and Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas. He is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University (B.A.) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (Th.M. and Th.D.). He has written commentaries on Titus, 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, and the Song of Solomon. He and his wife, Dorothy (see above), have two children. Vern Sheridan Poythress is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary. His degrees include a Ph.D. from Harvard University and a Th.D. from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. He is the author of Philosophy, Science and the Sovereignty of God, Understanding Dispensationalists, and Science and Hermeneutics. He and his wife, Diane, have two children. George A. Rekers is Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Counseling at Tyndale Theological Seminary in The Netherlands. He has a B.A. from Westmont College and an M.A., C.Phil., and Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of over eighty academic journal articles and seven books, including Counseling Families. He and his wife, Sharon, have five children. 8 Thomas R. Schreiner is Associate Professor of New Testament at Bethel Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of Western Oregon College (B.A.), Western Conservative Baptist Seminary (M.Div.), and Fuller Theological Seminary (Ph.D.). He has written Interpreting the Pauline Epistles. He and his wife, Diane, have three children. William C. Weinrich is Professor of Early Church History and Patristic Studies at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has a B.A. from Oklahoma University, an M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and a D.Theol. from the University of Basel. He authored Spirit and Martyrdom and edited The New Testament Age: Essays in Honor of Bo Reicke. He and his wife, Barbara, have three children. 9 PREFACE A controversy of major proportions has spread through the church. It began over 20 years ago in society at large. Since then an avalanche of feminist literature has argued that there need be no difference between men’s and women’s roles- indeed, that to support gender-based role differences is unjust discrimination. Within evangelical Christianity, the counterpart to this movement has been the increasing tendency to oppose any unique leadership role for men in the family and in the church. “Manhood” and “womanhood” as such are now often seen as irrelevant factors in determining fitness for leadership. Many evangelical Christians have defended this position in writing. They include Letha Scanzoni and Nancy Hardesty (1974), Paul Jewett of Fuller Seminary (1975), Richard and Joyce Boldrey of North Park College (1976), Patricia Gundry (1977), Berkeley and Alvera Mickelsen of Bethel College and Seminary (1979), Catherine Clark Kroeger (1979), E. Margaret Howe of Western Kentucky University (1982), Gilbert Bilezikian of Wheaton College (1985), Aida Spencer of Gordon-Conwell Seminary (1985), Gretchen Gaebelein Hull (1987), and many others, in articles, lectures, and classroom teaching. Although they have disagreed on details, their common theme has been the rejection of a unique leadership role for men in marriage and in the church. Yet these authors differ from secular feminists because they do not reject the Bible’s authority or truthfulness, but rather give new interpretations of the Bible to support their claims. We may call them “evangelical feminists” because by personal commitment to Jesus Christ and by profession of belief in the total truthfulness of Scripture they still identify themselves very clearly with evangelicalism. Their arguments have been detailed, earnest, and persuasive to many Christians. What has been the result? Great uncertainty among evangelicals. Men and women simply are not sure what their roles should be. Traditional positions have not been totally satisfactory, because they have not fully answered the recent evangelical feminist arguments. Moreover, most Christians will admit that selfishness, irresponsibility, passivity, and abuse have often contaminated “traditional” patterns of how men and women relate to each other. But the vast majority of evangelicals have not endorsed the evangelical feminist position, sensing that it does not really reflect the pattern of Biblical truth. Within our churches, we have had long discussions and debates, and still the controversy shows signs of intensifying, not subsiding. Before the struggle ends, probably no Christian family and no evangelical church will remain untouched. We have edited this book in the hope that it might lead to a constructive solution to this controversy. Our secondary purpose is to respond to evangelical feminist writings like those mentioned above-hence the subtitle, A Response to Evangelical Feminism. We consider these authors to be brothers and sisters in Christ, and we have endeavored to respond to them in sincerity and love. Yet we also consider their essential position to be wrong in the light of Scripture, and ultimately harmful to the family and the church. Therefore we have tried to respond to them in detail and with clarity, and we have in many cases attempted to show that their interpretations of Scripture are simply not persuasive, and should not be accepted by Christians. But our primary purpose is broader than that: We want to help Christians recover a noble vision of manhood and womanhood as God created them to be -hence the main title, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Our vision is not entirely the same as “a traditional view.” We affirm that the evangelical feminist movement has pointed out many selfish and hurtful practices that have previously gone unquestioned. But we hope 10

See more

The list of books you might like

Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.