Women, Slaves & Gender Debate

Egalitarianism and complementarianism are the two major players in the contemporary debate about biblical gender roles and gender differences. The root of the different approaches is the method with which each group interprets Scripture.

According to the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, complementarianism 'affirms that men and women are equal in the image of God, but maintain complementary differences in role and function. In the home, men lovingly are to lead their wives and family as women intelligently are to submit to the leadership of their husbands. In the church, while men and women share equally in the blessings of salvation, some governing and teaching roles are restricted to men.”

Christians who identify as egalitarian usually believe that Christian women enjoy equal status and responsibility with men in the home, church, and society, and that teaching and leading God's people should be based on giftedness rather than gender.

The redemptive-movement hermeneutic is a new and seductive egalitarian argument. It is also a fascinating hermeneutical discussion as it relates to issues such as slavery.

The book that we will discuss today deals thoroughly with these issues from a complementarian perspective.

My guest on the program today will be Dr. Benjamin Reaoch - pastor of Three Rivers Grace Church in Pittsburg, PA. He is a graduate from Wheaton College and his advanced degrees are from Southern Seminary