Egalitarianism versus Complementarianism

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Recommended: Gender roles in religion

Key Tenets
The important part of this debate is the relationship of men and women. It is not just about what is “‘a woman’s place in the church,’ but involves the bigger question of the design of the relationship of man and woman in creation and redemption” (Saucy 21) Men and women are created both in God’s image, but they are created different. They were were created to need each other and be one, but the special relationship was broken by sin. (Saucy 21-22)
Most people on both sides of the issue agree that the New Testament says for wives to be submissive to their husbands, such as Ephesians 5:22 and Colossians 3:18. They also agree that in 1 Timothy Paul says that women couldn’t teach men. The division comes with how these verses apply to the church today.
Egalitarianism
Those that believe that all church positions and ministry is equally open to both genders are called egalitarian. (Saucy 26) Alan G. Padgett, for the organization, Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE), defines Biblical equality as, “All have equal responsibility to use their gifts and obey their calling to the glory of God. God freely calls believers to roles and ministries without regard to class, gender, or race.” (22) They would see the verses about women being submissive and not being able to teach as not not applying to the church today.
Egalitarians can be divided further into a more liberal and a more conservative view. The more liberal view sees all the distinction between gender as the fault of coming out of a patriarchal society, which is not from God. The more conservative view tends to see the restrictions on women being addressed to specific people and churches that don’t apply to the church anymore. (Saucy 27)
Complementarianism
Complementari...

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...well Theological Seminary, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. .
Driscoll, Mark . "Complementarianism."The Resurgence. N.p., 29 Mar. 2009. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. .
Miller, RM, 1979, Slave Religion: The "Invisible Institution" in the Antebellum South [Book Review], Theology Today, 36(2), 297-299.
Reiher, Jim. "Galatians 3:28 -- Liberating For Women's Ministry? Or Of Limited Application?."
Expository Times 123.6 (2012): 272-277. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials.
Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Saucy, Robert L., and Judith K. TenElshof.Women and men in ministry: a complementary perspective. Chicago: Moody Press, 2001. Print.
Zehr, Paul M. 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus. Scottdale, Pa: Herald Press, 2010. eBook Collection
(EBSCOhost). Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

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