Women must always wash the dishes: Biblical Manhoood and Womanhood P/10

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I will focus on the women who are members of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

The names of the women are as follows:

Mary Farrar
Susan Hunt
Rebecca Jones
Mary Kassian
Heather Moore

Their functions as stated on the webpage of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood are as follows:

Mary Farrar   Homemaker and Author and Speaker
Susan Hunt Pastor's Wife and Speaker and Author
Rebecca Jones Homemaker and Author and Editor
Mary Kassian  Homemaker and Author and Women's Ministry Consultant and Distinguished Professor of Women's Studies The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Heather Moore Homemaker

My Comment
It is interesting to me that in the case of these women the function of Homemaker is considered their primary function even though they may function in other ways.
For instance Mary Farrar is an Author and a Speaker besides being a Homemaker.
Rebecca Jones is an Author and an Editor besides being a Homemaker.
Mary Kassian is an Author, a Women's Ministry Consultant and a Distinguished Professor of Women's Studies besides being a Homemaker.
As for Heather Moore, her only function seems to be of that of a Homemaker so it makes sense to mention that as her primary function.
As for Susan Hunt, her primary function seems to be that of a now more or less official (unpaid) function as Pastor's Wife. However, that has come about because of a faulty understanding of I Timothy 3:11 while once again her other functions as Speaker and Author are considered secondary.
The above is clearly a case of men's bias against women, especially in light of the fact, that as I stated in my previous post, no mention is made of any of these men being fathers or Homemakers, not even as a secondary function.

 

Read Part Eleven HERE

Men must never wash the dishes: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/9

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post and in the next one I will focus on the people who are members of the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

A total of 25 people are members of this Council, 20 men and 5 women.

In this post I will focus on the men only. Their names are as follows:

Daniel L. Akin, Donald Balasa, James Borland, Denny Burk, Austin Chapman, Jack Cottrell, J. Ligon Duncan III, Jason Duesing, Wayne A. Grudem, Daniel Heimbach, H. Wayne House, Elliott Johnson, Peter Jones, R. Albert Mohler, Miguel Nunez, John Piper, Jeff Purswell. K. Erik Thoennes, Bruce A. Ware, Thomas.

Their functions as stated on the webpage for the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood are as follows:

Daniel L. Akin President Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Donald Balasa Executive Director and Legal Counsel, American Association of Medical Assistants
James Borland Professor of New Testament and Theology Liberty University
Denny Burk Professor of Biblical Studies Boyce College
Austin Chapman Retired Businessman
Jack Cottrell Professor of Theology Cincinnati Christian University
J. Ligon Duncan III
Semior Pastor First Presbyterian Church
Jason Duesing Provost Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wayne A. Grudem Research Professor of Bible and Theology Phoenix Seminary
Daniel Heimbach Professor of Christian Ethics Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
H. Wayne House Distinguished Research Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies Faith Evangelical Seminary
Elliott Johnson Professor of Bible Exposition Dallas Theological Seminary
Peter Jones Executive Director Christian Witness to a Pagan Planet and Scholar in Residence of West minister Theological Seminary
R. Albert Mohler President the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Miguel Nunez Pastor International Baptist Church
John Piper Founder Desiring God Ministries and Chancellor Bethlehem College and Seminary
Jeff Purswell Director of Theology and Training Sovereign Grace Ministries
K. Erik Thoennes Professor and Chair of Theology Talbot School of Theology Biola University and Pastor Grace Evangelical Free Church
Bruce A.Ware Professor of Christian Theology and Associate Dean of School of Theology The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Thomas White President Cedarville University


My Comment

From my next post you will learn that the primary function for any woman on this list is considered to be that of Homemaker regardless whatever other functions she may have. However, it is interesting to me that none of the men have the role of father or homemaker added to their credentials though I presume that most if not all, are married and have children. Does that mean they have never been involved in any way in the home life of their families in that they have never changed diapers, put their children to bed,  taken their children to ball games, ballet classes, piano lessons, kids club, washed the dishes, taken out the trash etc etc or does that mean that part of their life is simply not important enough to mention?
Nevertheless, the bible is very clear that both the father and the mother are to be involved in the parenting of their children as we know from Ephesians 6:1-2
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour your father and mother....

In my next post I will focus on the women who are members of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

 

Read Part Ten HERE

Women are to follow a Jesus not known from the Bible: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/8

                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                       Read Part One HERE

In this post I will focus on a lady named Ronda Chervin. As mentioned in my previous post, John Piper has used her list of characteristics to establish what mature femininity looks like.

John Piper was the Senior Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minnepolis, Minnesota, and is the Chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ronda Chervin is, as I briefly mentioned in my previous post, a Roman Catholic Professor of Philosophy, who has now retired.

Her belief system is very problematic as I will show from the following statements made by her:

The joy of being a woman of God is to be the beloved of a perfect divine lover as experienced daily in Holy Communion.

I believe we have a long, long way to go before male and female relationships become beyond what Jesus and Mary would like them to be.

My experience is that women who go to daily Mass as often as they possibly can, allow Jesus right inside their bodies to fill them with love.

For me, daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration and continual dialogue in prayer with Jesus, Mary and Joseph is what gives me peace and joy even in times of great misery.

It is very clear from the above statements that Ronda Chervin does not know the Jesus of the Bible. John Piper should have recognised that and should not have used her material. Moreover, he should have shared the gospel with her to enable her to become a follower of the true Jesus. Sadly, I do not believe he has done so.

 

Read Part Nine HERE

Women are called to be feminine: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/7

                                                       

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I will focus on the Book Recovering Biblical Manhood and Woman edited by John Piper and Wayne A. Grudem.

John Piper has said the following:

Mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for and protect women and mature femininity is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men.

As for mature femininity, John Piper has used a list put together by a lady named Ronda Chervin, to describe what are the characteristics of mature femininity, as follows:

Responsive, compassionate, empathetic gentle, warm, tender, hospitable, receptive, diplomatic, considerate, polite, supportive, intuitive, wise, perceptive, sensitive, spiritual, sincere, vulnerable (emotionally open), obedient, trusting, graceful, sweet, expressive, charming, delicate, quiet, sensually receptive, faithful, pure.


My Comment:

We cannot find the terms masculinity and femininity in the Bible. We can only find the terms male and female in the Bible as we know from Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Therefore, the terms masculinity and femininity are cultural terms rather than biblical terms. Moreover, nowhere in the Bible can we find lists which describe what mature masculinity or mature femininity looks like. However, we do have a list of godly character or the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Interestingly, the above list is to be developed in the lives of all believers, male and female, in order for each one of us to be more Christlike.

P.S. In my next post I will focus on Ronda Chervin, a Roman Catholic who has taught Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, the Franciscan University of Steubenville and Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, CT. 

 

Read Part Eight HERE

The main function of women is to be helpful: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/6

                                                      Read Part One HERE

Having shown in my previous posts that the Bible does not support Professor Wayne A. Grudem's three lists of 83 job descriptions in the church, in this post I will focus on what the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood teaches children and teenagers with regards the essence of being male and female.

They have stated the following:

While God created men to be generally oriented towards work, God created women to be generally oriented towards relationships of helpfulness and companionship.

This is often taught in conjunction with the notion that women stay at home and nurture the children and create an environment that is supportive to the husband's career. The major tasks of women would be to bear and raise children, to cook and clean the house, and see that the family is well supplied with clothes and other good. These clothes and goods are bought with the money earned by the husband, who is "the provider." The main teaching role of the women in this model is to teach younger women to fulfill these tasks.


My Comment:

Genesis 1:26-28 gives us God's Creation Account

Then God said, "Let Us make man (human) in Our image, in Our likeness, and let THEM rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
So God created man (human) in His own image, in the image of God He created him, MALE AND FEMALE He created THEM.
God blessed THEM and said to THEM, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

From the above words we learn that God gave the task of ruling over creation to the MALE and the FEMALE. Nothing was said about the woman just being helpful by cooking and cleaning the house etc.

In the Book of Judges we find the story of a woman named Deborah, who was a prophetess and a judge as we can read in Judges 4:4-16.

Proverbs 31:10-31 is a picture of a business woman.

The Apostle Paul mentions a number of women in his letters but never in relation to their cooking or cleaning.

He mentions  Lydia who was a business woman, a dealer in purple cloth, as we can read  in Acts 16:14-15.

He mentions Phoebe, who was a deacon in her church in Cenchrea as we can read in Romans 16:1-2.

He mentions Priscilla who, together with her husband,  pastored the church that met in their home as we can read in Romans 16:3-5.

He mentions his co-worker Mary as we can read in Romans 15:6.

He mentions Junia (should not read Junias), who functioned as an apostle together with her husband as we can read in Romans 16:7.

He mentions Trypena, Tryphosa and Persis who were all Paul's co-workers as we can read in Romans 16:12.

These women were not mentioned because they cooked well or cleaned their homes well. They were mentioned because of their work for the Lord. May they be examples to children as well as teenagers today with regards the essence of being female.

 

Read Part Seven HERE

Women are allowed lesser authority: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/5

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I will compare Professor Wayne A. Grudem's lists of 83 church activities with a list of activities the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus about as inspired by the Holy Spirit. This list can be found in Ephesians 4:11.

Professor Wayne A. Grudem has said the following:

Scripture teaches some restrictions on the roles women may fill in the Church. Generally these restrictions fall into three areas:

1. Governing authority.

2. Bible teaching.

3. Public recognition or visibility.


There are three lists of activities:

In List 1, I proceed from areas of greater governing authority to areas of lesser authority.

In List 2, I proceed from areas of greater public recognition and visibility to areas of lesser visibility.

In List 3, I proceed from greater public recognition and visibility to areas of lesser visibility.


My Comment:

The job descriptions mentioned in these three lists comprise of a total of 83 positions in the church in order to establish which functions are acceptable to women and which functions are not acceptable to women.

We will now compare these lists of church activities with a list of church activities the Apostle Paul wrote about in Ephesians 4:11 as inspired by the Holy Spirit

It was He (Christ) who gave some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be Evangelists and some to be Pastors and Teachers.

The above list of does not specifically mention that these people are only men since, apparently, Christ, has not made a distinction between male and female believers when appointing these people.

 

Read Part Six HERE

Women must not be publicly recognised: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/4

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I will compare Professor Wayne A. Grudem's lists of 83 church activities with a list of activities the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Rome about as inspired by the Holy Spirit. This list can be found in Romans 12:6-8

Professor Wayne A. Grudem has said the following:

Scripture teaches some restrictions on the roles women may fill in the Church. Generally these restrictions fall into three areas:

1. Governing authority.

2. Bible teaching.

3. Public recognition or visibility.

There are three lists of activities:

In List 1, I proceed from areas of greater governing authority to areas of lesser authority.

In List 2, I proceed from areas of greater public recognition and visibility to areas of lesser visibility.


My Comment:

The job descriptions mentioned in these three lists comprise of a total of 83 positions in the church in order to establish which functions are acceptable to women and which functions are not acceptable to women.

We will now compare these lists of church activities with a list of church activities the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 12:6-8 as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.                                                                         If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.                                                  If it is serving, let him serve;                                                                                                                      if it is teaching, let him teach;                                                                                                                    if it is encouraging, let him encourage;                                                                                                    if it is teaching, let him teach;                                                                                                                    if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;                                                    
if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;                                                                                              if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.*

*In the original text of Roman 12:6-8 no specific gender is mentioned. Therefore a better translation would be:

We have different gifts.  according to the grace given us.
If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;
if it is serving, then serve;
if it is teaching, then teach;
if it is encouraging, then give encouragement;
it if is contributing to the needs of others, then give generously;
it it is leadership, then govern diligently;
if it is showing mercy, then do it cheerfully.

In the original text the above list of spiritual gifts does not specifically mention that any of these gifts may not be acceptable to women, because, apparently, the Holy Spirit, does not make a distinction between male and female believers, when giving out gifts. We would not know this from most of the translated versions since the male gender has been added to the original text but it is clear from the original text that the Holy Spirit had no specific gender in mind when inspiring Paul to write these words.

In my next post I will compare Professor Wayne A. Grudem's lists of 83 church activities with a final list compiled by the Apostle Paul as inspired by the Holy Spirit, which can be found in Ephesians 4:11.

 

Read Part Five HERE

Women must not be allowed to teach: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood P/3

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I will compare Professor Wayne A. Grudem's lists of 83 church  activities with a list of activities the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about as inspired by the Holy Spirit. This list can be found in I Corinthians 12:28


Professor Wayne A. Grudem has said the following:

Scripture teaches some restrictions on the roles women may fill in the Church. Generally these restrictions fall into three areas:

!. Governing authority.

2. Bible teaching.

3. Public recognition or visibility.

There are three lists of activities:

In List 1, I proceed from areas of greater governing authority to areas of lesser authority.

In List 2, I proceed from areas of greater public recognistion and visibility to areas of lesser visibility.

In List 3, I proceed from greater public recognition and visibility to areas of lesser visibility.

My comment:

The job descriptions mentioned in these three lists comprise of a total of 83 positions in the church in order to establish which functions are acceptable to women and which functions are not acceptable to women.

We will now compare these lists of church activities with a list of church activities the Apostle Paul wrote about in I Corinthians 12:28 as inspired by the Holy Spirit

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

The above list of spiritual gifts does not specifically mention that any of these gifts may not be acceptable to women because, apparently, the Holy Spirit does not make a distinction between male and female believers when giving out His gifts.

In my next post I will compare Professor Wayne A. Grudem's list of 83 church activities with another list compiled by the Apostle Paul as inspired by the Holy Spirit, which can be found in Romans 12:6-8.

 

Read Part Four HERE