Resources on Manhood and Womanhood
This week our theme came to be the roles of men and women in our various relationships, especially concerning ordination to Christian ministry. Recent controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention gave the impetus for these articles. Here are our contributions for this week:
- Ordination of Women: Some Issues Just Won’t Go Away by Jeff Straub
- The Flawed Hermeneutics of Evangelical Feminism by Andy and Erika Merkle (a reprise of a 2014 post from FrontLine magazine)
- Jonathan Edwards And Female Preachers by Wally Morris
Some decades ago, when the internet was young, I was preaching through 1 Corinthians. In wrestling with 1 Cor 11.1-17, I discovered the work of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. There I found resources that helped me answer my questions on the “head coverings” passage. I also got involved in their now defunct e-mail discussion list. There I got to know (in an on-line sort of way) several leaders in the work of promoting Biblical ideas of male and female roles in church, home, and society.
Since our topic this week reminded me of CBMW and its resources, I thought I would give you a list of some of the resources currently available. Today CBMW writes on male/female issues as well as human sexuality and gender issues, certainly an area of great concern these days. I think you may find the resources at CBMW helpful for your own ministry.
Eikon is the reincarnation of the earlier “Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.” In addition to being easier to say, Eikon (meaning “image” as in “created in the image of God) contains many articles worth reading on all issues related to men and women and the Biblical understanding of human nature. You can purchase a subscription to the printed journal, but you may also download a pdf copy of the whole journal or individual articles for no charge.
A source for numerous books on the issues of men and women — if you are looking for extensive treatments of the topics covered, these are good sources to draw from.
More current writing on male/female topics — the most recent posts are interviews with the four candidates for the 2021 President of the Southern Baptist Convention, up for election in just a few weeks.
This link will take you to an index of the varied resources which you can sort by topic or resource type.
We must note, of course, that CBMW is an evangelical organization. There are areas where they will differ with us at the FBFI. However, their work in this specialized field is important. In the main, I think we would agree with the views taught here.
As you are aware, the issues of gender confusion are and male and female relationships are confronting us constantly in the news of our day. We may face great challenges to our faith and practice both personally and in our churches and institutions. We will need clear Biblical thinking to counteract the forces of the devil that will attack. The resources I’m linking to above will be a help to you in making your case for a Biblical worldview.
Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.