I recently came across a theologian named Owen Strachan. Dr. Strachan is a well-educated professor of theology who uses his intelligence to focus on something called complementarianism, which, in a nutshell, means that men and women are created equal and are meant to complement each other. Taking the pseudo-biblical argument that women are to be silent in church, are saved through childbearing, and should ask their husbands to explain theological concepts to them, he has prettied up the sexist portions of scripture with $10 words and a fake take on equality. He rightly refutes ridiculous concepts of men and women (men are from Mars, women are from Venus), but then goes on to speak of God’s design – anything other than heterosexual relationships, other than chastity in singleness, are not part of God’s plan. In other words, everything written in the Bible is the standard we need to take on in our own lives. Stay in your 2000-year-old plus moralistic biblical lane.
Of course, we can see that his worldview treats LGBTQ people as aberrations and single parents as inadequate and incomplete. He writes, “If given families to lead as men” and “If given families to serve as women”; meaning we should embrace God’s call based on what the Bible says. Which, of course, means that those who cannot have children are in that position because God hasn’t given them to them. And yes, this idea appears a couple of times in Scripture, which is concerning and, I believe, based on people’s limited understanding of reproduction 2000+ years ago. The same people who wrote these verses also forced lepers and women during menstruation to separate themselves from others, believing they would make those they came in contact with unclean. They knew nothing about periods or skin diseases, so they called them curses from God.
This theological view is at the center of many forces fighting to take humanity back to the literal stone age. It is used to keep women barefoot and pregnant – it is used as a reason why women shouldn’t be president of the United States – it is used as part of the basis for Project 2025 – it is used to keep women out of the pulpit. It is used as a theological undergirding to keep men in power and women subservient. While saying that all people are equal, it also tells us that we are different enough to have specific roles that should not be abandoned. I call BS. If God created us as equals, there is nothing men can do that women can’t. Keep your fancy words and deep thoughts, Owen. You’re just a sexist with a Bible, and you are misusing it. And you don’t know the mind of God. Nobody does.
Prayer – Holy God, thank You for making us all in Your image of the holy. We are doing our best to live up to Your call. Amen.
Today’s art is “World of Equality” by Taylor Hart.