4 Common Misconceptions about Egalitarianism

[Paidiske]

This is an old blog post, but I found it quite helpful in addressing (false) ideas that I see brought up again and again:

4 Common Misconceptions About Egalitarianism

This is the second post in our series, One In Christ: A Week of Mutuality , dedicated to discussing an egalitarian view of gender—including relevant biblical texts and practical applications. The goal is to show how scripture, tradition, reason, and experience all support a postu

rachelheldevans.com

 

[peaceful-forest]

I found #3 to be shocking. I don't think I've heard that argument. But I can see complementarians saying that. This false doctrine of "God ordained men to be leaders" has hurt so many people.

I struggle with #2 myself. Maybe it's who I am as a person. I think women should stay home with their children and home school them. If I had children, I would do that too (if I was able to). But I can't see myself being a "traditional wife". When I hear that word, I think of a beautiful woman that obeys her husband and does whatever he wants, whether it's good or evil in God's eyes.

#4 made me angry too. I don't think complementarians take the Bible seriously. There's some hardcore people in that belief that use the Bible for selfish authority. Once on the Internet when I asked someone why they held a particular belief, I was told "you need to be quiet and ask your husband". I'm single, I don't have a husband.

 

[Paidiske]

I found #3 to be shocking. I don't think I've heard that argument. But I can see complementarians saying that.

Maybe not in those exact words, but I've heard the idea that if one of you doesn't have the right to make the decision, then too often if you disagree you'll be stuck at an impasse, that kind of thing.

It's like they have no idea that there are many ways to resolve disagreements, and many models for shared decision making, and we don't all have to default to some sort of quasi-military hierarchy in order to get things done.

I struggle with #2 myself. Maybe it's who I am as a person. I think women should stay home with their children and home school them. If I had children, I would do that too (if I was able to).

Everyone is different. If that's what one woman is gifted for, and feels called to, all power to her elbow. Other women have other gifts and callings. (Some children thrive being home schooled, for some children it's a disaster).

I cannot, for one second, find it convincing that it's genuinely egalitarian to deny the callings and gifts of women, to try to shove us all into the one domestic role. I might be able to buy it as an egalitarian argument, if it was put as, one parent should stay home with their children (and the couple can decide which parent based on the strengths and needs of each etc). But somehow, it's never put that way.

#4 made me angry too.

It's false, and a cheap shot, but it's incredibly common. The idea that if we don't agree with a particular interpretation of Scripture, we must be wilfullly disobedient, rebellious, and ignoring Scripture, is something that gets thrown around all the time (and in fact is why this particular forum exists, because at one time wider CF was so overrun with that, we lobbied hard to have one space free of it!)

 

[Rose_bud]

This is an old blog post, but I found it quite helpful in addressing (false) ideas that I see brought up again and again:

4 Common Misconceptions About Egalitarianism

This is the second post in our series, One In Christ: A Week of Mutuality , dedicated to discussing an egalitarian view of gender—including relevant biblical texts and practical applications. The goal is to show how scripture, tradition, reason, and experience all support a postu

rachelheldevans.com

I would add that another common misconception would be that if you hold to egalitarian views. You are on some kind of "slippery slope" to endorsing same-sex ideologies. Regardless of whether you hold to egalitarian or complementarian views, same-sex marriage is an entirely different theological debate and shouldn't be conflated.

 

[Paidiske]

Yes! That one comes up on these forums all the time, and I've made that point myself.

 

[peaceful-forest]

I would add that another common misconception would be that if you hold to egalitarian views. You are on some kind of "slippery slope" to endorsing same-sex ideologies. Regardless of whether you hold to egalitarian or complementarian views, same-sex marriage is an entirely different theological debate and shouldn't be conflated.

Not to derail the thread, but I'm glad you stated this. I've been an egalitarian for almost a year. I wasn't sure where egalitarians stand on homosexuality, and couldn't find an answer in any faith statement.

 

[Paidiske]

As @Rose_bud said, it's a completely separate issue. So you'll find egalitarians who hold a whole diverse range of views on homosexuality, just like with everyone else, because being egalitarian doesn't then entail any particular view on any other topic.