Editor's Note: This post originally appeared on Gender-News last fall. Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism? is the featured product this week at the CBMW Webstore. 

Is evangelical feminism the slippery slope that bottoms out at liberalism?

In his new book Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism? (Crossway) theologian Wayne Grudem answers that question in the affirmative and seeks to show the historical and theological connections between feminism and its logical end, liberalism.

Grudem argues that methods of biblical interpretation that evangelical feminists employ to arrive at their conclusions utterly undermine the authority of Scripture.

"Can a movement that espouses this many ways of undermining the authority of Scripture possibly be right?" Grudem writes. "If God had wanted to teach us an egalitarian position, would he have made it so hard to find in Scripture that it would require this many incorrect methods to discover and defend it?"

In Part I, Grudem examines the historical paths that some in recent church history have taken to liberalism. In this section, Grudem develops a connection between liberalism and the endorsement of women's ordination in the church.

In Part II, the author analyzes various views that undermine the authority of Scripture. These dangerous views include the denial of the truthfulness of the first three chapters of Genesis, the assertion that the apostle Paul was wrong in his view of women in the church, and the so-called "redemptive movement" hermeneutic of William Webb, among several others.

"In a surprising number of evangelical feminist writings, the authors have published statements that either deny the complete truthfulness of Scripture or else deny the full authority of Scripture as well as the Word of God for us today," Grudem writes.

In Part III, Grudem exposes many of the unsubstantiated or untruthful arguments that evangelical feminists make to buttress their theology. Among the fallacious claims that Grudem unmasks is the notion that women homeowners also served as elders in early churches, that female deacons had governing authority in the early church, and that the eternal subordination of the Son to the Father within the Trinity is contrary to historic doctrine, among numerous other claims.

In Part IV, Grudem assesses the expanding landscape of evangelical feminism and seeks to show where the movement will go from its current position. The next step, he argues, is the denial of anything uniquely masculine.

"The egalitarian agenda will not stop simply with the rejection of male headship in marriage and the establishment of women as pastors and elders in churches," he asserts. "There is something much deeper at stake. At the foundation of egalitarianism is a dislike and a rejection of anything uniquely masculine. It is a dislike of manhood itself."

Grudem is a board member of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's (CBMW) and serves as research professor of Bible and theology at Phoenix Seminary in Scottsdale, Ariz.

He is also the author of the massive 2004 volume from Multnomah entitled Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth: An Analysis of More Than 100 Disputed Questions. He also served as co-editor with John Piper of the seminal complementarian work Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, which was recently re-released by Crossway with a new cover and new preface.

Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism? is available through the CBMW webstore.

The world did not stop while Genderblog devoted this week to a series on GenderPac and its strategic plan, so we didn't want you to miss out on some outstanding articles that we were unable to comment on this week.  For your leisurely weekend reading, here they are:

"Women in Combat" is one of the top 10 searches on our website.  John Piper provides a definitive word on this subject in World magazine.  Piper says:

"A man who endorses women in combat is not pro-woman; he's a wimp. He should be ashamed. For most of history, in most cultures, he would have been utterly scorned as a coward to promote such an idea. "

Anything that John Ensor writes is worth reading, especially his latest book Doing Things Right in Matters of the Heart.  You will not want to miss the five-part interview with John by our friends over at Girltalk.

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5

Finally, Mike Seaver over at Role Calling had a touching post about a man named Tim who portrayed for his daughter a magnificent view of God's design of masculinity and femininity simply by being faithful to God's calling as a father and protector.  Here is an excerpt:

Tim promised that he would love and protect his daughter and he promised that he would have her best in mind as he guarded her and allowed a future man to court her. He promised that he would choose a godly man for her and that this man would be ready for pursuing her toward marriage when he allowed the relationship/courtship to begin. Tim promised his commitment to his daughter and she was overjoyed to rest in her father's loving care as he pulled the pressure of her future off of her and kept the weight of it on himself.

You see, Tim is a godly dad who knows that he is to be the one guarding his daughter.

Thanks for reading Genderblog, we look forward to seeing you next week.

Editor's note: This post is the fourth in a four-part series on GenderPac and related organizations that will run this week on Gender Blog.

If you have even a passing interest in gender issues, the daily news can sometimes sound a steady drumbeat marching away from Biblical values and eliminating the distinction between men and women. Many colleges are progressively moving to gender neutral bathrooms and dorm rooms. College freshmen are increasingly required to attend training in "gender-neutral pronouns" By law, school teachers in California now must allow children to express whatever gender is chosen on any given day. In some states, legislation outlaws discrimination in the workplace based not only on gender but also gender preference. Judicial rulings continue to chip away at the edges of the definition of marriage.

These events are not unrelated, though I don't want to paint a paranoid picture of a vast and intricate conspiracy theory. The steady erosion can be broadly explained by the behavior of two different groups of people: one active group, a tiny percentage of the population, with a high level of commitment to eliminating gender distinctions. This group is relentlessly and patiently pursuing a strategic program pressing for cultural changes. The other group, which represents the vast majority, are passively watching changes as they take place. I am confident that members of both groups are reading this article.

In the past, Genderblog readers from the active group have written to tell us, "I am looking forward to when your antiquated gender definitons [sic] are a postscript to history." Others have written, "The main push for all this misogyny is coming from a group called The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW). I think those letters really stand for Conceited Bossy Men on a Witch-hunt." Sometimes we hear the simple statement that "God will judge!", which I understand to suggest an adverse outcome at the end of time for the men and women on the team at CBMW.

Frankly, I am glad to hear from anyone who reads Genderblog, whether you agree or disagree with the complementarian position. Of greater concern to me are the people in the first active group who do not write to or about us, but are quietly and persistently pressing forward with a strategic agenda to undermine any differentiation in God's design of men and women. This week, Jeff Robinson has detailed for us these strategic plans of one such group, GenderPac.

I don't believe the second passive group is apathetic, per se, but is effectively pursuing a strategy that economists call "rational ignorance." Economists say that ignorance is "rational" when the costs to learn about an issue are higher than any potential personal benefits that could be obtained. The time and energy even to keep up with the news related to gender issues can be squeezed out by other important priorities in the Christian life like working a job, managing a household, parenting children, seeking a spouse, or even pastoring a church. There doesn't seem to be a great personal benefit for taking a stand on gender issues.

Unfortunately "rational ignorance" is a losing strategy for defending the Church from error and preserving the culture. At Genderblog, our goal is to lower the "cost" of being informed on gender issues that affect the church. We constantly invest time in scanning the news and speaking with key leaders to save you time. You can tell your friends that every business day they can receive an update on the gender issue that is relevant to individual believers. We also want to encourage you to live your life for things that are bigger than your own personal benefit. In God's kindness, as you know, living for His glory is also ultimately for our greatest benefit as well.

We want to encourage you to leave the passive group and become actively involved in the gender debate. While this does not mean you need to fly to Washington, or stand on a soapbox in the public square, there are specific things that you can do within your sphere of influence:

First of all preach the gospel to yourself. The power of the Gospel is what transforms our lives so that we can be examples of humble, wise, loving masculinity and joyful, intelligent, modest femininity. If you are a pastor, preach the gospel to your congregation as a matter of first importance. We must be doctrinally-informed complementarians not just follow ingrained, traditional roles.

Second, pray that God would protect the church from error, and especially this error that endangers the advance of the Gospel. Pray that Christians would be salt and light and that God would use them to preserve the culture from further degradation. Please pray for the team at CBMW that we would humbly and effectively communicate the truths of God's Word on gender.

Finally, do not be silent on the importance of the gender issue in the spheres of your life where you have influence. Teach your sons or the young men in your life about Biblical masculinity through your personal model and intentional discipleship. Teach your daughters and the young women in your life about Biblical femininity in the same way. Live out your marriage or your singleness for the glory of God. Speak up in the appropriate venues where God has placed you. As you live your life, celebrate and enjoy the goodness of God's design for men and women before a watching world.

And if you have time left over, send us an e-mail. We would love to hear from you, whatever group you are in.

Editor's note: This post is the third in a four-part series on GenderPac and related organizations that will run this week on Gender Blog. All quotations in this post appear in GPAC's strategic plan.

The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition or GenderPac (GPAC) is carefully and meticulously plotting its strategy to remove from culture all gender distinctions and normalize homosexual and transgender lifestyles.

GPAC includes its guiding document-a three-year strategic plan (which the group now seems to have extended to cover`08)-on its website, through which the organization plots its course to press the American public to recognize what GPAC leaders consider "a fundamental human right" to gender self-definition.

The plan's introduction makes clear a goal of personal, individual sovereignty: "All that is needed is for the public and policy makers to recognize that the right to our gender expression is a fundamental human right, inseparable from basic principles of dignity and self-determination, as integral to freedom of expression as freedom of speech."

GPAC introduced its current plan in 2005 and its goals reflect the radical nature of the group's agenda, an agenda that is goes deeper than GPAC's stated desire "to end discrimination and violence caused by gender attitudes."

Externally, GPAC has set four priorities, the first of which is "Public Education."  In 2006 and 2007, GPAC has sought to "train new spokespeople to employ more effective language" which will be articulated during protracted campaigns that focus on a message of gender self-determination. "Policymakers and the public still do not view gender as something concerning their rights, as they might view issues like freedom to marry, illegal searches, or equal pay for equal work," one section reads.

GPAC includes parents, corporations and municipalities prominently among its target audience.  A key player in the push for public education is GPAC's GenderYOUTH college chapters, which are able to conduct "local campaigns on the ground." 

How does GPAC weigh success in public education? On the scales of media attention: "A focused and coordinated public education campaign will consistently inject gender rights and GenderPac into the news cycle. The public and media will begin thinking and talking about gender as a legitimate human rights issue. This will help change public attitudes and behaviors, and ultimately reduce discrimination and violence."

The strategic plan targets three other areas through its three main programs: GenderYOUTH, Children As They Are Parenting Support Network and Workplace Fairness:

• GenderYOUTH. Here, GPAC espouses a goal of eradicating bullying and violence on college and high school campuses directed toward students based on "gender stereotypes." GPAC is establishing GenderYOUTH groups on college campuses and using members to conduct "peer education" designed to raise awareness among teens as to their "gender rights." GPAC is represented at scores of universities and colleges across America and seeks to get into 200 additional colleges, universities and high schools with GenderYOUTH. In 2007, the organization is targeting historically black colleges and urban schools. GPAC hopes the activities of "peer counselors" in high schools and colleges will "generate local news coverage, spark dialog and change attitudes and behaviors in their communities."

• Children As They Are Parenting Network. GPAC is developing "model curricula and coursework" to be used by pre-school and K-3 teachers. It also seeks to penetrate schools with its message through local PTA chapters and other parent-teacher organizations. GPAC hosts workshops such as "Policing Gender in Pre-School" and other events designed to enlighten parents and teachers on how to avoid shoehorning their children "into rigid, arbitrary, and often outdated gender stereotypes." Toward this end, the organization makes available a "tool kit" complete with posters, handouts and model press releases advocating gender neutrality, homosexuality and transgender behavior. The "Defining Success" statement for the future of the children's program is revealing: "Hundreds of parents in our ‘Children As They Are' Parenting Support Network will change the way their children are treated by teachers, playmates, and peers. Parents and practitioners around the country will begin to think and talk about the gender rights of children."

• Workplace Fairness. GPAC uses this program to take aim at major corporations, insisting that their EEO policies include "incorporating gender rights" and the group is developing "training modules to educate" business leaders. GPAC is also targeting small and medium-sized businesses and is seeking to work through local chambers of commerce. In 2007 and 2008, the plan says GPAC will "develop local and state Gender Lobby Days that coordinate with our GenderYouth chapters ‘on the ground' to encourage passage of local non-discrimination ordinances." Such ordinances are calibrated to normalize gay and transgender behavior in more rural areas. Once again, GPAC's final goal with "workplace fairness" is nothing less than a full embrace of gender-neutrality, homosexuality and transgender lifestyles: "Gender identity and expression will be integral to diversity practices in corporate America and on Capitol Hill. Gender sensitivity training will become standard practice."

I would like to encourage Gender Blog readers to peruse both GPAC's website and its three-year strategic plan. From every age group across all regional and demographic categories, GPAC's plan is comprehensively trying to erase the difference between manhood and womanhood.  Please pray with us at CBMW that God would protect the church with truth and that the power of the Gospel would lead to a cultural transformation so that all people can delight in God's good design of men and women.

Tomorrow, Gender Blog concludes this series by examining the proper Christian response to GenderPac and similar groups from The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. 

Editor's note: This post is the second in a four-part series on GenderPac and related organizations that will run this week on Gender Blog.

Yesterday, Gender Blog began a series on the Gender Public Advocacy Coalition (GenderPac), an organization that is pressing for the discarding of gender distinctions and the normalization of homosexual and transgender lifestyles in numerous areas of contemporary American culture. 

Though GenderPac's agenda seems radical, the group is making significant inroads in both public and private spheres, particularly in universities, colleges and K-12 public schools.

Without question, GPAC is patiently executing its sweeping agenda. Examples of GPAC's ongoing assertion of its gender-neutral, pro-gay agenda include:

• Convincing 30 universities and colleges since 2004 to develop gender-neutral dorm rooms to accommodate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students who do not feel comfortable with what GPAC calls "hetero-compulsive" living quarters. One school that implemented gender-neutral dorms was Dartmouth, where Jon Hopper, RA of the gender-neutral dorm, applauded the new suites because they "question the basis of heteronormativity-the idea that people are heterosexual and that policies should be based on that assumption." Sad, but telling words.
• Pushing for the development of gender-neutral restrooms on college campuses across America, which Gender Blog recently examined. As of Aug. 24, GenderPac reports that 140 college and university campuses have developed gender-neutral restrooms to accommodate transgender persons.
• Persuading, through its GenderYOUTH program, (which boasts chapters on at least 28 college campuses) leaders at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., to expand their non-discrimination policy to include "gender identity and expression." Senior David Norton applauds the revision and gives a definition for gender identity: The change "really allows people to express themselves and the way that they are," Norton told a gay news agency. "It's about time the college is sending a message that everyone is embraced in this community. Gender identity is how a person decides to personally identify "whether it be a man or a woman or something else all together. Gender expression is how a person expresses himself or herself, such as in dress or speech." The change is included in Guilford's Student Handbook this fall.
• Providing support for legislation such as SB 777 and AB 394 in California, bills (actually sponsored by Equality California, a group similar to GPAC) that were signed into law on Oct. 12 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. SB 777 promotes homosexual, bisexual, and transsexual indoctrination of schoolchildren through prescribed textbooks and activities; AB 394 advances the same agenda through "harassment" training. Harassment is ambiguously defined and seems to exist where a person expresses a belief that there are only two genders-male and female. Sections 234.1c-d of AB 394 requires schools to "publicize and post antidiscrimination and harassment policies" in prominent places in schools. Section 234.3 mandates that the California Department of Education develop "a model handout" that promotes these sinful lifestyles to be disseminated to students.
• Supporting HR 2015, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, legislation which currently awaits a vote in the House of Representatives. ENDA protects those who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender as a special class of people in the workplace. Ironically, the bill has stalled in the House of Representatives because Barney Frank, the only openly gay man in Congress, doubts the bill will pass unless "transgender" is removed as a special protected category. GPAC has condemned the version that excludes transgender persons.

Tomorrow, in part three of this series Genderblog will take a closer look at GPAC's three-year strategy to end gender discrimination through eliminating the distinction between manhood and womanhood.