Reflections on the 2008 Gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society

The 2008 gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) intoned its voice on matters of gender in Providence, Rhode Island this past week - and the song is not over. No less than eighteen papers were given that contained a broadly gender-related thesis. Obviously, the gender debate, and its wider scope of issues, is far from finished.

These papers were as varied as the scholars who wrote them and the views they sought to inscribe. For instance, Linda Belleville of Bethel College, Indiana gave a paper in which she argued for a high degree of influence by Greco-Roman family values on Paul's writing upon the parent-child relationship. She concluded that Paul introduces no unique Christian ethic, but calls for a different, Christ-like, motivation to live out a universal code of the parent-child relationship.

Steven Cowan of Southeastern Bible College gave a metaphysical response to the philosophical arguments of Rebecca Merrill Groothuis with regard to equality and role distinction. Cowan suggests, opposing Groothuis, that subordinate roles can exist between two persons of equal value.

Mimi Haddad, of Christians for Biblical Equality, proposed a view that egalitarianism has historically been a part of Evangelicals' DNA, since women have been in ministry for many centuries. She argued that it was a lack of Bible-reading in the mid-20^th century, not egalitarianism, that allowed a turn toward liberalism in the American church. A response to her advocacy of similar ideas can be accessed here.

Catherine Clark Kroeger gave a paper articulating the Apostle Paul's opposition to personal abuse in II Corinthians as well as other texts. In the following Q&A she gave her view of Paul's use of the term ‘head' meaning source of life and carries no meaning of authority. We take it that this view of 'head' has been previously refuted.

Margaret Kostenberger, wife of Andreas Kosternberger, presented a chapter from her recently published dissertation entitled "Jesus and Women: A Study of the Gospel Evidence."  In it she highlights how both reformist and radical feminism have profoundly, variously altered the historical data on the person of Jesus Christ. Their lack of agreement with history and each other calls their conclusions into question.

Many of the eighteen papers were stimulating and helpful. Some not as much. One tone rang clear: the complexity of issues implies now as ever, the need for the resolving harmony of complementarianism in matters of manhood and womanhood.