What Do We Mean By Egalitarianism?

In an effort to help clarify the viewpoints at play in the gender debate, I offer a definition of terms that carry so much of the meaning cargo: complementarian and egalitarian. Complementarianism is the idea that both sexes are made in the image of God and are thus fully equal in value, yet very different in role as is taught in Scripture. Biblical manhood encompasses a loving, humble disposition to lead. Biblical womanhood involves a wise, submissive disposition to honor the servant leadership of worthy men.

The counterpoint perspective to this view is Christian egalitarianism. It is held by those who "believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, teaches the fundamental equality of men and women of all ethnicities and all economic classes, based on the teachings of scripture as reflected in Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Most egalitarians hold that all people are equal before God, have equal responsibility to use their gifts, and are called to roles and ministries without regard to class, gender, or race.

Egalitarians hold that God's created order to not only bestow an equality of essence and value to men and women, but a similarity of function as well. They teach that it was the entrance of sin into the world that introduced an illegitimate hierarchy into the relationships between men and women. Men, because of sin, take on a disposition of dominance and women, because of sin, take on a disposition of subservience. Value and function are both skewed by sin, in their view, and therefore the redemptive Gospel of Jesus Christ must include a restoration to equity in both value and function.

At CBMW we recognize that in some sense all careful Bible readers will see an element of truth in the egalitarian position.  Because of verses like Galatians 3:28 quoted above and many others, we know that God loves men and women equally, that they are depraved and in need of grace equally, and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and promised His presence in heaven equally. To make that truth plain has been historically needful and remains so today.

However, the question that must be considered is this: is it possible that hierarchy is not inherently sinful, but woven throughout creation before sin entered into the world—even seen in God's Trinitarian nature?  The Bible reveals a beautiful hierarchy between men and women, the old and young, parents and children even among the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  In each of these examples no superiority or inferiority exists. None is valued above the other. Yet mysteriously, the difference between the persons highlights their unified beauty.

These definitions are far from mere abstractions, but influential in the lives of real people, as we'll see in tomorrow's post.