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Response
Summarized by “The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood,” complementarianism is the belief that God limits women from certain church leadership positions and instead calls them to serve in equally important, yet complementary roles. Summarized by “Christians for Biblical Equality,” egalitarianism is the belief that there are no gender-based ministry restrictions in the church. Given that both stances claim biblical support, it is crucial to thoroughly examine what the Bible actually states regarding complementarianism versus egalitarianism.
In essence, egalitarians argue that there are no gender distinctions, asserting that since all believers are one in Christ, women and men can interchangeably fulfill leadership and household roles. On the contrary, complementarians, as they refer to themselves, maintain a different perspective. They affirm the fundamental equality of men and women as individuals (i.e., as human beings created in God’s image), but they uphold gender distinctions concerning societal, ecclesiastical, and domestic roles.
Support for complementarianism can be found in 1 Timothy 2:9-15. A specific verse that appears to contradict the egalitarian position is 1 Timothy 2:12, which states, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” A similar argument is presented by Paul in 1 Corinthians 14, where he says, “Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says” «Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. », (1 C
1 Corinthians 14:34). Paul argues that women are not permitted to teach or exercise authority over men in the church. Passages like 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9 also suggest that church leadership “positions” are reserved for men.
Egalitarianism presents its case primarily from Galatians 3:28. In this verse, Paul states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” The egalitarian perspective asserts that in Christ, the distinctions between genders that existed in the past have been eliminated. However, is this the correct understanding of Galatians 3:28? Does the context support such an interpretation? It is evident that this interpretation distorts the intended meaning of the verse. In Galatians, Paul is emphasizing the crucial truth of justification through faith alone, not by works «knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. », (Galatians 2:16). In Galatians 3:15-29, Paul discusses the distinction between the law and the promise. Galatians 3:28 aligns with Paul’s argument that all believers in Christ are considered descendants of Abraham through faith and inheritors of the promise «And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.», (Galatians 3:29). The context of this passage clarifies that Paul is addressing salvation, not roles within the church. In essence, salvation is freely offered to all regardless of external factors like ethnicity, social status, or gender. Extending this context to encompass gender roles within the church would be an overreach.and outside of the argument Paul was making.
What is truly the crux of this argument, and what many egalitarians fail to understand, is that a difference in role does not equate to a difference in quality, importance, or value. Men and women are equally valued in God’s sight and plan. Women are not inferior to men. Rather, God assigns different roles to men and women in the church and the home because that is how He designed us to function. The truth of differentiation and equality can be seen in the functional hierarchy within the Trinity «But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. », (cf: 1 Corinthians 11:3). The Son submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to the Father and the Son. This functional submission does not imply an equivalent inferiority of essence; all three Persons are equally God, but they differ in their function. Likewise, men and women are equally human beings and equally share the image of God, but they have God-ordained roles and functions that mirror the functional hierarchy within the Trinity.
