Our church is studying Genesis and I am locked into the early chapters of the book. All the foundations of a Christian worldview are set there -- God the Creator, man in the image of God, the nature of God's rule and humankind's role. But one of the surprises to me has been the matter of gender. As I studied and meditated on Genesis 1 and 2 I was blown away by the glory and beauty of gender -- and the superficiality of modern gender egalitarians.
I am not talking about the truth of gender and gender roles -- but about their beauty. Truth is hard edged. Beauty is the image of the whole. Gender is beautiful.
Let me be clear. I am aware of the debates about sexuality today. I am aware of the wrongful behavior of men in history. I am aware of how gender has been misused as a weapon. I am aware of the agony of soul of a teenage boy or girl who has been mocked by peers and is confused about sexual identity.
In this debate and confusion, I think there is a deep and thoughtful answer. I think I have a different answer than I have had in the past. I think I see the beauty of gender more.
You see, I have always given a "truth" answer to the person who is indignant when they hear that I believe in gender distinction and gender roles. To the latter, my usual answer has been, "We believe in equality, but equality does not mean the same roles. God gives different roles." That sounds defensive to me -- and does not press back with serious questions for them to consider, nor does it vindicate the wisdom of God. It also misses the glory of gender.
Genesis 1 and 2 makes clear to me that gender, male and female, is part of the deep structure of our being.
Thirty years ago I almost did my Master of Theology thesis on this topic: does the BIble teach that if you strip away the material component of man (the body) are you left with a male and female soul? In other words, is male and female a physical distinction only? is it pure anatomical? on the level of blond or brown hair? Or are we essentially male and female? Are there no neuter souls?
Genesis 1 insists that image of God and male/female are coordinate ideas -- three times God says he made us in his image and we are, thus, utterly equal in dignity. But the three fold repetition of image of God is supplemented with "male and female he created them." I take that to mean that we are a male and female version of the image of God. On other words, we are deeply male and female, not superficially male and female.
And I think it is beautiful. I do not fully understand this but I think there is a hint in the text as to why God did it this way. It is in this: when God turns to create humans, he deliberates, slows down, talks to himself. The account moves from the singular to the plural, "Let US." I know there are a variety of explanations of this plural -- but might I join others in suggesting that the plural in God relates to the plural in those made in his image?
We now know that God is three persons, equally God, but One God. So humans are two persons, equally the image of God, but only one image of God. Is not the 3 channel nature of the glory of God pictured, in part, in the two channels of his image? This is beautiful and glorious.
My wife refers to this as male and female being a two part invention -- a specific form of music where two lines of music, capable of standing on their own musically, weave together to create something beautiful. Why would we want to reduce it to a melody line?
I would add one more consideration. I do not think God is arbitrary in his creation. I think he made various aspects of the physical world to reflect invisible realities. So I think the anatomically different male and female bodies are visible markers of soul-different male and female.
This means God defines gender, not we ourselves. Certainly sin has corrupted and twisted this good creation. But we are too small to take on the burden of decoding gender. History pretty well shows that we can't even figure out what it means to be human, let alone male or female.
Gender is deep and mysterious. There are only two genders. The gender structure of male and female are profound and beautiful. My body tells me what gender I am because God made me what I am. I may be confused and have conflicting desires because I live in a fallen world and the image of God has been twisted by sin. But God is not confused. By his blood, Christ will set all that is broken and straighten all that is crooked. Then we shall be forever male and female to the glory of God.
Hi Mark, greetings from Oregon. I love the quote you made here on Apr 5 from Rondi. I see that neither of you have lost your keen minds over the yeards.
Posted by: Ed Edwards | April 11, 2010 at 09:39 PM