I am a complementarian. Now, before you call me to the edge of the city to stone me for being society’s definition of an oppressor, give me a minute. Christian feminism is clearly on the rise, but I would love to tell you why I’m not buying into it.

For context’s sake: I’m a Bible major. I’m a worship leader for my church. I feel called to both vocational ministry and motherhood. This summer I will marry a future church-planting pastor. These things said, the issues of manhood and womanhood directly affect every major facet of my life.

Clearing the air

I’ll begin by acknowledging one of the reasons Biblical gender roles are currently under attack: Many in the church are hiding under the banner of complementarianism to mask a violently unbiblical sense of male chauvinism. That is wrong, unjust and is not what God intended when he created man and woman.

That being said, I believe we are in rebellion toward God when we throw out his artful design in the functions of headship and submission alongside the sin-fueled distortions of truth which lead to oppression and inequality. Our mission is not to abandon God’s good intention for us because of the sin that shrouds it, but to do the hard work of separating light from darkness and truth from lies.

Created in the image of God

A truth that is not debated amongst evangelicals is that both male and female were created in the image of God. What is debated, however, is what that means.

I believe that it means there is no superiority for either gender. Both males and females equally bear the image of God, neither functioning as a lesser vessel in bearing his imprint. I also believe that men and women were given distinct roles to best display God’s image through their partnership.

Man displays characteristics of God the father when he lovingly leads his wife and provides for her — see Ephesians 5:22 and Psalm 23. Woman displays characteristics of God in Christ as she submits her will to the leadership of her husband, just as Jesus submitted his will to the Father’s — see Luke 22:41-42 and John 17. Man displays facets of God in Christ when he sacrificially loves his wife and puts her life above his — see Ephesians 5:25. Woman is called by the very same name as God the Spirit when God defines her as a “helper” upon her creation — see Genesis 2:18 and John 14:26.

Finding beauty in differences

These distinct roles do not diminish the way we display the image of God. They magnify it through the beauty of unique functionings — much like the unique functionings of God in his trinitarian identity.

I am a complementarian because I believe it is essential for our understanding of God and for our proclamation of his goodness throughout the world. God has designed the sacrificial headship of man and the joyfully submissive support of woman in order to display the glory of the trinitarian God in his redemptive story; and I, through the joyful fulfilling of my ordained role, want to make sure that glory is made known.