In HIS image & Likeness
Since the beginning of social movement in history, gender related issues whether in terms of marriage, religious domain and other wider social settings have been debated upon and have pass on the ball from one lap to the other. I therefore don't intend to present myself as cynical to the readers neither sounds like illusional or deceptive in a sense. Considering the topic such as gender equality, roles etc are such bottomless pit of discourse, I would rather draw my thoughts from the biblical perspective as this is the only point we can be rest assured of the truth that surpasses all worldviews. In other words, beyond generally accepted social standards which are continually shifting, bible sets the moral standard as personally exemplified by Christ.
Against this backdrop, the writer intent of providing broad framework and draw maximum perspective from the bible. Focuses would be upon the diversity of understanding God's image and his likeness. In the light of these findings, the study would directly engage and employ entirely the writer's thoughts drawn out of it's personal faith and testimony. It is a broad conceptual initiative and thus open to wider and deeper exploration.
Often our intellectual and physical obligation as women has always been a cultural issue. Moreover, our moral obligation and accountability as a believer has time and again been culturally constructed that we are blinded by the norms of the culture and has internalized such practices and dogmas even by educated. Our society has often succumbed to such felony by saying that those who do not fit our definition are out of God’s will. Having said that, for many of the churches, one of the core major challenges is determining which biblical commands are transcultural and therefore applicable today against those which are cultural and therefore only applicable to the original recipients of the text. Interestingly, almost all the worldview like radical feminism, egalitarian view, complimentarian view etc differs significantly in their approach to hermeneutics and so there's no escaping of fluidity in relationship between ontology and roles. Having said that, we can't neither escape from understanding Black feminism, Dalit feminism, third world feminism etc. The list goes on. Many classical thinkers debated over the sexist connotation of depicting God as men. Recent debates like "vertical inclusive language" sparks row over feminine ways of talking about God. Sadly, many of the basic affirmation of what Christian believes are not from the scripture but are the products of the cultural reflection on scripture which then become embedded in our theology.
The very concept of headship of men and the so called submission of women is no doubt one of the central issues the church faces today...even among the Christian intellectuals. The bible clearly says as Christ is the head of the church, men is the head of the family. Isn’t that sounds so juicy and very appealing and no wonder many a times we abuse our given role as the head of the family and most of all we misuse the living word of God. Here the point is, if that is so, for me headship doesn’t at all a representation of power or domination over women in a real sense of term. For you and me who adheres to the authority of the bible, headship per se reveals the beautiness of how men can lay down his life for his wife as Christ did it for the church. The very notion of self-giving and agape-love is itself what Christ did for the church. If a man is ready to imitate the character of Christ, why is there any problem to refer headship to men. Painfully the heart of the matter is, our fallen human shortcomings and inadequacy have always grown over head and abused that very gentleness of headship. Headship does not necessarily assume superiority but a divine role authorized by God. We are a team in God's kingdom movement on earth. By saying that, women themselves doesn't go scot free as most of them also percieve such role and responsibilities with acute suspicion. Infact, it is because of the "headship" versus "submission" dynamics that radical feminist have blacklisted Bible as one of the epicentre of suppression. I personally agree to the fact that the fear and suspicion is as real as the pain. But God's word in its crystal clear form said that it is not the issue of ''gender" in isolation but our basic problem lies in our self centredness and sinful pride as men and women. No one escapes. Submission according to the word of God is the willful choice. Christ never impose any dominance over his church to submit to him. Submission then is an act of love in the fear of Christ to be accountable to one another. Interestingly submission is directed to every believers. Now it is finally upto you and me to understand what exactly submission is? How does a women submit to her husband in love and respect and to further understand how Christ treat when the church submit to his love.
While the very concept of helper as mentioned in Genesis 2: 18 referred to women by God have also been wrongly interpreted as assign to satisfy men’s desire and serve him. Interestingly women themselves have often been haunted by such interpretation. But what about King David who often addresses God as his helper in Psalms? Does that mean God is lower than David or does that threaten God to be only a kind of slave ready to serve thy master anytime he wanted? Neither of this can be justified. Having women themselves invite such ignorant conclusion and pitied themselves as woman and the unfortunate. I strongly feel how beautiful it is when God in his sovereign will chose women to be his coworker in the mystery of creation. By that, she along with her husband are accomplishing God's will as together they bring forth new life. It is therefore much more than Mars and Venus. We are together the body of Christ and we are together the 'bride' of Christ. According to Elaine Storkey, our deepest experiences, both physical and spiritual, are not of autonomy, difference or separateness, but of the unity of male and female in God.
As a believer, we represent God’s image. We are made in his likeness. We are then equal in value, worth and dignity and therefore equally accountable to God. We are fully a women and that helps us realize our purpose and potentials as women. However we are actually only women and therefore should obey God's divine will he has in store for men to glorify him. So it vice versa. But until and unless an effort is made to merge that dichotomy towards the truth, we can never ever understand the profound meaning of God’s image. Infact, without either sex, we cannot fully understand the nature of God. There is no mention of spiritual gifts or salvation being different for men and women. Therefore, in God’s eyes, men and women are equal in importance and calling. In order not to circumvent this foreclosure, we can revisit our own backyards by comparing Christ who set the perfect example to the believers today. Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords, submitted willingly to the sinful world and the humanity, HIS essential inferiors (Luke 2:51), and that He submits willingly to God the Father, HIS essential equal (1 Corinthians 15:28). The grievous sin, evil lust for power and domination against manifestation of sacrifice, Obedience, forgiveness and most of all the ultimate price he paid on the cross transit beyond cultural norms and patterns, beyond gender or even beyond human knowledge.
I therefore believes that the distinction of men and women does not endorse oppression or abuse of authority since bible only commission those in leadership are given mandates to lead the people with Godliness and love and that love must be subject to Christ's example. To appreciate and acknowledge God’s role in our lives as women and men is the supreme will of God. Though created differently by design as men and women, we are created to have fellowship. Thus the essential commonality is that we're made to glorify God. Jim Elliot who was a martyred Christian missionary once wrote, "Where ever you are, be all there!" Where ever you are in life, serve the Lord Jesus to the best of your ability. To this end, I believe that we, as men and women together with undaunted optimism, equanimity and indomitable commitment to God march ahead with a new perception of life towards a future that holds immeasurable possibilities to affirm wholeness, mutuality and partnership in the eyes of God
