There are prochoice people who take seriously the moral weight of killing a human fetus and nonetheless side with the right of the mother to do so. And then there are prochoice people who dehumanize and objectify the human fetus, recasting him/her as a “parasite”. This is the same rhetoric used to eradicate populations in […]
feminism
Is Christian Complementarianism Immoral and Sexist?
For 150 years the Mormon church barred all members of African ethnicity from attaining the priesthood based on the alleged prophecy that dark skin reflected the “mark of Cain”. Then, in 1978 the prophet of the Mormon church received a new revelation that God wanted the ban rescinded. Good to know! An outside observer would reasonably […]
Is it time for a female Jesus?
Jesus was a Jewish man. Despite this fact, for centuries Jesus has been depicted in western art with features more indicative of northern European ancestry. And what’s really interesting is that nobody seems to have a problem with this. Nor is northern European ancestry the one exception. Jesus is regularly illustrated in the terms of […]
Blood Coming Out of Her Wherever: On Donald Trump’s misogynistic war
In his opening monologue on SNL this past Saturday, Dave Chappelle made a joke about staying at a Trump hotel: “I’m staying at the Trump Hotel right now. I don’t know if he’s going to make a good president, but he makes a swell hotel suite, Imma tell you that. Housekeeping comes in in the […]
Should women be allowed to preach if it is carried out under the authority of a male elder?
This is the question addressed in Pastor John Piper’s most recent podcast. The questioner was concerned about the relevance of 1 Timothy 2:12. Pastor Piper responds by addressing verses 12-14: “12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. […]
52. Women in Ministry
In 1967 Katherine Switzer made history as the first woman ever to enter … and complete the Boston Marathon. In this iconic photo you can see race official Jock Semple (the bald man in the black blazer) attempting to pull Switzer’s numbers off and stop her from running. As I reflect on the role of women ministering […]
Jesus Christ meets Jeanne Christa: Accommodation run amok?
In “Can Christians call God ‘Mother’?” I addressed the controversial topic of whether, er, Christians can call God ‘Mother’. It is now time to follow up by taking that conversation to the next, even more controversial, level. This is the picture of Jesus with which I grew up. He looks like Jesus doesn’t he? High cheek bones. […]
Can Christians call God ‘Mother’?
* This is a repost of an article which appeared on The Christian Post in September, 2009. Much of the controversy that has been stirred up by William Paul Young’s bestselling novel The Shack relates to the depiction of God the Father as an African American woman and the Spirit as an Asian woman. With […]
Why you should probably sit out the slut walk
I know what you’re thinking: “What on earth is Randal talking about today?” It all started back in January of this year when a police officer delivering a speech at York University on campus safety made the observation that “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.” That politically incorrect advice apparently […]
