In my last post, I addressed how legalism is inherent in complementarian theology, something I noticed during Alisa Childers's recent interview of Denny Burk, president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Image by Ioana Radu from Pixabay Burk pointed listeners to the Danvers Statement as the go-to document for the basic tenets of complementarianism. According to the CBMW website, this statement summarizes the need for the organization and serves as an overview of its core beliefs. The Danvers Statement was prepared by several complementarian leaders in Danvers, Continue Reading

Back in the day, my Bible college professor would jokingly quote the old adage, ‘I don’t smoke, drink or chew, or go with those who do.” He’d grown up in the Pentecostal Holiness movement, where even playing cards or bowling were seen as sinful. Photo by Jim Petkiewicz on Unsplash Today, most Christians don’t hold to strict rules against ballroom dancing or enjoying a glass of wine. Yet there’s an insidious form of legalism running rampant in the church. Legalism is adding man-made rules to the Word of God, calling things sinful which God does not. It is based on works Continue Reading

1 Tim. 2:11-14 is a key passage used by complementarians to argue for male authority in the church and the home. Photo by Andy Bodemer on Unsplash “A woman is to learn quietly with full submission. I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed (emphasis mine).” Complementarians believe Paul refers to creation to establish male headship as a timeless, universal principle. Based on this idea, they read Paul’s Continue Reading