Is The Bible More Pro-Woman Than You Assume?
I’ve heard many progressive Christians make the case for feminism using the Bible. But I’ve never heard a bona fide conservative Christian do it. That is, until Wendy Alsup. She is honest about the way some traditional readings of the Bible have harmed women. But she contends that the Christian scriptures, rightly understood, are pro-woman. Rather than relegate women to subservience and second-class status, she says, the Bible affirms the equality and humanity of women.
Some progressives will be tempted to dismiss Alsup’s more conservative views. She believes, for example, that wives should submit to their husbands and that certain church leadership roles are reserved for men only. But respective to some of her colleagues and counterparts, Alsup’s views are refreshingly honest and balanced. Here we discuss why she believes the Bible is pro-woman and the troubling passages that have led many to the opposite conclusion.