Is autonomy the default state of human existence? Is freedom from other’s neediness a human right? If the answer to those first two questions is “yes,” where does that leave individuals who, through no fault of their own, are not autonomous?
In her book The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto, Leah Libresco Sargeant argues that modern society has been built on a “false anthropology,” which is the lie that we are autonomous creatures by nature. Liberty shares insights from the book, as well as her recent interview with Leah on Point of View Radio Talk Show.
Listen to learn how accepting the reality of our own needs and learning to live in mutual dependence can create a more just society for every member of the family.
What does it mean to be a woman? The culture has wrestled with this point for decades. Ironically, diametrically opposed sides often make the same mistake: conflating the aesthetics of femininity with its definition.
Many who embrace transgender ideology argue that feeling feminine and dressing the part are all it takes to identify oneself as “woman.” On the other hand, many reacting against modern feminism display their “trad wife” life on Instagram, striving to divide household labor along stereotypically gendered lines.
Joining the Know Why Podcast, Rachel Schroder argues that both camps miss the true definition of femininity, trading its aesthetics for its full meaning and purpose. She helps us know why the full definition of femininity is broader than what is often portrayed by “trad wife” extremes, and also more family-oriented than modern feminism allows.
Listen for a thought-provoking and encouraging conversation about what it means to be a woman, how women can embrace both their biological nature and their God-given talents inside the home and in the workforce, what balancing family and career might look like, and how developing virtue matters more than following stereotypes.
In Jesus’ radical inclusion of women, was he bucking God’s system, or acting in perfect alignment with the rest of Scripture? In Part 2 of her interview with Know Why, Dr. Sandra Glahn of Dallas Theological Seminary tackles the issue of gender roles and what the church gets wrong. She also sheds helpful light on a few under-preached stories of women in the Old Testament, and what they teach us about God’s heart.
Jesus: Aligned With or Alienated From the Old Testament?
While Jesus’ interactions with women may seem different than the strange stories of the Old Testament, Dr. Glahn told Know Why that when historical and cultural context are considered, it’s clear that God’s laws in the Old Testament represent “a movement toward a high view of women.”
She cites examples of Old Testament stories where women who were falsely accused by their husbands are given legal rights, and stories where fathers give their daughters an inheritance under God’s command and blessing. Jesus’ habit of including women in his inner circle and ministry followed an existing pattern of elevating women’s rights and status in their cultures.
A Biased View
Dr. Glahn says we often miss these nuances in Scripture because we’re unfamiliar with cultural context—which is why partnering with a diverse community is key for better understanding the Bible. But she also notes that “translation committees have tended to be all male.” Just as people from different cultures can lend valuable insight and perspective about the meaning of certain stories, women add valuable perspective that is missing from many Bible translations.
“Jesus sees you, men and women alike.”
Dr. Sandra Glahn
“If you look at Genesis you see this pattern of a need for men and women partnering,” Dr. Glahn said.
Gender Roles?
Jesus invited people to follow him. Should men and women follow Jesus in different ways? Dr. Glahn says that while celebrating the differences between men and women is a wonderful thing, the church has often gotten it wrong by emphasizing gender stereotypes. “We start getting our eyes off of Christlikeness as the goal, and get our eyes on, ‘How do I act like a woman or a man?’” she said. Instead, “We pursue Christ and Christlikeness, and as a byproduct we become the men and women we’re supposed to be.”
“Both men and women have been injured by stereotypes of gender,” she added. Her closing thought: “Jesus sees you, men and women alike.”
In Part 1 of this interview, Dallas Theological Seminary professor Dr. Sandra Glahn offers insight into Jesus’ interactions with women and what it means for Christians today. She explains cultural context surrounding several Bible stories and passages, answering hard questions (such as why Jesus’ 12 apostles were male). Dr. Glahn also exposes certain blindspots that can impede our understanding of—or even hide—women’s presence in the Bible.
Jesus’ Radical Inclusion of Women
In the agrarian societies to which Jesus preached, women were low in the pecking order—lower than animals, Dr. Glahn explained. Typically, if women had means and influence, it was because they were in proximity to positions of power, not because they held positions of power themselves. Knowing context clues like these is essential in understanding certain stories of the Bible and can illuminate Jesus’ interactions with women—particularly how he bucked the norms of his time by including women in spaces previously reserved for men.
“It’s a sign of the Spirit, not a sign of male failure, that everybody is proclaiming the Good News.”
Dr. Sandra Glahn
In the New Testament, we see Jesus taking the time to talk with women, which surprised his male disciples. He even talks to women about matters of theology, which would have offended many at that time. He has female followers, including those who travel with him and financially support his ministry. He also appears first to a woman after his resurrection from the dead, instructing her to tell his male disciples of the greatest miracle in history. In this way, Dr. Glahn notes, a woman becomes the “apostle to the apostles,” to quote Thomas Aquinas.
“What’s happening here that women are showing their agency as they follow Christ.”
Dr. Sandra Glahn
Recognizing Our Blindspots
But our worldview is shaped by our own cultural norms and biases, Dr. Glahn told Know Why. This is why important stories about women in the Bible and Church history have been often overlooked, misread, or forgotten. While today’s Christians often debate about the “biblical” role of women in the church, the New Testament and Church history are rich with diverse examples of women’s involvement in both Jesus’ earthly ministry and in the early church.
Be sure to catch Part 2 of Know Why’s interview with Dr. Glahn next week, where she discusses what Christians get wrong about gender stereotypes, and how we can misunderstand what “biblical” manhood and womanhood actually mean.
