Lately I’ve been asking myself that. Specifically this morning. Is this idea of Christian feminism something God even cares about, or is this an idea I’ve just leached onto and now am championing in vain?
I don’t think you all have any idea how literally I’m asking these questions!
But here’s a little of my heart— to me the point of Christian feminism isn’t about building the empire of women. I have no interest in rallying women into a movement that bolsters them, equips them, inspires them into a kingdom that is all about them. This isn’t about the Queendom of Women (although, let’s all admit that sounds pretty epic!)
I can’t help but hear Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes echoing in the back of my head, “…it’s all vainty…”
Unless God builds it, it’s all vanity. Which means I’ve been asking him lately, where are you working? How do I plant myself in the middle of what you’re doing?
Maybe I even feel a little insecure about the fact that so few Christians, men and women alike, do talk about this issue. What’s the point in championing something that’s way too Jesus-y for non-Christian feminists, and way too nebulous, progressive and not black-and-white for most Christians? Am I crazy for planting myself directly in the center? Not really a part of either camp, but fully a part of both, just caught in the crossfire, a perceived traitor to both parties, trying to be friends with each? And yet it’s that tension that actually makes me feel like I’m onto something that feels like Jesus.
Jesus was always making people uncomfortable. He never aligned himself with any of the religious or social structures we humans built for ourselves. He had another kingdom in mind. In many ways its how he ended up on a cross.
So why Christian feminism? Because there are systems of oppression in our culture, not just in the non-Christian world, but very much alive in the Christian world as well. Christians like to chirp with a smile “There’s no junior Holy Spirit,” when children become Christians. Well, there’s also no female Holy Spirit, and dare I even say, no MALE Holy Spirit. God imparts “his” Holy SPIRIT to whomever accepts “him”.
Why Christian feminism? Because there are women who have been not allowed to step fully into their anointed callings because of sexism. Because we live in a culture that oppresses women, that over-sexualizes them, that under-sexualizes them, under equips them. We live in a culture that in so many ways sets women, especially poor women, up to fail.
Jesus told the religious leaders that any one of them with no sin could be the first one to throw a stone and the woman caught in adultery, which was the customary punishment back then. None of them threw a stone, and left.
My God, there are so many women getting stoned to death these days. And it breaks my heart.
Christian feminism because it’s putting language to what Jesus called caring for the oppressed.
Did this post make you feel uncomfortable? I know. Dare I say, GOOD. This morning I can’t help but feel we need brave Jesus loving women willing to catch some bullets (or stones!) for the sake of living in the TENSION.
Because I believe that’s where the kingdom of God lives. Where are you God? I’m in the tension. I’m in the places where no one wants to go. I’m calling the world to MYSELF.
And I want to be one of the ones who shows the world the way.