Biblical womanhood

For biblical women, see List of women in the Bible.
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Biblical womanhood is a movement within evangelical Christianity, particularly in the United States. It adopts a complementarian or patriarchal view of gender roles, and emphasizes passages such as Titus 2 in describing what Christian women should be like. According to author Rachel Held Evans, it is driven by the conviction that "the virtuous woman serves primarily from the home as a submissive wife, diligent homemaker, and loving mother."[1]

Institutions supporting the movement include Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,[2][3] while organizations associated with the movement include the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Notable writers include Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Dorothy Patterson, Elisabeth Elliot, and Priscilla Shirer.[citation needed] Edith Schaeffer's 1971 book, The Hidden Art of Homemaking, has been described as "perhaps unintentionally, a landmark book for proponents of biblical womanhood."[4]

Held Evans suggests that "biblical" is a loaded term, and argues that adherents have "refused to acknowledge" that their interpretation involves a "certain degree of selectivity".[5][6][7] Advocates caution that "most women in Third World countries... would find our American, evangelical stereotype of biblical womanhood completely foreign and often simply physically impossible."[8] Some conservative Christian women have critiqued Evans's interpretation for undermining faith in biblical inerrancy.[9]

In 2010, historian Molly Worthen wrote that "'Biblical womanhood' is a tightrope walk between the fiats of old-time religion and the facts of modern culture, and evangelicals themselves do not know where it might lead."[10]

  1. ^ Evans, Rachel Held (2012). A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband "Master". p. xix. ISBN 9781595553676. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  2. ^ Allen, Bob (31 March 2014). "Seminary website lists aspects of 'biblical womanhood'". Baptist News Global. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Who We Are". BiblicalWoman. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  4. ^ Joyce, Kathryn (2009). Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement. Beacon Press. p. 42. ISBN 9780807010709. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  5. ^ Evans, Rachel Held. ""Biblical Womanhood" and the illusion of clarity: a response to Kathy Keller". Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  6. ^ Dalfonzo, Gina. "Rachel Held Evans and the true meaning of 'biblical womanhood'". BreakPoint. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  7. ^ Barrick, Audrey (13 November 2012). "'Year of Biblical Womanhood' Draws Criticism From Complementarian Women". The Christian Post. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  8. ^ Alsup, Wendy (23 February 2014). "Biblical Womanhood and the Pariahs of the Church". CharismaNews. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  9. ^ "A Year of Biblical Womanhood: A Review". Desiring God. 2012-10-08. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
  10. ^ Worthen, Molly (12 November 2010). "Housewives of God". New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 27 July 2015.