It’s been an interesting month since my book, Beyond Authority and Submission, launched. I’ve heard encouraging feedback from many readers. I’m thankful that what I’ve written has been helpful for so many. That’s an answered prayer.
As I was writing, I knew that there would be push back from certain corners of the Reformed interwebs. I’ve been writing and blogging for over a decade now, and I know what to expect. I even address it in a section of my book on women writing and speaking about theology. The responses are often all too predictable.
The following excerpt is from Chapter 13, “Prevalent Teaching on Women and Men in the Church.”
Some conservative Christians debate whether women should blog and write about theology. Some say that it’s fine. Others say it’s appropriate only if they are writing, blogging, or podcasting to a female audience. A few say that it’s inappropriate, because men shouldn’t learn theology from women.1
Some are also concerned about women bloggers and writers correcting or addressing false teaching. That kind of confrontation is considered by some to be contrary to a woman’s nature as yielding and submissive and to put her in a position to judge or lead men.2 Women who write or speak publicly about theology, especially if the topic involves false teaching, are likely to get one of two responses. Those who disagree with them will often tell them, “You can’t correct a man—especially a pastor/ teacher as respected as So-and-So. You’re a woman!” The response isn’t much better from those who share their concerns. From those people, women may very well be told, “I appreciate the work you’re doing. But you shouldn’t be doing this, because you’re a woman.”3
In these ways, women in the church are being restricted beyond the boundaries that the Bible sets in place. Instead of being respected for their essential contributions to the ministry and life of the church, women are being treated as unnecessary accessories when they follow the extrabiblical rules and as rebellious troublemakers when they don’t.
- See Emilio Ramos, “Why We Do Not Allow Women Bloggers on RGM,” Red Grace Media, May 19, 2014, http://redgracemedia.com/allow-women-bloggers-rgm/.
- See Tim Bayly, “Rachel Miller and Valerie Hobbs: Where Is the Apostle Paul When We Need Him?” Baylyblog, September 4, 2015, http://baylyblog.com/blog/2015/09 /rachel-miller-and-valerie-hobbs-where-apostle-paul-when-we-need-him.
- I’ve heard this personally
A Daughter of the Reformation 
Thanks, Rachel. I heard you on the Theology Gals podcast, and you did a great job knocking down the “women are more easily deceived than men” false teaching, that has managed to creep into the church.
I would tell you more about how wonderful your work is, but they tell me that I am not supposed to listen to a woman like you, as “everybody” knows, women are more easily deceived than men, and therefore can not be trusted to teach theology, even if they believe the office of elder is to be restricted to that of being a man. You never know if some mother might be teaching her children something, that would lead them into error, so you have to be vigilant in stomping that stuff out.
Yes, I know that was a bit snarky. But seriously, a lot of hyper-complementarian criticism you are receiving is just way over the top.
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