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They know the most important question—and their answer to it. I asked Randy Stinson, CBMW's executive director, if he believes there are happy, fulfilled, good egalitarian marriages out there. He tried hard, and finally told me, "I just think it's the wrong question. The question we ought to be asking is, 'Is it right?' I think more is at stake than personal happiness. We both cannot be right. I say that with a sense of brokenness." I had to agree with him.

People like me need to get it though our heads that complementarian passion about women's roles may be influenced by tradition, but it is mostly rooted in their interpretation of the Bible. They tell women to submit because it's what God wants (in their understanding), not because it's their fancy.

Having learned some lessons from complementarians and egalitarians, I now ready to write the article on the ways the two groups do marriage. I hope it will be pleasantly surprising to both you and me.

Agnieszka Tennant is assistant editor of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Read Tennant's July article on the Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) conference.

The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood's Web site includes information on the organization and its beliefs.

The Web site for Christians for Biblical Equality also gives information about the organization and beliefs.

Earlier Christianity Today articles on gender roles include:

The Next Christian Men's Movement | Just because Promise Keepers no longer fills stadiums doesn't mean men's ministry is dead. Far from it. (Sept. 15, 2000)

What Has Gender Got to Do with It? | Wesleyan-Holiness churches were led by women long before the rise of the modern women's movement. (Sept. 12, 2000)

A Woman's Place | Women reaching women is key to the future of missions. (Aug. 4, 2000)

Integrating Mars and Venus | Gender-based ministries may be effective, but are they biblical? (July 12, 1999)

Finding Power in Submission | Two feminist scholars write about women you'll recognize. (Apr. 27,1998)

Will Episcopalians Step into the 'Radical Center'? | Homosexual ordination discussed, women's ordination mandated. (Sept. 1, 1997)

Presbyterian Groups Sever CRC Ties | Women's ordination splits two denominations. (Aug. 11, 1997)

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October (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45