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It seems hypocritical for egalitarians to complain that complementarians use 1 Timothy 2:12 as a proof-text when they do much the same with Galatians 3:28. It's also ironic that egalitarians use a Galatians verse about salvation to talk about church government, while at the same time criticizing complementarians for using a 1 Timothy verse about a specific church to talk about church government in general.

When Galatians 3:28 is used out of context, the egalitarian argument can easily be perceived as promoting a genderless church. Though most egalitarians emphatically believe that men and women are not the same or interchangeable, it is hard for the unconvinced to hear the wisdom of their message— and easy for others, like the gender-confused, to twist the meaning of their message into something it is not.

Egalitarians would do well to rededicate themselves to careful exegesis instead of leaning on political ideologies that ultimately don't help them to win their case.

Sarah Sumner is professor of theology and ministry at the Graduate School of Theology at Azusa Pacific University and author of Men and Women in the Church.

Copyright © 2008 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

John Koessler wrote from an complementarian perspective on how his movement needs to recover a fully biblical view of women — and of handling theological disagreement.

Timothy George addressed egalitarians and complementarians in "A Peace Plan for the Gender War" and "A Modest Proposal."

Other articles on gender roles include:

Christian History Corner: Is Christianity Oppressive to Women? | Sometimes our Christian heritage must be overcome, not celebrated. (March 1, 2004)

Adam and Eve in the 21st Century | "When it comes to gender roles, CT readers oscillate between complementarian and egalitarian ideas." (March 11, 2002)

A Different Kind of Women's Lib | A dispatch from the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood conference. (October 10, 2001)

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June 2008, Vol. 52, No. 6