The Very Good Gospel: Shalom Between Genders

2. ““The biblical gospel writers’The biblical gospel writers’
good news was about thegood news was about the
restoration ofrestoration of shalomshalom.”.”
- Appears 550x (- Appears 550x (shalom/eireneshalom/eirene))
- Peace; wholeness; to make right;- Peace; wholeness; to make right;
peace offering; loyal, devoted;peace offering; loyal, devoted;
well-being; abundance;well-being; abundance;
perfection of God’s creation;perfection of God’s creation;
restoration of relationshiprestoration of relationship
- Sin = breaking of- Sin = breaking of shalomshalom

3. SHALOMSHALOM
betweenbetween
GENDERSGENDERS
Sunday, 8.5.18Sunday, 8.5.18

4. - In 2013 the DOJ reported that 1,116,090
USAmericans suffered from domestic violence
- More than 300,000 cases of rape/sexual assault
were reported (400,000 rape kits are still untested)
- In 2010 surveys revealed 33% of all women
and 25% of all men in the US have been
victims of rape, physical violence or stalking
SOME SOBERING STATISTICS

5. - 64% of men in the US view pornography,
with Christian men using at the same rate
(w/clear connection to resulting sexual violence)
- 4.5 million people are trapped in the global sex trade
- In 2014 the sex trade generated profits
of $39.9 million in Denver and
$290 million in Atlanta
SOME SOBERING STATISTICS

6. ““The United Nations defines gender-based violenceThe United Nations defines gender-based violence
as any act that results in ‘physical, sexual oras any act that results in ‘physical, sexual or
psychological harm or suffering to women,psychological harm or suffering to women,
including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitraryincluding threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivations of liberty, whether occurring indeprivations of liberty, whether occurring in
public or in private life.’public or in private life.’ It is commonly understoodIt is commonly understood
that the violence results from power disparitiesthat the violence results from power disparities
based on gender roles and is usuallybased on gender roles and is usually
interlinked with other forms ofinterlinked with other forms of
discrimination or oppression.discrimination or oppression.””

7. SHALOMSHALOM
betweenbetween
GENDERSGENDERS
Sunday, 8.5.18Sunday, 8.5.18

8. ……then the Lord God formedthen the Lord God formed the humanthe human from the dustfrom the dust
of theof the groundground, and breathed into, and breathed into the human’sthe human’s nostrilsnostrils
the breath of life; and the man became a living being.the breath of life; and the man became a living being.
And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east;And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east;
and there he putand there he put the humanthe human whom he had formed.whom he had formed.
**adamadam == human; of the earthhuman; of the earth
**adamahadamah == the earth; red clay/soilthe earth; red clay/soil
GENESIS 2:7-8

9. Then the Lord God said, “It is not good thatThen the Lord God said, “It is not good that
the humanthe human should be alone; I will makeshould be alone; I will make
the humanthe human aa helperhelper as a partner.”as a partner.”
**ezerezer == helper; the kind of help Godhelper; the kind of help God
gives people of faith; a military termgives people of faith; a military term
for the point person in a V formation;for the point person in a V formation;
the one leading/protecting the restthe one leading/protecting the rest
GENESIS 2:18

10. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall uponSo the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the humanthe human,,
andand the humanthe human slept; then he took one ofslept; then he took one of the human’sthe human’s ribsribs
and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lordand closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord
God had taken fromGod had taken from the humanthe human he made into a womanhe made into a woman
and brought her toand brought her to the humanthe human. Then. Then the humanthe human said,said,
““This at last is bone of my bonesThis at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be calledthis one shall be called Woman (ishah)Woman (ishah),,
for out offor out of Man (ish)Man (ish) this one was taken.”this one was taken.”
GENESIS 2:21-23

11. IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS TO NOTE:
1. The human does not NAME the woman
Eve, but simply calls her woman. As a result,
the human does not exercise dominion over
her as had been done over the animals…
2. The text makes no distinction between
the kind of dominion males and females
are called to exercise – BOTH are called
to the same task as equals, with neither
exercising authority over the other

12. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree wasand that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was
to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate;to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate;
and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,
and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and theyand he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they
knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leavesknew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
together and made loincloths for themselves.together and made loincloths for themselves.
GENESIS 3:6-7

13. PATRIARCHY
a system of society or government in
which men hold the power and women
are largely excluded from it; in Christian
culture it’s based largely on a male dominant
view of scripture in light of specific
interpretations from Genesis onwards,
all of which leads to specific gender roles
in the home, the church, and the world

14. PATRIARCHICAL ARGUMENTS re: GEN 3
1. Eve was gullible/pushy; God gave the command
(about the tree) to Adam, not Eve; she should have
let him lead, but she ends up leading the man astray
2. God cursed woman for leading her husband into sin
3. God established gender hierarchy in Gen 3:16
(“Your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”)

15. REBUTTALS TO THOSE ARGUMENTS
1. God didn’t give the command to a guy named Adam,
but to a human being comprising both male/female;
they were both present at the command and the sin
2. God didn’t curse the man/woman, but said the land
would be cursed (interconnectedness of creation)
3. God is speaking descriptively, not ruling
prescriptively here; God is describing reality
after the fall, not laying down a command

16. ““Male dominance is nowhere to be foundMale dominance is nowhere to be found
in the heart of God’s intentions for humanityin the heart of God’s intentions for humanity
prior to the Fallprior to the Fall……God is simply describingGod is simply describing
the natural outcome of humanity’s havingthe natural outcome of humanity’s having
broken the way to peace. Humanity chosebroken the way to peace. Humanity chose
the way of dominance. Between men and women,the way of dominance. Between men and women,
it takes the form of patriarchy,it takes the form of patriarchy,
which shows what it looks likewhich shows what it looks like
to live in brokento live in broken shalom.shalom.””

17. Lamech said to his wives:Lamech said to his wives:
““AdahAdah andand ZillahZillah, hear my voice;, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.a young man for striking me.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold,If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.””
*Adah*Adah == ornament;ornament; ““trophy wifetrophy wife””
* Zillah* Zillah == shadow; trusty followershadow; trusty follower……
GENESIS 4:23

18. BIBLICAL SUBVERSION of PATRIARCHY
- Acts 2:17-18 (outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh)
- John 4 (Samaritan woman becomes 1st
evangelist)
- John 8 (Jesus rescues woman framed for adultery)
- Luke 8 (Jesus restores/empowers bleeding woman)
- Luke 1 (Luke opens his Gospel w/Mary’s theological
interpretation of Jesus’ birth)
- Luke 24 (Luke closes his Gospel mentioning
the role the women played at the resurrection)
- John 20 (presents Mary Magdalene as the
Apostle to the Apostles)

19. PAUL AND WOMEN IN THE N.T.
- Junia (an Apostle – Rom 16:7)
- Lydia (church leader – Acts 16:40)
- Euodia/Syntyche (co-laborers – Phi 4:2)
- Phoebe (deacon; currier/reader* of Romans – Rom 16:1)
- Priscilla (evangelist – Rom 16:3; Acts 18; 2 Tim 4)
- Persis (friend/co-laborer – Rom 16:12)
- All had equal access to gifts of the Spirit
- All could practice those gifts for the
building up of the Church…

20. ““The problem with lifting (Paul’s quotes fromThe problem with lifting (Paul’s quotes from
1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy) out of context and1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy) out of context and
making them serve as a doctrinal tenant of themaking them serve as a doctrinal tenant of the
church is that Paul did not write them as doctrine.church is that Paul did not write them as doctrine.
He wrote the statements as context-specific adviceHe wrote the statements as context-specific advice
to help two churches deal with issues arising withinto help two churches deal with issues arising within
their communitiestheir communities……To take these wordsTo take these words
as doctrine is to ignore the fullas doctrine is to ignore the full
counsel of Paul’s teachings andcounsel of Paul’s teachings and
the ways he interacted with andthe ways he interacted with and
promoted women leaders.”promoted women leaders.”

21. ““At the heart of the very good news of the gospelAt the heart of the very good news of the gospel
is the reversal of the Fall. With that reversal,is the reversal of the Fall. With that reversal,
Jesus’ death and resurrection paved the wayJesus’ death and resurrection paved the way
for patriarchy to be crushed. This made wayfor patriarchy to be crushed. This made way
for the full acknowledgement of thefor the full acknowledgement of the
image of God in women and men.”image of God in women and men.”

22. HOW DO WE AS A PEOPLE RESPOND?
1. LISTEN to the stories/voices of women
2. LAMENT the pain women have suffered,
and the role we have played in that process
3. CONFESS our contributions to harmful patriarchal
systems/attitudes, as men and women
4. REPENT of these things, and work to see
the Church embody shalom by rejecting
these systems/attitudes and embracing
the image of God in – and the gifts
available to – all of us

23. HOW CAN MEN SPECIFICALLY RESPOND?
1. LOOK for ways to exercise power with (partnership)
or power under (serving), not power over (domination)
2. CHOOSE to leverage whatever privilege/influence
you have as advocates for others
3. REJECT the myths of the “Lone Genius”
or “Lone Ranger”

24. A Prayer For The People of God
God of the lowly and the mighty,
you know the ugliness of your people
when we harm and destroy one another,
yet you offer us forgiveness of our sins
if we but turn to you. Expand our hearts
to receive the mercy you give us, that,
in turn, we may share your grace and mercy
with others each moment of our lives.
Amen.

25. Mark 12
Hear, O Israel:
the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.’
And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment
greater than these.