Male headship, male leadership, also known as complementarianism is a Christianized caste system. It is the doctrine of male leadership [also known as male-headship] which teaches that men and women are created equal but only in a spiritual, ethereal, non-tangible, essence but are not functionally equal.
Instead, women and men are taught that they are created to fulfill certain roles. Male roles are fairly unlimited while female roles are severely limited.
Complementarianism teaches that those born male are created to be served by those born female...from birth through-out eternity.
Complementarianism further teaches that the idea of female autonomy [rebellion against the limited roles within the female caste] is rebellion against God Himself and is therefore sin. Some go as far as calling it a life and death issue, with the loss of female souls being what is at risk.
Traditional interpretations of scripture have adversely effected understanding of the Bible, relations between women and men, the happiness of men and women, and, in general, has hindered the work of the gospel, by forbidding women to preach, pastor, or serve as elders or deacons. This book chronicles the history of the women's rights movements (there have been more than one), as well as the role of church leadership in suppressing both women's rights and the historical record of Christian initiatives within those movements.
Through complementarianism (the male-leadership movement), many of the same arguments used to support institutionalized of slavery, are still used today in support of institutionalized female subordination to male headship. This book documents parallels and identical arguments used by Christian leaders against both the abolitionist and women’s rights movements. It is a one-of-a-kind resource for all who desire an in-depth study of gender [in]equality from a historical and Christian perspective.
The work traces history of women’s rights, much further back than usual, to the very first feminists…who were Christians—godly women, who brought the issue of women's rights to the forefront as they struggled to alleviate the suffering of others, and found they were hindered in doing so for no other reason than the fact of their sex. Valuable historical insights, that are rarely included in Christian literature, are in this book along with rare glimpses into Christian initiatives in the various movements for women’s rights.
This book biblically refutes complementarianism [also called complementarity], which teaches that all men and women are born into a caste system that follows them from the moment they exit the womb throughout all eternity. Men are alleged to be born into the leadership caste and women into the “follower” caste.
Complementarian doctrine suppresses the autonomy of adult Christian women and has been embraced, with few exceptions, by virtually every Christian denomination...despite unmistakable parallels between complementarian dogma [and the adverse effects of the paradigm on men, women, and children] and that of institutionalized slavery in previous centuries [caveat: lots of Black History, in this book, up through the Civil Rights Movement].
Woman this is War! quotes well-known evangelical pastors who compare Christian marriage to a war of dominance between wives and husbands, a war they claim that husbands must win (hence, the book title).
Gender-biased-English-translation-theology, along with male-centered Bible commentary and translation practices, are used in forbidding women to preach, pastor, or serve as elders and deacons in most churches. This hinders the work of the gospel. In most churches where women are not forbidden to preach, they are told to submit to their husbands at home. Gender-biased-English-translation-theology has interfered with understanding the scriptures, pitted men and women against each other, and eroded the happiness of women and men.
The book provides rare insights into Christian initiatives in the movements for women’s autonomy that have been excluded from Christian literature. They bring a new perspective, along with freedom and hope for both men and women. The doctrine of female submission to male headship in the church and home, is refuted by the scriptures which support equality between women and men. Woman this is WAR! is a treasure-trove of information on gender equality from biblical and historical perspectives.
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