“Jocelyn Andersen's book, "Woman this is War" [named for a play on the words of John MacArthur concerning marriage], is a must read.”
5.0 out of 5 stars ...Jocelyn Andersen Takes Back Major Ground in
her book
Reviewed in the United States
"I always took issue with the claims of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) affiliates that those who disagree with their ideology developed their own ideas from liberal, secular feminism; homosexuality; and Communism.
I laughed the first time that I heard this, for such was not true of my own denomination of origin. In my home State and as I understand the history, a married woman established the first Assemblies of God church there, and her husband encouraged her to follow the Holy Spirit's leading. They opened up their home, eventually established a church in another building, and both husband and wife were sent to college so that they could be both qualified to establish what is now Valley Forge Christian College.
My very first role model was the
daughter-in-law of this couple (bearing their name of Beisel), also a professor
emeritus at the College who taught every aspiring pastor of that era, retiring
to serve as a missionary to India. My piano teacher for many years also taught
there. Neither of these women nor the denomination tolerate concepts of secular
feminism, homosexuality, or Communism! These two ladies were kind and beautiful
women of God, yet they were formidable in their knowledge and living out of the
Word of God. I don't know how CBMW could explain away this history that I knew
well from childhood. I also trained as a nurse with the Sisters of Mercy, with
Cathryn McAuley as my role model from some 150 years ago.
I was pleased to read even more of this type of history in Joceyln Andersen's book, "Woman this is War." As one born in the Quaker State,
educated in Quaker City, and wife of a man from a Quaker Town, I was proud
to read of the rich history of the Quaker women who also advocated for a
woman's right to speak and minister in the Church. (I suppose that I am ruined
for complementarianism then?)
Margaret Fell who would later become the wife of
George Fox proposed her own apologetic from Scripture in 1666, defending a
woman's right to teach and minister the Word. Elizabeth Wilson's A Scriptural View of Woman's Rights and Duties: In All
the Important Relations of Life advocated for the rights
of both women and slaves, a document dating back to 1849. Some critics of the
book might try to suggest erroneously that Wilson was swayed by the writings of
Marx, but how will they discount Fell? Somehow, I guess they will define the
Quakers as marginal Christians without true regeneration as they do with their
contemporary critics.
'Nowhere, is the historical record of the struggle for women's rights more
skewed than when portrayed by anti-feminist, Christian, authors' (Pg 27).
I wholeheartedly agree. Concerning the history of Elizabeth Fry, Andersen
writes 'It is a malicious lie that advocating for the rights of women
produces self-centered women who lose regard for the Word of God and care
nothing for their husbands and families.'
She also notes the unsung histories of Elizabeth Heyrick (and her effect on William Wilberforce) and Harriet Tubman, etc.. I'm delighted to see someone other than Andrew Sandlin echo my own understanding that much of what is understood as expressly biblical practice actually derives from the pagan paterfamilias of the Roman culture and not from the Bible.
I laughed when I read the documentation that many practices
complementarians identify as purely Christian tradition originated with secular
practices in Athens. Andersen goes on to point out many of the same conclusions
that I developed in a series on my own blog contrasting "Biblical
patriarchy's" nuevo traditions with traditional Judaism, though the author
takes a different approach that supports my own thesis regarding these secular
traditions of men.
The book also explores the doctrinal problems within complementarianism in a
thought-provoking way, putting far more eloquent words to my greatest criticism
of complementarian explanations of Scripture. I've long wondered whether these
scholars ever really understood Jewish culture or Greek culture and how the
original language was used in context, particularly concerning the doctrines
regarding gender!
I studied Greek with a pastor who converted from Judaism, teaching Greek from the perspective of how the Jews used the Greek language which greatly enriched my understanding of Scripture. Andersen describes complementarianism's narrow perspective as Gender-Biased-English-Translation-Theology. This chapter establishes a strong basis for other doctrinal arguments she makes while addressing complementarian teaching.
I'm inclined to state that this is perhaps the most valuable thesis
stated in the book, but that does not do justice to the rest of the content of
the book.
I love the quote from Dr. Walter Martin's Kingdom of the Cults, The on page
119 of the book: "God never said, 'Reason out of the construction of
spiritual substance and nature' or 'limit my character to your reasoning
powers.'" This appears as a preface before the chapter discussing the idea
that gender reflects a hierarchical order within the Trinity, and it states
what I have found to be obvious. Andersen astutely points out the connection to
the derived concept of the Covenant of Redemption that is not so stated in
Scripture but is an assumption made in some sectors of Covenant Theology.
I believe that certain individuals within complementarianism pride themselves on the idea that they can trace every doctrine they teach back to the Doctrine of God as inextricably bound to gender through this Covenant of Redemption. Note that this teaching does not appear plainly in Scripture and many respected Covenant Theologians rejected this interpretation/application of the doctrine. Consequently, the primary Covenant of Redemption concept itself does not argue hierarchy either. And many who do not embrace Covenant Theology reject both ideas because they are not clear in Scripture.
The author does well to note
that men like Dr. Walter Martin and Adam Clarke { Adam Clarke's Commentary } warned against
the threat of the Arian derived concepts of the doctrine of the "Eternal
Generation of the Son" (pg. 124). She also captures the sense of human
hubris demonstrated by the advocates of Eternal Subordinationism, demanding that
this concept is necessary to complementarian doctrine, as if the creation can
clearly discern the Creator's perspective, that which even the Apostle Paul
called a mystery. It is also sad to note how complementarians use this doctrine
to demean fellow believers as sub-Christian for their rejection of their
concept of hierarchy within the Trinity.
Andersen also tackles most of the primary teachings of complementarianism
with an impressive exegesis, concepts that I have largely understood but take
for granted that all Believers also understood the Word in these terms (a part
of me is incredulous that so many people accept some of these teachings without
protest.)
Needless to say, I am delighted to see such a thorough and much needed review of these Scriptures and I found her view refreshingly validating. I look forward to studying some material that is new to me in greater depth concerning the kephale reference in 1 Corinthians 11:3 and the consistent use of the word in the Greek Septuagint preceding the reference. This information is new to me, and as a good Berean, I look forward to investigating this new information independently and in greater depth for my own understanding before I agree with her well-waged defense....
The final section of the book deals with abuse in its various forms, a subject that I have largely avoided in my writings because I find the matter so deeply painful, though I did address Ware's teaching at Denton Bible Church in 2008. As I read, my mind also drifted to writings concerning one of the central elements necessary for totalism: dehumanization.
This very same demoralization and devaluing has facilitated every instance of ethnic cleansing as well as the abuse of women in Islam. I stopped to weep for some time when I read this quote from Harriet Tubman at the introduction of the chapter entitled 'Happy Slaves': 'If I could have convinced more slaves that they were slaves, I could have freed thousands more.'
And consistent with my own perspective and other models of domination, the author notes that an author named Elwood McQueen observed in his book about Israel entitled "It is no Dream" that aggressors conquer and vanquish their foes through with three primary goals, measures that are also taken against women: subjugation, humiliation, and assimilation (pg 260). This is the stuff of hegemony and what all authoritarian social structures eventually become in some manner or form...Jocelyn Andersen's book, "Woman this is War," named for a play on the words of John MacArthur concerning marriage, is a must read."
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