I was wrong. In the past, I said that evangelicalism was matriarchal. The right word is actually “matrilineal.” This is why primary church programming exists for children & women. It explains the primacy of women’s, children’s & youth ministries.
In matrilineal societies, men may outwardly represent the community but *internal* life is sustained by networks of women and mothers. In matrilineal socities, women sustain life, perpetuate community & social connection, are in charge of caloric intake, are the social glue, etc.
Matrilineal societies can exist while men are placed in outward-facing leadership “roles” (say, pastor) but the comminuty’s internal life would implode without women making life work. Matrilineal socities are about who actually does what rather than merely looking at titles.
In a matrilineal society, without women sustaining life the comminuties dies. I don’t know a single evangelical pastor who won’t attest to the fact the women keep the church together. No children’s services without moms, moms primarily drive teen presence at church,
women do most of the programming planning and execution for major church events (Christmas, Easter programs, potlucks, prayer meetings, children/youth trips, etc); it’s the moms who sustain youth ministry (food, local transportation, etc.); moms choose the family’s clothing, etc.
In matrilineal Christianity, parents will evaluate churches based on programming and services for *children* (doctrine is secondary). This is why churches will advertise & grow based on children’s/youth programming. Churches with a children/family focus are matrilineal.
If you want see a matrilineal church, ignore the staff, and pay attending to the programs. Look for children/youth & women. What you won’t see are multiple links activities for boy’s/men’s learning styles & connecting modes. “Men’s breakfast” & children’s church are matrilineal.
In matrilineal societies, moms are more than content with the primary mentorring of sons to be a man other than the father. In some, they’ll recruit other men for their son’s nurture and not the child’s father.
Matrilineal socities typically raise beta men that strong women eventually find frustrating, and later resent, because women are stuck with passive husbands who commodify family life & don’t invest in his wife’s thriving. He was never trained to do so. journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…
In matrilineal religious communities, girls naturally spiritually mature faster. Boys will lag because they are inadvertently beta-maled in protective student miniseries. Matrilineal needs explain CCM’s reduction of Jesus to a spiritual boyfriend not found in traditional hymns.
If moms & women are the key to making your church work internally & if moms are the primary source of family social connections, the community is going to lean in a matrilineal direction. Studying human anthropology is so instructive! scholar.harvard.edu/files/slowes/f…
