Thread by @ReadAsScripture

So...I've been meaning to tweet about @bethallisonbarr's Making of Biblical Womanhood. It was the end of a long overdue journey that began in earnest w/ @scotmcknight's Blue Parakeet (excellent!)

Coming from a complementarian context, ministry was where dissonance began 1/

In a context where triage coordinator was a better title than pastor; everyone did everything. If you could do it--go help the hurting! Counsel, preach, teach, feed, cope, pray, intervene, rescue. Lines between ministering & preaching were silly. Bring light to the dark! 2/

The growing thought: I don't actually theologically believe what I'm doing...dismissed with -- who cares? No time! Just make sure to center the ministering men when fundraising and peace is achieved (I'm cringing and apologetic here.) 3/

Then came the transition to working in the white evangelical churches that had supported us. Now there were roles. And gatekeepers. Some were nice. Others oddly angry. So the academic journey began... with a paper on 1 Cor. 14. Shredded my❤️ for Calvin with his misogyny 4/

I saw how the reformers patriarchy (which wasn't unique to them) filtered into our churches. Our treatment of tongues (flexible) & gender (timeless) was inconsistent. I found a thread to pull.

Then came Scott McKnight, interviewing w/ @HolyPostPodcast about King Jesus Gospel. 5/

Another place we got it all wrong? I was hooked. So I started reading. Deconstructed my idea of gospel. That was helpful. Then The Blue Parakeet. I bought it and stared it down. Afraid of where it would take me. But I read it. Loved it. Saw a credible egalitarian path. 6/

So now what? Kept listening to @HolyPostPodcast. @bethallisonbarr and @aimeebyrdPYW showed up. I ordered the books. They sat there for 4 months. What do I do with these? I have a mortgage and a job where I literally just live out faith principles. This could get ugly. 7/

I started with the Making of Biblical Womanhood. (I still liked Piper too much to start with Recovering FROM Biblical Manhood and Woman.) I devoured both. Then JJW for good measure. 8/

So patriarchy is a cultural lens. That we've sold out to. We've buried the women of the church/bible in a thirst for power that smells like Constantine and empire. This set up my complementarianism as an natural 1990's overreaction to feminism. We've failed at this. Deeply. 9/

Go buy the Making of Biblical Womanhood. It's the one you give to your elders. It's not the exegetical argument (go McKnight/Blue Parakeet for an accessible interpretive case there), but a convincing case of the slow, historical encroachment of patriarchy on our faith. 10/

So what now? I'm still in the "if you leave, it will get worse" boat in my context. And we're close. Women teach. Lead small groups. Just not elders, not preaching. Gonna keep pushing. 11/

For the first time I'm openly saying "I think women should be elders here because I take scripture seriously" instead of "You can see how they (egal) have some good points. Interesting, right?"

So that's my journey. Thanks for listening. 12/end #endchristianpatriarchy