Greg Morse from Desiring God recently criticized the new Captain Marvel movie for its feminist ideology. In the review, Morse argues that men should protect women and not celebrate their male characteristics as Captain Marvel does.
Yet not all complementarians see things like Morse does. All complementarians agree that men and women differ. The question is how. Morse, for example, sees super-hero like actions as masculine, implying that the ideology of Captain Marvel makes men cowardly: “Should we so cowardly send our women to protect our children and us?”
Is he right? Before answering that question, we need to consider how and why women and men differ.
Sex, biology, and purpose
Almost everyone admits that men and women differ biologically. At base, men biologically differ from women chemically and componentally (e.g., we have different genitals). Further, only women can bear children; and only men can sire children. These differences clearly distinguish the sexes.
The next question to ask is: how should these biological differences affect our behaviour? Some emphasize cultural norms (that is, women should not go to war because that is not feminine). Yet the danger here is that Christians identify traditional (as in 1950s) gender stereotypes as the gold standard of gendered-behaviour.
I think it’s probably better to locate the primary differences in natural capacity and purpose. Put in simple English, women have babies; men provide for babies. And this physical reality points to a deeper spiritual reality: humans should spiritually parent (i.e., disciple) people into the image of their heavenly Father.
On this latter understanding, Captain Marvel’s heroism does not entail (by itself) some sort of vice. Nor does it mean that men act cowardly by appreciating the heroism of women. We laud Junia, Mary, Debra, and many other Christian women for their initiative and courage. And it is not obviously wrong to celebrate a female superhero.
I love Studio Ghibli films which often have female leads. I hope my daughter loves these films as much as I do. And I hope she is discerning to realize that men and women may differ in how they exercise courage according to sex. It may be courageous for a woman to give birth to a child instead of aborting it despite pressure from family. A man simply cannot be courageous in this way.
Are We Cowards then?
These issues are never simple. The online pushback to Morse’s article has been strong. I don’t want to attack someone with whom I have so much respect for and agreement with. But I do want to make the simple point that complementarians can and do differ on how men and women should live on the basis of their sex.
I am not convinced that complementarians always identify gender roles with accuracy. I think we sometimes wrongly choose traditional gender stereotypes and apply them to the sexes. I don’t know how many times I have seen the trope: boys wrestle; girls are precious.
Well, what about the boy who likes to daydream, draw, and think? What about the boy who does not like wrestling? The life of the mind or the contemplative life has a long tradition in Christianity. Of course, that kind of life dies under the weight of pragmatism. So all that remains is: boys wrestle, are wild at heart, while women play with dolls and wear pink. (Not to mention that the colour pink partly became female because of a marketing campaign in the 20th century).
But culture is never neutral. And it’s best to place our understanding of sexuality squarely in nature and scripture. And in the latter, we learn that Adam named his wife
The reality of marriage is spiritual. Likewise, the reality of childbearing points to a spiritual reality: discipleship. After all, Paul calls Timothy his son. And so we make spiritual children by preaching the word of salvation. We may fulfill our telos here in ways appropriate to our biological capacity, but we still fulfill it together.
Adam and Eve tended the garden together. And that partnership continues today. Men and women are equal in worth yet truly differ according to sexual capacity (childbirth, nurturing, provision, etc.). And locating the appropriate practical differences on this basis takes abundant wisdom.
I am not convinced that a woman superhero conflicts with complementarianism. I think it’s more complicated than that. And I worry that such positions simply induce us to battle a culture war that we don’t need to participate in.
This was telling in Morse’s article, because of what he assumes:
“Where can we more clearly display our ultimate resolve to love our women as queens than to step into hell on earth as sacrificial pawns in their defense?”
He has not argued, but assumed, that war is men’s work. I’m sure he and I see things very similarly, but there’s this tendency to affirm *more* than what Scripture says, and I think that’s a huge problem for the Complementarian camp.
This was worse:
“God’s story for all eternity consists of a Son who slew a Dragon to save a Bride. Jesus did not put his woman forward, and neither should we.”
Morse doesn’t take seriously the Feminists’ issue here. This isn’t a choice between cowardly men who “put” a woman forward on one extreme, or strong men who lay their lives down for women on the other. We need to listen. The feminist revision *might* read, “My love, let me fight alongside you!” or “Husband, let’s take this enemy together!” If that doesn’t conform to a biblical view of manhood and womanhood, let Morse share some Scripture saying so.
“I am not convinced that a woman superhero conflicts with complementarianism. I think it’s more complicated than that.” I am a complementarian, but strongly believe that any progress
can only happen when both male and female are in Jesus, proactively. For one, we complain less about any and everything. It’s also true the modus operandi of Son of God is to bring good news; whereas, humans are constantly telling each other what’s wrong with the other.
But God is He who set the standards, hormonally, componentally with all of the ramifications of His design. Since I discern the Bible as one Book, I know that the Torah has a purpose for the way the Spirit gave it to us — for example, 7 Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.” 8 Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.” Deut. 20:7-8… Respect women and don’t be cowards.
God set up stringent standards for both of us, which doesn’t seem to be such a problem were it not for the curse — no one is entirely satisfied with his/her lot.
I only recently became aware of the Life Time movie series — apparently, every female I know, including my wife, is very familiar with these movies, in fact, she told me she had been watching them for years!
So, of course, I began watching them for the last few months. Wyatt, really, these social influences are nothing less than pure indoctrination. I have seen big men get beaten up by women half their sizes in the majority of episodes; men have literally taken on female characteristics by their behavior. After the man is beaten or stabbed, his wife or girlfriend takes over and dispatches the female villain, the repeated theme. Out of all the children born on this series, one child was born male, and he died at birth.
Of course, I am aware of the way women have been treated by males since the beginning. one has to notice the disciples reaction when returning from the market place — John 4… “27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” (…but we know what they were thinking) That’s because of the power women have over men and the single-mindedness of males toward females.
The behavior throughout the ages has taken its toll on women — they have officially been in rebellion (notwithstanding Genesis 3;16) for quite some time. The Christ-message is the only solution as it always is, which in this curse is often two steps forward and sometimes three steps backward). At best our Lord apparently is satisfied with us positionally and keeps a sharp eye on the quality of our hearts.
Hi Wyatt,
I just came across your blog which is so fortunate. Finally, someone who agrees with what I have been thinking for a number of years now (I just couldn’t articulate it as clearly as you)!