In the decades following two world wars, issues related to genders have arisen in general society so to press for and achieve significant change in general culture. For most persons, male and female, the transitional course in the culture formed rather well in an evolutionary pace, but becoming more intense in the new millennium. The process is cast in a context of equality of genders. Equality was not doubted by the vast number of citizens, both male and female, who have been a part of democratic life. I don’t know of any persons in my personal life circle who would ever question gender equality. If there is such a person, I am ignorant of it, and would argue for equality both from Scripture and biology. God did not create a male to be joined to a female unlike his nature, or a female joined to a male unlike her – in soul (spiritually) and personality (physically). Part of the image of the one God (a trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Persons) in humankind is in the family of human equals (father, mother and child – equal persons).
The meaning of the word Adam (Man) is human being or humankind and Scripture represents the genders as one in nature. God names both genders Adam, and made practical the communication through a lengthy Scripture narrative using a common style that the male reference stands for all humankind. Not until recent decades with distortions forced on language and thought has style been given implications that female equality may have been overlooked in Scripture. To correct that feeling the pressure from activist interests has been focused in translating Scripture so to express gender equality. We accept the movement as long as it does not imply earlier oversight from Scripture. It is what God has given. Any shift in culture style, a human factor, must not be used to diminish the style of Scripture as offered by God, and to mankind as he wanted it authored. Much of what I read about the gender discussion and tension does reduce or imply that Scripture is human literature only and takes away, even distorts, gender meanings. If that is true, then Scripture is not likely to be interpreted as the gift from a perfect God. God would not make such a revelation to mankind. When we human beings make changes in our thought and culture that impact our style of life – in this instance expression in language – we ought not reduce that which preceded our own preference and then blame it on God, or presume that former context is somehow inferior to the present. Problems with gender identity and relationship are important to us because there is so much that turns upon being clear about meaning in any society – society that is constantly changing. I am writing in these Pages to adapt to the gender equality language because it may be more persuasive currently and my work will not be amended by those who no longer accept a former style. To lose some religious accents and roles and weave it into language related to gender may lose some force of the original. Patriarchal systems were formed to protect women and children. Some societies turned it into inequitable treatment.
To illustrate some of the issues related to the theme, we may turn to the article: “Eves” of Everyday Ancient Israel by Carol L. Meyers in the Biblical Archaeology Review for November/December, 2014. Our concern is not related to the culture and treatment of women in fact, a matter rightly deplored, but first the implication that women are given short-shrift in Scripture, a point I would not support based on inclusive language in the use of masculine words for both the male alone, and inclusion of all humankind – a style that has long been used. The accent of the article disregards, in the contrast between the genders, that the male has also been the victim in an imperfect life context. Until recent decades the men died in wars, were held responsible for the women and children, and the story may confuse history. One of the reasons for multiple marriages was that the men were so often decimated that the only care for wife and children was left to multiple marriage in society. Scripture, for example calls for the care of women and children, a point Lincoln used in a speech about slain fathers’ families. Differences are common and prevailing for genders. To retain biblical verification, understanding, and knowledge of all humankind in meaning, we may need freshened words so to befit the original meaning in changing social contexts. The teaching of Scripture is in equality terms, is not in bias, and is the Word of God to all humankind. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020