Introduction
For many years, misogyny in churches has been exclusively considered an anthropological problem. However, in Amy Peeler’s 2022 book “Women and the Gender of God’ such basis shifts to being a theological problem. According to Peeler, the misunderstanding of who God is explains why most churches still believe God is male despite the conviction that God is beyond gender. As a result, men have more privileges in church issues compared to women, who experience passive acknowledgment of their spiritual gifts, silencing of their voices, and abuse of women in sacred places. The misconception that a male God prefers males over females still affects the daily interaction of men and women in churches, with women being considered an inferior gender. Thus, to counter such claims, Peeler relies on ancient and modern sources to showcase various women in the Ministry of Jesus Christ and also her experience in the ministry to showcase that God is neutral, genderless, and does not one gender over another. Such basis informs modern churches on how to ensure the inclusivity of all genders in the church setting to advance God’s work.
Emerging Theology
Peeler focuses on the theological tradition that God is a sexed being. From childhood religious stories, many children grow up knowing that God is male as he is constantly referred to as the father, and the pronoun “he” is utilized in church settings, biblical scriptures, and doctrines. Based on such background, Peeler critiques the theological basis of God being male and proposes that God is not gendered. According to her, God has no male qualities despite orthodox Christians sustaining God’s masculine feel in every aspect of religious issues.[1] In her opposition to God being male, Peeler focuses on the incarnation narrative, traditional and historic God’s nature understanding, and contemporary understanding of gender. In normal circumstances, these are different fields of study that are unique in their depiction of God and gender. However, Peeler brings them together to initiate and motivate the conversation against God being a male.
The incarnation gives insight into the birth of Jesus Christ by Mary, where God is not sexualized. According to Peeler, although Mary got pregnant, it was through the Holy Spirit and not in the normal way women get babies. Such basis Peeler observes are different from other gods where they become intimate with humans such as the Roman and Greek gods. In contrast, God does not come to Mary as a man but as a nonsexualized God who promises to sustain her all the way through the journey of being the savior’s mother. The most important part of God being non-gendered and respectful of women is that he does not impose his will upon Mary but first informs her of his plans.
In chapter 2, on “Holiness and the Female Body,” Peeler outlines how the female body is holy as Mary found favor in God and became the mother of Jesus Christ.[2] God did not consider a male body but chose a woman for his mission, making women important and deserving of respect. In this chapter, Peeler combines the New Testament narrative about incarnation with the Old Testament by indicating that women were not allowed in sacred places due to less holiness accruing from the menstrual period. Judaism is one of the religions that restricted women’s activities in holy places due to bodily differences. They could not become priests or participate in certain religious events. Regardless, God chooses the same women considered unholy and brings forth a savior. Based on Peeler’s assertions, such a God is not gendered as he does not prefer men due to societal expectations. Instead, he makes unbiased choices, making women prominent just as men. Moreover, both Joseph and Mary had a role to play in God’s mission of salvation. Peeler observes that Joseph was from David’s lineage, appropriate for the birth of the savior, and Mary was God’s choice to act as a vessel of Jesus Christ’s birth.[3] This traditional and historic God’s nature understanding is critical in helping modern society understand that God does not prefer any gender over another and, importantly, that he is not gendered, so men are not superior to women.
In chapter 4, “God Is Not Masculine,” Peeler uses the same story of Jesus Christ’s birth to advance her argument of women being in God’s plan of salvation just as men and critiques the assumption that God is male.[4] According to her, Jesus Christ had no earthly father but a mother. He obtained his bodily nourishment from Mary, such as genes, blood, and food, but not from an earthly father. While Jesus Christ embodies a male perspective, that does not mean God is masculine. He is simply a reflection of who God is, as told in the creation story. Therefore, as outlined in Chapter 5, “The Male Savior,” Jesus Christ embodies both male and female attributes so that he can become a savior for everyone regardless of gender.[5] He can resonate with females and males because he is a product of a woman and has the experiences of a man.
The last chapter on “Ministry” encourages the recognition of women in religious aspects by suggesting that Mary was not just a mother of Jesus Christ but an active gospel proclaimer.[6] Her role in helping Jesus Christ embrace his ministry, such a at the wedding of Cana, where she ensured Jesus Christ turned water into wine, making it his first miracle, implies that God does not oppose the gospel ministry of women. Through Mary’s example, God encourages women to understand their worth, knows he values them like men, and advances his mission for salvation through their ministries. God has endowed each human being with various spiritual gifts without exception, which must be utilized for the goodness of his people. Women are no exception, which makes their role in gospel ministry indispensable.
Theological Position
Peeler’s evaluations of God as a nonsexualized being have a basis in the socialization process. Growing up, I often heard people in my household referring to God as a “he,” which meant he was masculine. For most of us during those childhood moments, we would ask, what about his wife? We are socialized that if there is a father, then there is a mother. If God performs certain roles, his wife must perform different roles, just like in a normal human family setting. It was very confusing to learn that, unlike humans, God had no wife, and yet he was classified as a man. One basic truth about such childhood explanations is that Christians have a limited understanding of the true nature of God, as the socialization process informs most of what they know.
My take on the nature of God is in support of Peeler’s idea that God is not gendered. If God had preferred men over women, he would not have created Eve to become Adam’s helper. His creation plan had a focus on the essential nature of each gender in his mission for salvation. Adam and Eve both had a critical role to play in enabling God to accomplish his mission for humanity. Peeler, in chapter 1, “The Father Who Is Not Male,” says that most Christians picture God as a male due to traditional Christian language.[7] The use of the term “father” corresponds with the human description of a male figure. Such is the basis of what I understand from socialization: that a father is a male figure. However, as Christians, we forget that heaven and earth do not operate the same. God is the father of everyone, meaning unlike an earthly male figure, he does not choose among his children but loves, cares, and supports them all. As a result, such a God cannot be gendered as in him; there is no favoritism nor preference among his children.
I concur with Peeler that women are highly marginalized in churches and especially in the ministry aspects. I have grown up in a church where men occupy the most prestigious positions in the church, and their wives act as minor helpers. Some women are more spiritual than men, compassionate and inspiring, but they are forced by ministry requirements to take a back seat and let the men lead. Such silencing of their voices affects God’s use of spiritual gifts for the greatness of his church. I agree that the biblical scriptures outline Jesus Christ as the head of the church, men as the head of the family, and women as helpers at home. However, this scripture alone does not determine the role of women in the ministry because the same biblical scripture elevates their standards by recognizing that they are vital players in God’s plan of salvation. Therefore, if Christianity can ensure an effective interpretation of the Bible as opposed to the traditional perspectives that focus on the control of women in society, they can perceive God differently from the masculinity aspect and accord women the necessary respect, dignity, and appreciation they deserve as God’s esteemed creation.
Seeing Through New Eyes
The book’s new perspectives about women and God’s gender have helped me understand my implicit bias about women and the basic reason why they are denied space to do God’s work. Like any other person, I also agreed with the prevailing notions that God is male, and thus, he allows men to hold ministerial positions with such a basis. However, it confirmed my feelings of inequality accorded to women, especially in the ministry where the majority play minor roles and are not allowed in important ministerial discussions due to their gender. Modern society has advanced so much that women are in high leadership positions. However, Christianity has remained unmoved due to the upholding of traditional biblical teachings that make women submissive to husbands due to scripture interpretations. For the women, it may seem reliable because we learn that biblical scripture is God’s word. So when Paul says women must be submissive to their husbands, the same is transferred to all aspects of their interactions without questioning its applicability in the ministry.
Peeler sees Christianity from the traditional perspectives of the older society where women had no voice. They were basically homemakers and nurturers playing minimal societal roles. However, there have been great changes as today, women hold high ministerial positions in certain churches and also in political areas. They no longer need to stay home to prove their submissive nature. The education system has been central to critiquing societal stereotypes that demean women and advocating for the equality of men and women. However, the family and the church, as agents of socialization, are still to recognize the essence of gender equality fully. As a result, people like Peeler seek to put pressure on the church to see the world from a different viewpoint and change the old mindset that women are an inferior gender due to religious stereotypes created to keep women at home.
Based on Peeler’s depictions that God supports the ministry of Women through Mary, I have understood that gender has no value in God’s work. As the scripture outlines, God examines the soul and not the physical features of a person to determine their worthiness in his mission. As a result, when Christians focus on human appearance instead of their innate humanity, they defocus God’s plan. I have learned that being female or male has nothing to do with God’s gender. He is a God for everyone, meaning he understands the females and the males equally without favoritism. Hence, since humans strive to emulate God, Christians must uphold God’s nature in their ministry to ensure the gospel spreads worldwide with women included in all aspects of the ministry.
Integration of Insights into Ministry
The church is a projection of the larger society in how women get treated, the roles they play, and the means of control imposed to restrain their progress. Peeler’s perspectives about the importance of women in Christian ministry have been an eye opener on why Christianity still upholds ideals of the 18th century in the 21st century. In my Christian ministry, I will aim at incorporating bible study that can help young people disregard the socialization process that pins women down and interpret it in a godly manner. Since there is nowhere in the Bible where God said he did not want women in his ministry, it is time as Christian leaders we strive towards giving women the justice they deserve by first disregarding the description of God as being masculine. By overcoming societal destructive constructs, Christian ministers can begin teaching their young children a different narrative from the traditional one to create a whole new society that understands God’s nature differently.
Serving God first is an important aspect I plan to incorporate into my ministry. There are numerous controversial issues in society about feminist movements, which sometimes distort the understanding of the role of women. However, while I support feminist movements, when it comes to ministry, God comes first. Men and women are equal in the ministry, which means putting aside any gender preferences and becoming one in Christ. The kind of teachings that fellow ministers give in the church must equally reflect such basis to mold people into thinking like modern human beings and allow women to also enjoy being in union with God at a closer level instead of being put aside for bodily differences. The aspect of misogyny should never feature in a church ministry as God is love, and Christians should extend the same to each other. The purity or impurity of a person does not depend on the physical appearance but on the soul, which God examines.
An important consideration in my ministerial activities would be to critique gender stereotypes that harm women’s feelings and cause them to become demotivated in God’s work. Moreover, they perceive their position as inferior to men due to understanding God as a masculine being, which I plan to involve fellow church ministers on a deeper level to evaluate and overrule demeaning traditions. I believe only a person from a specific gender understands what others go through, which makes Peeler a credible writer because she speaks on behalf of women and their feelings of inequality and injustices in church ministry. Therefore, I would like women to get empowered so that they can play a critical role in reversing the long decades of demeaning women by teaching young girls from attender age that God seeks them in his ministry to extend their services for the greatness of each kingdom along with their male counterparts.
Conclusion
By bringing voices across all centuries, Peeler’s goal is to inform, create awareness, and advocate for changes. The conversation is rich in information that enlightens Christianity about its shortcomings, how it began, and ways it can restore women’s dignity. Through her book, Christians learn about the misconception of God preferring males over women, his non-gendered state, the role of women in the ministry, and societal constructs that extend from ancient days to modernity with a goal of pinning women down instead of allowing them to use their spiritual gifts as God wills. Peeler gives the example of Jesus Christ embodying both female and male attributes to show that Christians should emulate the same and love one another. If we say we love God and Christ, we must do what they do to become obedient children who are in God’s plan of salvation.
Bibliography
Peeler, Amy. Women and the Gender of God. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2022. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/betheluniversity- ebooks/detail.action?docID=7017208
[1] Peeler, Amy. Women and the Gender of God. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2022. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/betheluniversity- eBooks/detail.action?docID=7017208
[2] Peeler, 2022, Ch. 2
[3] Peeler, Amy. Women and the Gender of God. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2022. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/betheluniversity- eBooks/detail.action?docID=7017208
[4] Peeler, 2022, Ch. 4
[5] Peeler, Ch. 5
[6] Peeler, Amy. Women and the Gender of God. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2022. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/betheluniversity- eBooks/detail.action?docID=7017208
[7] Peeler, Amy. Women and the Gender of God. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2022. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/betheluniversity- eBooks/detail.action?docID=7017208
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