My Favorite Feminist

This is the month we celebrate International Women’s Day, and I felt privileged to attend the special event hosted locally. We heard from two inspiring speakers, both successful women in male-dominated careers: one a Red Seal carpenter, the other a hockey broadcaster. Both women shared stories of being respected and mentored by men, but also about being disrespected and dismissed because of their gender—by men and by other women. Even here, in our “enlightened” Canada.

Born into a time and culture where women had no voice and were considered a man’s property, one man took an astonishingly radical stand. His was a revolutionary mindset. In a religious culture where priests would pray, “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe, who has not created me a woman,” this man’s treatment of women stood in glaring contrast. His approach was downright scandalous. No wonder those religious leaders hated and feared him enough to crucify him.

There’s a sad myth prevailing in our culture that Christianity keeps women down and we must turn our backs on it if we hope to achieve gender equality. My heart breaks to know the church has profoundly failed in this arena, feeding into this myth and leading many to reject Jesus Christ when in truth, Jesus demonstrated great respect for women. Read through the life of Christ as recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and you’ll see what I mean.

First of all, he included them. He taught them, in a day when women were kept illiterate, not allowed an education. He did not perceive them primarily in terms of their gender, age, or marital status, but in terms of their relationship to God. While other men — especially religious men aspiring to be respected leaders — wouldn’t be caught dead talking to a woman, Jesus frequently engaged women in conversation. In public.

Secondly, he spoke to them with kindness, valuing them and defending them. He accorded them equal spiritual status, referring to them as “Daughters of Abraham.” He asked them questions and gave them time to answer. He valued their service and their opinions. He gave them a voice.

Thirdly, even while defending women, he also held them accountable for their own sinful actions. Opportunity for repentance and forgiveness were freely granted, but it was the woman’s own choice to follow or not.

It was a woman who first experienced Christ’s presence on earth, in her own womb. It was another woman who recognized him as Messiah through the response of the child in her womb. It was a woman who first saw him after his resurrection. Then he instructs the women to tell his disciples about it. In the first century, a woman’s testimony was worthless. Jesus makes these women witnesses to history’s most important event. He entrusts them with the greatest story ever told. No wonder women flocked to him.

If you are a woman who has been hurt by religion, whose church has let you down, if you feel unheard or disrespected—can I encourage you to take a fresh look at Jesus? His followers—men and women alike—get things wrong all the time. They did in his day, too. They will in the future. It’s not a reason to write him off. (Besides, some of them do get it right!)

He loves you. He hears you. He sees you. He values you. He longs to heal your heart and set you free.