Pastors wishing to teach on biblical manhood and womanhood in
their churches must start here, affirming equality in the image of God,
or they simply will not get a hearing. If they cannot start with male-
female equality in the image of God, they may need to ask themselves
if their hearts are right in dealing with this issue.
There is one more reason why I think this is a key issue, one that
speaks especially to men. I think that one reason God has allowed this
whole controversy on manhood and womanhood to enter the church
at this time is so that we could correct some mistakes, change some
wrongful traditions, and become more faithful to Scripture by treat-
ing our wives and all women with dignity and respect. The first step
in correcting these mistakes is to be fully convinced in our hearts that
women share equally with us men in the value and dignity that
belongs to being made in the image of God.
KEYISSUE2: MEN ANDWOMENHAVEDIFFERENTROLES IN
MARRIAGE ASPART OF THECREATEDORDER
When the members of the Council on Biblical Manhood and
Womanhood wrote the “Danvers Statement” in 1987, we included the
following affirmations:
- Both Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, equal before
God as persons and distinct in their manhood and womanhood.
2. Distinctions in masculine and feminine roles are ordained by
God as part of the created order, and should find an echo in every
human heart.
3. Adam’s headship in marriage was established by God before
the Fall, and was not a result of sin.^10
The statement adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in
June 1998 and affirmed (with one additional paragraph) by Campus
Crusade in July 1999, also affirms God-given differences:
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are
created in God’s image. The marriage relationship models the way
God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ32 BUILDINGSTRONGFAMILIES