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Bloggin’ the 28: Gender Inequality Is a Barrier to Unity in the Body of Christ

Continuing our summer Bloggin’ the 28 project, Claremont Graduate School of Theology doctoral student and Adventist Gender Justice blogger Trisha Famisaran applies fundamental belief number 14: Unity in the Body of Christ to contemporary Adventist life.
By Trisha Famisaran
. . .the issue of gender inequality creates ecclesiological problems for the idea that the body of Christ really “demonstrates the reality of
God’s eternal kingdom;” albeit affirming the “now and not yet”
character of redemption and the restoration of fragile relationships.
H. Richard Niebuhr suggests that one of the most powerful aspects of
the redemptive work of Jesus is his historical record of and
exhortation to metanoia, a change in consciousness that leads
to ethical action. Leonardo Boff, a liberation theologian from Brazil,
notes the character of communal learning and adjustment to social
circumstances that are (should be?) descriptive of the church and
demonstrate the lasting influence of the Holy Spirit to encourage
“ecclesial consciousness.” With that understanding, I am convinced that
the “consciousness” of the church includes intentional sensitivity to
social concerns that were once considered beyond the scope of orthodox
theological agendas and institutional responsibility. Sexism, racism,
economic inequality, and violent political division certainly effect
unity in the body of Christ and foster disregard for the radical acts
of Jesus that the gospels attest to. Scripture does not necessarily
address each specific issue, but the spirit of communal love that acts
beyond social divisions and minister to the needs of the disadvantaged
is clearly present.

Read and comment on the whole post here.

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