JOURNAL ARTICLE CRITIQUE 2
of
Litfin, A. Duane “Evangelical Feminism: Why Traditionalists Reject It.” Bibliotheca Sacra 136,
no. 543 (July 1979): 258-271.
THEO 510 LUO (fall 2015)
Survey of Theology
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
Detria Thomas (ID# B09)
September 27, 2015
Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1
Brief Summary .......................................................................................................................... 1
Critical Interaction ................................................................................................................... 2
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 3
Selected Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 5
Introduction
This paper is a critique of the journal article "Evangelical Feminism: Why Traditionalist
Reject It" written by A. Duane Litfin. The chosen article falls under contemporary theology on
evangelical feminism and has two theological views, complementarian and egalitarian, that
contend with each other. According to Paul Enns in “The Moody Handbook of Theology” he
explains “the complementarian view holds that women are fully equal to men in status before
God, and in importance to the family and the church.”1 He goes on to state “the egalitarian view
emphasizes that women are fully equal with men in creation and redemption as well as in
function in the family and in the community.”2 The complementarian view and the egalitarian
view contend with each other to define the role that women should play in church and society.
The purpose of this paper is to show an understanding of the theological points in the article and
critically interact with the authors' theology and world views proposed. This paper will give a
brief summary, critical interaction, and conclusion of the journal article "Evangelical Feminism:
Why Traditionalist Reject It" based on the understanding and perspectives of contemporary
theology.
Brief Summary
In the article "Evangelical Feminism: Why Traditionalist Reject It" Liftin discusses two
theological views: the traditionalist versus evangelical feminism. Liftin explains to readers that
the two theological views are competing to establish the role women should play in life and how
each side interprets the scriptures as to what is the biblical truth. Also in this article Liftin goes
into detail about the traditionalist and evangelical feminism views and concludes with why
1 Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014), 667.
2 Ibid., 667
traditionalist reject it. At the root of the argument is the scripture Galatians 3:28 and how each
side is interpreting it and using their interpretation of it as the foundation. Liftin asks the question
“what happens when an irresistible force meets and immovable object?” Based on this question
he ventures into the arguments that both sides are stating and believing to be the truth of how the
scripture should be interpreted. Liftin addresses the “impetus behind evangelical feminism,
inevitable contradictions, concerns of traditionalists, the error of evangelical feminism, and
concludes with with a synopsis of his overall view of the argument.
Critical Interaction
Lifting goes into much detail about the evangelical feminist and traditionalist views on
the role of women according to each sides interpretation of the scriptures with the foundation for
the evangelical feminist argument coming from Galatians 3:28. Liftin states “the feminists who
call themselves evangelical….believe the impetus of their movement stems from the general
New Testament teaching on how Christians should relate to one another.”3 The feminist believe
that the new way of relating should be one of joint submission to each other and are trying to
remove roles that are gender based. Liftin states “according to the feminist Galatians 3:28
teaches that God has created a whole new order of relationships. The hierarchical view of social
relationships is a product of the odd order stemming from the Fall. In the new order, all
discrimination based on race, economic status or sex is to be eliminated.”4 Now on the
traditionalist side they believe that the view of the feminist on Galatians 3:28 is a clash with the
other scriptures of the New Testament that teach on men and women’s roles. The traditionalist
looks at this issue from 3 angles which are meaning or exegesis, significance or application, and
3 Litfin, A Duane. "Evangelical feminism: why traditionalists reject it." Bibliotheca Sacra 136, no. 543 (July 1979):
259.
4 Ibid., 259
on a theological level. In the area of meaning or exegesis the traditionalist sees the feminist view
as they are trying to change the meaning of scripture. Liftin states “It is to change the meaning of
the text from what it has traditionally been thought to teach, to something that is more
compatible with the feminist understanding of Galatians 3:28.”5 It is to this point that
traditionalist reject revision and look more toward an exegesis instead. Now from a significance
or application approach it is acknowledged that the New Testament taught about male and female
roles but were based on an era. In saying this it is an effort to simply split the culture and truths
of the New Testament. Liftin quotes this “an interpretation that absolutizes a given historical
social order is unacceptable.”6 The last area is the theological level which says that there is a
hierarchical model being taught in scripture however “Paul was in error because of his rabbinical
and patriarchal biases and prevented him from seeing the full implications of his own gospel.”7
Liftin goes on to state that one does not need any of this to bring harmony to the teachings of the
New testament on male/female relationships. One need only rethink the feminists’’
understanding of Galatians 3:28.”8
Conclusion
In conclusion even though the gender roles and Biblical truths are at the root of this
argument there appears to be no resolution in site. With each believing their approach is correct
and valid there is still is division and conflict over the interpretation of the scriptures with
Galatians 3:28 being at the root of the argument for evangelical feminist. In the article
“Evangelical feminism: Why Traditionalist Reject it” Liftin gives his reader’s many valid points
5 Ibid., 261
6Lifton, 262, quoted in Letha Scanzoni and Nancy Hardesty, “All We’re Meant to Be” (Texas:
Word Books, 1974), 31.
7 Ibid., 262.
8 Ibid., 264.
from each side and constructs and supports his position of why traditionalist reject evangelical
feminism and states “one would think why is any of this so revelant that the two sides
continuously clash on the teachings of the bible” After reading this article Liftin only left one
question unanswered and that is will the evangelical feminist and traditionalist ever find a
common ground that they both can agree on that won’t compromise each sides argument fully so
that Christians can live out the Word of God in oneness.
Selected Bibliography
Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014.
Litfin, A Duane. "Evangelical feminism: why traditionalists reject it." Bibliotheca Sacra 136, no.
543 (July 1979): 258-271. ATLASerials, Religion Collection, EBSCOhost.
