She said she would not go on the internship in Cameroon that I had set up for her after graduation. Why not? She had headed the Summer Intern Programs for years, mobilizing students on short term missions.
What changed her mind?
She wanted to get married. Was she dating anyone? No, she said. She thought she should get married first and then go into the mission field. Aren’t the chances of finding someone compatible in Cameroon doing mission work better than in the suburbs of Boston? Why did she circumvent her calling?
So often women run into this crossroad. Women (and men) feel they have to make a choice between traditionalism or feminism; between complementarianism and egalitarianism. Is there a path higher than this?
Galatians 3:28 states “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” When we limit anyone’s spiritual authority or economic power, are we not valuing ourselves above another?
Should we “in humility value others above yourselves — not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of others” (Philippians 2:3-4)?
A recent Higher Education Research Institute survey of Taylor faculty showed that only 46% of the women faculty strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that they can achieve a healthy balance between their personal life and professional life. On the other hand, 60% of the men faculty strongly agree and somewhat agreed that they achieve a healthy balance.
Additionally, 71% of the women faculty felt they had to work harder than their colleagues to be perceived as legitimate scholars. Only 40% of men felt this way. What can be done to help these women faculty? They are his workmanship created to do good works in Christ.
Can we bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ? Our journey has seasons. There are seasons for men and women as we fulfill our callings.
It may be a time to stay home and care for children or elderly parents. It may be a time to do that and still work professionally. She may be called to be a doctor, economist, teacher, pastor or professor and help raise a family.
We need to encourage one another to fulfill God’s call. Let’s remove the barriers for women. We (men and women) all need to help mobilize half of God’s army.
“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (2 Corinthians 12:16). A pilot cannot fly a plane without the good mechanics, air traffic control experts and every member of the team. Can the pilot say she/he is the most important member of the team? Can the pilot afford to ignore the contributions of others?
How can we help the women who feel a lack of balance? Can everyone in her household help? Is her unpaid work valued? In cases where there are two professionals in one household, what can be done to help the woman? Can the academy where parental leave and promotion and tenure processes have not changed in over a hundred years be updated? Can Christian institutions take the lead?
Gender inequality is a worldwide issue, not just an issue for women faculty. This issue is compelling. Globally and nationally, women are more likely to live in poverty, limiting economic power. Economic health affects everyone.
Who is rejoicing if half of God’s army is immobilized? Satan. It is not a women’s issue. As Galatians 6:2 says, it is an issue of “bearing one another’s burden and fulfilling the law of Christ.”
