Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
On May 24th, Stephen and I shared about our journey toward mutuality through IG Live. I have pasted the transcript from our closing which included challenges to the viewers. At the end of this post, I have linked the resources that I referenced in the video. There are also additional resources I didn't mention but found beneficial. I will be adding to the resources as other people send me their suggestions. Grace and peace to you all.
Nicki: No one is excluded if we operate from a mindset of mutuality or mutual submission. If we all outdo one another in showing honor, look not to our own interests but to the interests of others, and submit to one another, then we don’t have time for arguments over who is out and who is in, who can exercise this gift and who cannot, or who can have this or that gift and who can’t. Mutuality levels the field and invites everyone regardless of race, gender, gender identity, class, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic we could think of to use in order to draw a line. As the late Rachel Held Evans so aptly put it, "What makes the Gospel offensive isn't who it keeps out but who it lets in." And in all this, I’m not saying we don’t need white men. I just want white men to see how much they need others so we can all flourish.
On May 24th, Stephen and I shared about our journey toward mutuality through IG Live. I have pasted the transcript from our closing which included challenges to the viewers. At the end of this post, I have linked the resources that I referenced in the video. There are also additional resources I didn't mention but found beneficial. I will be adding to the resources as other people send me their suggestions. Grace and peace to you all.
Nicki: No one is excluded if we operate from a mindset of mutuality or mutual submission. If we all outdo one another in showing honor, look not to our own interests but to the interests of others, and submit to one another, then we don’t have time for arguments over who is out and who is in, who can exercise this gift and who cannot, or who can have this or that gift and who can’t. Mutuality levels the field and invites everyone regardless of race, gender, gender identity, class, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic we could think of to use in order to draw a line. As the late Rachel Held Evans so aptly put it, "What makes the Gospel offensive isn't who it keeps out but who it lets in." And in all this, I’m not saying we don’t need white men. I just want white men to see how much they need others so we can all flourish.
Stephen: In closing, here is a challenge for Christian men. Ephesians 4:12 is about how spiritual gifts are given to all for the building up the body. How are you intentionally seeking out the voices of women to be built up by their gifts? If you are not currently submitting yourself to women as Ephesians 5:21 instructs you to, that needs to change. As you have conversations with women and listen to their stories, you’ll probably feel defensive. Don’t dismiss what they are saying though. Lean into the discomfort and work through it.
Nicki: And here is a challenge for white people who are Christians. How are you intentionally seeking out diverse voices of Black, Indigenous, People of Color to be built up by their gifts? If you are not currently submitting yourself to Black, Indigenous, People of Color as Ephesians 5:21 instructs us to, that needs to change. Diversify your social media, the books you read, the podcasts you listen to, and where you spend your money.
I also have a challenge for white women. In the Truth's Table episode "BlacKkKlansman (Movie Discussion)," Dr. Christina Edmondson said, "I think it's incredibly nuanced, to think about the ways in which white women get close to male privilege instead of dismantling systems of privilege. They get closer to white male privilege through having a shared enemy." White women, we have to be about the work of dismantling all systems of privilege rather than seeking the approval of the white men in our lives. I know what I'm saying right now won't sit well with many white men, but we don't need permission to have differing opinions and to seek justice. If we wait for permission from those who hold the power, we’ll never get it. If you are a man, I want you to ask yourself the last time you asked a woman for permission to think differently than she thinks or were concerned about her approval if you thought differently. I am just guessing, but I imagine you’ve never felt that pressure or rarely do. Women were not created to be ruled and intellectually controlled. We have our own minds. We fully bear the image of Godde. And Godde loves us, really loves us. Be secure in that love. And for white women specifically, don't do what Myisha T said in the Speaking of Racism podcast episode "Living into the Work." She said, “I’m often even telling white women that I work with in tech the way that you’re treating women of color in these tech spaces are the way that white men treat you. It’s the cycle of abuse. It’s just passed down, and we’re not recognizing it as a culture.” I know it is difficult to push back against those we have been taught to trust as spiritual authorities because we are told we are more easily deceived and cannot trust ourselves, but fight against what I have heard numerous people of color describe as self-preservation. Submit yourself to Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color to dismantle systems of privilege.
Podcasts
Truth's Table and Pass the Mic “Gender Apartheid”
Truth’s Table “#SilenceIsNotSpiritual” with Lisa Sharon Harper
Almost Heretical Gender Series
Freedom Road “#MeToo #ChurchToo #SilenceIsNotSpiritual”
Co-Conspired Conversations “Girl You Betta Apologize; The Problem with Rachel Hollis”
Speaking of Racism "Living into the Work with Myisha T from Check Your Privilege"
Almost Heretical “Good News & Bad News” with Lisa Sharon Harper
Speaking of Racism "Living into the Work with Myisha T from Check Your Privilege"
Almost Heretical “Good News & Bad News” with Lisa Sharon Harper
Deconstructionists “Against” with Dr. Tad DeLay
Books
The Very Good Gospel by Lisa Sharon Harper
Half the Church by Carolyn Custis James
Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey
A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans
Paul and Gender by Cynthia Long Westfall
The Will to Change by bell hooks (recommended by Megan Wooding)
Gifted to Lead by Nancy Beach (recommended by Megan Wooding)
The Will to Change by bell hooks (recommended by Megan Wooding)
Gifted to Lead by Nancy Beach (recommended by Megan Wooding)
Additional Resources
“The Combahee River Collective Statement” by the Combahee River Collective
“Mutuality 2012 Posts” by Rachel Held Evans
"Complementarian Theology in Crisis" by Kevin Giles
“Mutuality 2012 Posts” by Rachel Held Evans
"Complementarian Theology in Crisis" by Kevin Giles
“God Cares About Women (and Christians Should Too)” by Megan Wooding (@mwooding)
If you have any other books, podcasts, or resources to add about this topic, particularly by Black, Indigenous, People of Color, those who identify as LGBTQIA, or anyone else who broadens the narrative, you can email me at broadeningthenarrative@gmail.com.
#egalitarian #deconstruction #evolvingfaith #podcasts #truthstable #passthemic #almostheretical #freedomroad #coconspiredconversations #believeblackwomen #speakingofracism #deconstructionists #theverygoodgospel #lisasharonharper #halfthechurch #carolyncustisjames #jesusfeminist #sarahbessey #ayearofbiblicalwomanhood #rachelheldevans #becauseofrhe #paulandgender #cynthialongwestfall #combaheerivercollectivestatement #meganwooding #challengethenarrative #broadeningthenarrative
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