FEMINISM IS NOT THE F-WORD

For far too long many Christians have chosen to use the label "feminist" in a derogatory way. Too often it has been used in an attempt to keep women in a place of subjugation, and prevent our sisters from using their God given gifts for the sake of the kingdom. It is used 

More than this, when one uses the word feminist as a catch-all, label for women who they believe want to undermine the church with "worldly values" is misdirected. Feminism itself cannot be defined as easily as most think (another conversation for another day).

Last night I read a blog by Rachel Held Evans about being an accidental feminist. Her blog is a great response to those who wish to use feminist as an f-word of sorts. For in it we learn that God gives gifts to all people that are to be used ... regardless of whether they are a man or a woman.

What I know is this. Accidental or not, Rachel brings brilliant insights, gracious challenges and much needed perspective to many issues as a thinker, author and speaker.

She writes:

I always laugh a little to myself when I receive a Google Alert informing me that someone on the internet has criticized me as a “bitter, angry woman” intent on destroying the Church with my “radical feminist agenda.” I laugh because if these bloggers actually knew me, they would know that I’m more goofy than angry, more hopeful than bitter, and far too disorganized to lead a movement. If they knew me, they would know that I don’t fit into their distorted stereotype of what a feminist looks like, that I don’t hate men or burn bras or crave power, that I—like most feminist—simply believe that women are human and should be treated as such ...

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