Search — Theology Explorer

complementarianism eldership gender roles

Definition of complementarianism: women and men are equal in value but have different roles, particularly that women should not serve as elders.

Framing the debate — defining key terms

eldership gender roles egalitarianism

Definition of egalitarianism: equality in both personhood and role, with no limits on what women can do in the church including serving as elders.

Framing the debate — defining key terms

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis definition of human dehumanization argument

Groothuis defines 'human' as having higher rational functions including decision-making, then argues that denying women leadership over men is inherently dehumanizing.

Mistake #4: Analyzing Groothuis's definition of human

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis dehumanization argument unexpressed capacities

Mike argues unexpressed human capacities do not make someone less human — children who die young have unexpressed capacities but are not less human.

Mistake #4: Rebutting Groothuis's definition of human

Discovering Biblical Equality domestic abuse complementarianism and abuse

Quote from Discovering Biblical Equality: complementarianism is 'by definition a system of permanently unequal power distribution' that creates conditions under which abuse flourishes.

Mistake #5: Academic version of the abuse argument

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-14

Definition of complementarian and egalitarian positions in the debate over women in ministry.

Framing the two sides of the debate

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Definition of deacon: can mean generic servant or official church position

Mike defines the semantic range of 'diakonos.'

1 Timothy 3 1 Timothy 3 elder vs. deacon distinction diakonos

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Acts 6: the seven men as proto-deacons; deacons do everything that isn't eldership

Mike discusses the origin of the deacon role.

Acts 6 apostles Acts 6 deacon definition

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Deacons do whatever is needed as official church representatives; the 'pastor' label confusion

Mike completes his deacon definition.

pastor vs. elder vs. deacon church terminology deacon authority

Mike Winger idea 2022-05-09

Burer-Wallace: 'snowballing dogma with little substance at its core'

Mike quotes from the paper's critique of the consensus.

Burer-Wallace paper (2001) lexical evidence syntactical evidence

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Definition of the two sides: complementarian and egalitarian

Mike defines the two major positions in the women in ministry debate for his audience.

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Craig Blomberg's refutation: 'heis' (one) does not mean 'equal in all respects'

Mike uses Blomberg's analysis to defeat the argument that 'one' means total equality.

Galatians 3:28 Craig Blomberg equivocation fallacy Galatians 3:28

Mike Winger idea 2022-07-18

The debate centers on one specific thing: the meaning of kephale

Mike narrows the focus of this video to the definition and usage of kephale.

kephale lexical debate

Mike Winger idea 2022-07-18

Exegetical Dictionary of the NT (1990): kephale refers to 'hierarchy of God, Christ, man, woman' — sovereignty in Eph 5:23

Mike surveys the EDNT.

Ephesians 5:23 kephale hierarchy Ephesians 5:23

Mike Winger idea 2022-07-18

Groothuis and Cohick cite the LSJ as proof kephale doesn't mean authority — misleading because the LSJ doesn't address NT usage

Mike shows how egalitarians use the LSJ in misleading ways.

Lynn Cohick argument from silence Rebecca Groothuis

submission definition hypotasso

What submission does NOT mean: clarifying common misunderstandings

Mike preemptively addresses caricatures of the complementarian position on submission.

headship submission definition head-body analogy

What submission DOES mean according to Mike Winger

Mike provides his positive definition of submission.

Craig Keener redefinition of submit love as submission

Keener redefines 'submit' to mean self-sacrificial service

Mike critiques Keener's redefinition of submission.

hermeneutical principle Talmud word meaning in cultural context

Red flag: claiming Paul uses a word differently than everyone in his culture understood it

Mike offers a hermeneutical principle about word redefinition claims.

Ephesians 5:33 Craig Keener hypotasso Ephesians 5:33

Keener redefines wife's submission as 'only respect' based on Ephesians 5:33

Mike critiques a second redefinition of key terminology.

BDAG hypotasso lexical definition

BDAG lexicon definition of hypotasso: 'to cause to be in a submissive relationship, to subject, to subordinate'

Mike appeals to the authoritative Greek lexicon.

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Definitions of egalitarian and complementarian positions.

Setting up key terms for the discussion

complementarianism egalitarianism elder

role differences egalitarianism authority

Definition of egalitarianism as one of three positions in the debate

Mike defines the three sides of the debate, starting with egalitarianism.

eldership complementarianism image of God

Definition of complementarianism as the second position

Mike defines complementarianism and its spectrum.

patriarchalism male authority spectrum of views

Definition of patriarchalism as the third position

Mike defines Christian patriarchalism and its spectrum.

women in ministry church roles elder definition

Transition to detailed guidelines for women in ministry — defining church roles

Mike shifts to the church ministry application section.

Ephesians 4:11 1 Peter 2:25 Hebrews 13:20 Ephesians 4:11 1 Peter 2:25 Hebrews 13:20

Definition of pastor: a shepherding/caretaking leadership term synonymous with elder

Mike defines how he uses the word 'pastor' based on scripture.

youth ministry defining manhood puberty

When does a boy become a man? Puberty too young, 18 workable, adulting principle preferred

Mike works through the age/manhood question for ministry application.

doctrine of God divine aseity omnipotence

Christian definition of God: eternal, unchanging spirit, omnipotent and omniscient from eternity — not a being who became God.

First vocabulary comparison: the word 'God.' Mike lays out the orthodox Christian view before contrasting it with the Mormon view.

Mormon theology Heavenly Father God was once a man

Mormon definition of God: 'Heavenly Father,' a being who was once a man, died, was resurrected, and progressively became God — and has a wife.

The Mormon conception of God is radically different from the Christian one, beginning with the claim that God was once a human being.

Mormonism vs. Christianity doctrine of God blasphemy

Christian and Mormon concepts of God are mutually exclusive — not just different perspectives but contradictory definitions of what God is.

Mike wraps up the 'God' vocabulary section by emphasizing the incompatibility is categorical, not merely a difference of emphasis.

Trinity Christology incarnation

Christian definition of Jesus: the eternal God made flesh, second person of the Trinity, one with the Father in being.

Second vocabulary comparison: the word 'Jesus.' Mike establishes the orthodox Christian Christology before presenting the Mormon alternative.

Mormon Christology pre-existence spirit children

Mormon definition of Jesus: born in the pre-existence as a spirit child of Heavenly Father and his wife, one of many spirit children — and Satan's brother.

The Mormon Jesus was not eternally pre-existent as God but was the first spirit-born child of the physical Heavenly Father and Mother.

Trinity Shield of the Trinity three persons one being

Christian definition of the Trinity: three persons in one being — not three gods in one God. Mike introduces the Shield of the Trinity diagram.

Third vocabulary comparison: the word 'Trinity.' Mike introduces the classic visual diagram used to explain Trinitarian orthodoxy.

LDS.org tritheism Mormon Trinity / Godhead

Mormon definition of the Trinity: three separate, distinct beings who are one only in purpose and doctrine — effectively polytheism.

Contrast between the Christian Trinity and the Mormon 'Godhead' — the Mormon version is tritheism, not Trinitarianism.

Christian-Mormon dialogue monotheism Mormon polytheism

Christian monotheism: 'there is only one God' — meant literally. Mormon missionaries and teachers claim to affirm this, but use a different definition.

Fourth vocabulary comparison: the phrase 'only one God.' Mike recounts personal conversations with Mormon missionaries and seminary teachers in Utah.

eschatology glorification Christian exaltation

Christian definition of exaltation: being with God forever in glorified human bodies — received by grace by every believer as part of salvation.

Eighth vocabulary comparison: 'exaltation.' The Christian meaning is simply eschatological union with God in resurrected bodies.

eternal progression spirit children LDS soteriology

Mormon definition of exaltation: becoming a god, populating your own world with spirit children, and perpetuating the cycle of eternal progression infinitely.

The Mormon concept of exaltation goes far beyond Christian glorification — it involves deification and cosmic reproduction.

Christian soteriology gospel faith

Christian definition of the gospel: the good news of forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection — sufficient for complete salvation.

Ninth vocabulary comparison: 'the gospel.' For Christians, the gospel is straightforward good news requiring faith, not works.