Man and Woman in Christian Perspective

Part 1 The relevance of the topic: the challenge of feminism; the church and feminism; the necessity for a Christian response. Part 2 The distinction between the equality and the identity of the sexes. Part 3 Sexual differences and the integrity of the personality: role theory - does it deal adequately with the male/female relationship? Part 4 The differences between male and female - preliminary observations: physiological differences between the sexes; the different outlooks of the sexes; the relative independence of gender differences from the environment; theological consequences. Part 5 Man and woman in the Old Testament: man and woman in Genesis 1-3; the subordination of the woman in Genesis 3-16; man and woman in the rest of the Old Testament. Part 6 Man and woman in the teaching of Jesus: the affirmation of sexuality; the equality of the sexes; the position of women in Judaism at the time of Jesus; the distinction between the sexes. Part 7 Man and woman in Paul's teaching: the affirmation of sexuality; the relationship of marriage and celibacy in 1 Corinthians 7; the equality of the sexes; the distinction between the sexes; man and woman in the church; man and woman in marriage. Part 8 Man and woman in the rest of the New Testament. Part 9 The biblical view of man and woman in Church history. Part 10 The continuing validity of the biblical view of man and woman: its claim to be based on revelation; the impossibility of deriving it from the contemporary world; its basis in the nature of the sexes; its basis in the nature of God. Part 11 the urgency of practising the biblical view of man and woman: why a female priesthood is theologically untenable. Part 12 Summary of main points and conclusions.