Twincaretakingmutualsubmissionism

Twincaretakingmutualsubmissionism is a word that won’t ever become ‘word of the year’. It’s so long that I think I’ll abbreviate it TCMS.

Notice that it’s an ‘-ism’. It refers to a philosophy. The word philosophy means the love of wisdom and wisdom is the skillful use of knowledge. So words like this communicate someone’s understanding of lived knowledge. In this case, that ‘someone’ is me.

So I don’t bury the lede too deeply, let me state that I’m using this made-up word to look at gender roles. These days philosophies like complementarianism and egalitarianism have hardened into adversarial camps. Some of the fruits at the extremes of these two views are so distasteful that many resist using the words anymore. Thus my alternative. Let me break it down.

Twin

‘Twin’ is used to convey two ideas:

Unity and duality

We could talk about ‘the twins’ as a unit. “The twins are coming for Christmas”. Likewise, we can refer to male and female together as humanity. But twins are also individuals and both Nature and Scripture honor the distinctness of male and female. So when we say “The twins are coming for Christmas”, we are referring to both a unit and a binary.

Sameness and difference

Our understanding of ‘twins’ includes both sameness and difference. Fraternal twins share parents and a birthday. Identical twins share a genetic sequence. And yet it’s possible to see difference. Even identical twins express their genetics differently. Male and female share the Imago Dei ⏤ God’s image. Both share God’s love and unsurpassable worth. We share the gifts of the Spirit and corresponding responsibility. And we share life in God’s kingdom, without discrimination. And yet we acknowledge that God saw fit to create us male and female. And as God’s creatures, we humbly receive the identity our Creator has given.

Caretaking

When God formed us from the dust of the earth and breathed life into us, he gave us a purpose ⏤ together. This was before Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. Our joint purpose was to rule over the earth as God’s caretakers. We do this as companions; the woman being the man’s helpmeet (‘ezer). Several psalms use this same word ‘ezer to refer to the way God helps us. Women help men care for God’s Creation just as God helps us.

Mutual Submission

So many discussions about gender and roles gravitate toward debates over authority. A Christian understanding of relationships between men and women have to begin with an understanding of people in general.

Oneness

In Jesus’ prayer recorded in John 17, he petitions the Father to make us one, just as the Father and the Son are one ⏤ the Father in the Son and the Son in the Father; the Father in the Son and the Son in his Church. This is the oneness of the Trinity. It is a relationship of pure love.

Power

Philippians 2 shows us that the all-powerful Christ displayed his power by humbling himself, taking on (lowly) human form and surrendering his life by a means of execution intended to maximize cruelty and humiliation. Kingdom power is ‘power under’, not ‘power over’. ‘Power for’, not ‘power against’.

Source

Scripture tells us that woman was formed from man and that men are born of women. Emphasized is a mutuality of source.

When God looks at us, he sees both sameness and difference. But there’s no superior or inferior. When God shows favor at all, it’s to those who are marginalized and powerless ⏤ until they’re not. We need a better conversation around these things ⏤ one that reflects God’s heart.