I call em "gurlz," but whatever.

I'm reblogging, because  I have found this one to be an important discussion.  At least it seems to be a continuation of the discussion found here at tenthstreetradicals.

Check out the links embedded below and mull it over.  For those who would criticise that I spend too much time in popular philosophy and not enough in the word, that's probably true to a large degree of all of us.  However, let me challenge: When we read the Bible, do we notice the role of women or rather, God's appointment and direction of women ?  Counter-cultural women? Women who defy man's laws in order to honor God? Women who are courageously first and tenaciously last on the scene?  Women who are used by God to change the course of history?  Women with whom Jesus speaks, to whom he brings liberation, whom He commissions, restores, promises, meets up?  Seems to me Jesus is egalitarian.  Jesus is the philosophy I embrace.

Biblical feminism and third wave feminism
"(W)e are in a special position to add egalitarian Christianity. We can invite another generation to realize that loving God and advancing feminism are not mutually exclusive goals. For this generation, however, textual arguments about the ancient Greek connotations of headship and the convert behavior at Ephesus are less important than our personal stories of all the different ways God has influenced our identities as feminists, and how we have struggled toward our feminist commitment to equality among God’s people."

The theological positions underlying the "Christian" side of this debate are colored by whether one is complementarian vs egalitarian.  Each finds support and justification in the Word.  The way you lean probably is less determined by your commitment to Jesus, but more by your particular faith community and culture as illustrated by Jenny Rae Armstrong's blog. 

Manliness?

I don't know if any of my friends who live at a distance have been checking here to see how the discussion is going since our first meeting.  I anticipate there are at least a couple who were  intending on participating by proxy here.  I haven't forgotten about you and want to acknowledge your desire to take part in this journey.  May God bless and reward you in seeking to be an encouragement to the men in your life as an affirmer of masculinity!

A small contingent of women did indeed gather for food, accountability and encouragement.  And God made himself known!  The time of sharing was sweet, and transparent and every woman's dignity as well as that of her husband's was honored. Such was our intent and covenant.  Pursuant to that endeavor - we are maintaining confidentiality of group members.  There is ongoing private discussion.

The intent of the blog will heretofore be to examine cultural and philosophical forces, ideologies, attitudes or biases that pervade our relationships with men.  It will serve as adjunctive material for those who wish to take it deeper or broader.   I've had these links saved in my blog "drafts" for some time thinking I would eventually find or make the time to comment at length, but that just hasn't come to fruition.  I don't necessarily have clear opinions of either of these links.  I'm curious about GodMen, ie how is it helping men reconnect to faith? Video here

I consistently find myself intrigued by this website with its seemingly fresh perspectives on manhood.  It is very informative and entertaining, IMO.
The Art of Manliness

Have fun perusing!

Into the wilds. . .

Ready for controversy?
One idea I've been stretched by is the concept that men are by nature wild.  Women tend to want to tame them, and then wonder why their men loose their vitality, ie passion.  I find Esther Perel's ideas to be infusing vitality in my couples work.  What is so interesting is that she is challenging feminism/egalitarianism and sexual liberation as part of the reason eroticism in many marriages is waning.  She illustrates how domesticity spells the death of passion and responds to that dilemma by encouraging eroticism, not just sexuality.  She advocates NOT necessarily more frequent sex but more connected alive sex. Her secular perspective is one that honors truth.  That is refreshing coming from a humanist.  She is clearly existentialist, too.  Still it's good stuff!

One of her many videos on Youtube: