More reflections on Gendered Humanity

Humanity is created by God, in his image and likeness as male and female (Gen 1:27; 5:1-2; 9:6). This image and likeness to God is rightly located in our capacity for relationship - our relationship with God and our relationship with one another. As the triune God is being-in-relationship, so too humanity is being-in-relationship. This image and likeness then makes humanity fit for the task it is given - as God's vice-regents to rule over the creation and fill it, in a God-like manner. Thus humanity, who is made in God's image, is to care for and love the creation, for God has declared it to be very good.

Genesis 1:26-30 considers humanity corporately - as both male and female mankind is created in the image of God and given the mandate to fill the earth and have dominion over it. Before God and over the rest of creation, the man and the woman are equal. In the second creation account in Genesis 2:4-25 we zoom in on the details of the creation of the man and the woman. In this account, we see the two-stage creation of humanity - man is created first, immediately after the formation of the heavens and the earth. He is the firstborn (c.f. Romans 5), placed in the garden to tend and keep it, commanded by God not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16). In the same way as the animals, the man is formed out of the earth and is to tend to it. By way of contrast, the woman is the final thing created in this account, made not from the earth but out of the rib of the man (Gen 2:21-2). She is created specifically as the helper for the man (ezer kenegdo - Gen 2:18). Her creation is for the man - she is a helper for him, relieving the problem of him being alone: 'the presence of the woman rescues him [Adam] from his debilitating solitude'*1 She is designed to complement him and meet his need for companionship. Humanity as male and female are designed in such a way that they fit and complement one another, and the man cannot exist independent of the woman.

The creation of the woman as a helper for the man does not imply inequality of inferiority. The term helper is used in the scriptures of God (Ex 18:10; Ps 10:14; 30:10; and 54:4) and so is not a derogatory term, but rather one of dignity and value. There is nothing in the word 'helper' itself that implies superiority, equality or inferiority. In the context of Genesis, the woman is designed not simply as a helper, but specifically as a helper for the man (cf 1 Cor 11). In the act of creating the woman, God had the man in mind and created the woman for the specific role of helping him. As Grudem expresses it:

Eve was created as a helper, but as a helper who was Adam's equal, and one who differed from him, but who differed from him in ways that would exactly complement who Adam was.*2

The gendered nature of humanity and the creation of woman for man finds its most intimate expression in the relationship of marriage. In Genesis 2:24-25 the communal nature of humanity is highlighted as the man and woman delight in one another. The man recognises the woman as the one who is fit for him and expresses joy in her. His naming of her, while also an appropriate recognition of who she is, is a dominical act.

Furthermore, human marriage points forward to the union of Christ and the Church and highlights the communal nature of our being (Eph 5). The gendering of humanity is not accidental, but a part of God's good design in creation. In marriage, the two genders come together and become one. As male and female in God's image humanity are relational beings, and our being in the image of God is the basis for our relationship with God. Eschatologically, marriage points forward to the union of Christ and the church.

*1. Stanley Grenz, 'The Social God and the Relational Self'<
*2. Wayne Grudem, Evangelical Feminism

For those who are interested: 9,500 of 15,000 words are with my supervisors for comment. All going well, just 1 chapter and a conclusion left to write and 27 days to do it in!