this is teaching us the absolute necessity of women.

The Christian should quickly see that it is sin which is toxic, not gender.

Definitions of gender like these usually reveal more about the preferences of those speaking than any biblical insight.

While male sexism certainly still exists and we need to be aware of its current forms, it can’t all be one-sided.

Most people accept that there are biological differences in reproductive organs, height, body shape, and so on (although those are downplayed and even denied by some). But are there others?

This often leads to what’s been called “performative identities”, where we’re given an identity to live up to and so feel the need to perform appropriately.

One option is for the elders to write a position paper which can be agreed on among themselves and later shared with others. Even if you decide not to write a substantial position paper, being able to articulate your convictions clearly will usually require writing something down, even if it is only a summary.

Hence you can say, “On average men/women are…” but you can’t say, “Every man/women is…”.

It’s a little like a sports team. The coach sets the overall direction for the players and leads the training sessions. But players should still learn from each other and encourage each other. There is overall leadership and mutuality alongside each other.