So where does all this leave us? And why does it matter?

In this episode, I summarize the journey we've been on: from feminism, women's rights, and Judith Butler's performativity, to an Evangelical response in complementarianism, women preaching, and sexism in the Church, to how Genesis, the Gospels, and Paul all point to Jesus as the ultimate framework for how to understand gender.

After that, I share a metaphor for holding tensions well.

Thank you so much for listening to this project! I'd love to hear your thoughts and reflections. (Info below.)

Also, I'm not promising a second season, but if I did do one, what would you like to hear? Diving deeper on a particular topic already explored? Or expanding into new ones? Interviewing certain people or covering certain types of stories? What do you feel like is missing in the podcasting landscape? You tell me! (Seriously, I'd love to know.)

Thanks again. Cheers!

***

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as a combination of an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at ⁠⁠brianmenzie.com⁠⁠. You can also ⁠⁠@ me on Threads⁠⁠. Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

Anyone who has ever tried to wrestle with gender and the Bible has inevitably run into Paul. While he's not the only Biblical author to do this, he definitely seems to say some things that are clearly complementarian.

...Right?

In this episode, we sharpen our tools for reading Paul (and other Biblical authors) well, putting individual verses and passages within the context of larger sections, entire letters, and even Paul's theology as revealed across his entire library.

It gives us space and hope for being able to gain understanding when it seems like Scripture is contradictory.

Here's to wrestling with God and his Word well.

***

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as a combination of an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at ⁠brianmenzie.com⁠. You can also ⁠@ me on Threads⁠. Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

So... why is Jesus the perfect framework for truly understanding gender? Because, as the perfect human (THE image of God), he reminds us that HUMANS are spiritual, physical, relational, and contextual.

When we start the conversation about gender with what it means to be human, all sorts of new possibilities open up beyond the dogmatic approaches of strict feminism and strict patriarchy. In this episode, I explore the meaning and implications of each of the four parts of this framework.

***

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as a combination of an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at ⁠⁠brianmenzie.com⁠⁠. You can also ⁠⁠@ me on Threads⁠⁠. Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

That's Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. from Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and while I disagree with his interpretation of these chapters, it goes to show that anyone who wants to work out gender from a biblical worldview has to go back to the beginning.

Genesis 1-3 are so often plagued with patriarchal interpretations, it can be hard to recognize our own theological assumptions. Let's take a fresh look at three of the most important chapters of the Bible.

***

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as both an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at ⁠brianmenzie.com⁠. You can also ⁠@ me on Threads⁠. Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

Why has the complementarian movement fallen short? Heresy, internal contradictions, and toxic church cultures have all tainted this perspective.

Of course, there are plenty of people who believe in male-only ordination, male-only eldership, or male-headship in the home without falling into these traps; however, this movement has been so pervasive in the evangelical church that all of us likely carry embedded theology from this perspective.

As such, it's worth outlining a few challenges before we move on to reconstructing gender in the image of Jesus.

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as both an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at brianmenzie.com. You can also @ me on Threads.Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

"Newport Nights" by LNDO

"Friends" by Demure

"Sleepy Human" by Midnight Daydream

Now that you’ve taken your official crash course on feminisms from the past century, it’s time to see how the Evangelical church reacted. Because while patriarchy has been around since the beginning, this particular update–dubbed “complementarianism”–is a specific response to the contemporary women’s movement.

I knew plenty of churches teach women can’t preach, but I was unaware how prescriptive the literature had become. In fact, becoming a godly woman or man had risen the ranks to rival if we value Scripture and even how we view God.

Plus, I got to throw in some Marvel references 💯

Enjoy!

***

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as both an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at brianmenzie.com. You can also reach me on Threads.

Lastly, if you’re enjoying this podcast, leaving a quick review would be super helpful! Thanks!

Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe) "Newport Nights" by LNDO

"Meridian Moon" by Moments

"Summer Love" by The Night Driver

If it feels like feminism lost the plot along the way, you're not alone. Legitimate, revolutionary victories were made for women, yet the movement is haunted by the philosophies underneath it.

In this episode, I introduce you to the two towers of feminism and gender theory—Simone de Beauvoir and Judith Butler—and expose exactly why their worldview is so problematic.

***

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as both an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a rhythm of weekly episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at brianmenzie.com. You can also @ me on Threads.

Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

What is feminism? Glad you asked.

Feminism was supposed to be the illuminating hope for women's rights and social equity. It was the historical anomaly destined to finally put patriarchy in its place.

And while those statements are partially accurate, it hasn't been able to do so without undermining itself in sometimes catastrophic ways.

If you've ever wondered what all the fuss is about feminism, or you wanted to wrap your mind around the three "waves", then here is your very own "Feminism of the Past One Hundred Years... For Dummies."

About Truly Us

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at brianmenzie.com. You can also @ me on Threads.

Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

Why does a conversation on Jesus and Gender matter so much? More directly (I needed to ask myself as I began to write my thesis), why does this conversation matter so much... to me?

Actually, a version of this was actually a blog post I wrote at the beginning of this project—before I wrote anything else—because I needed to clarify why exactly I wanted to write this. Not only did it help me overcome "blank page syndrome," but it became a North Star throughout the project; the "fire in my belly" (see Jeremiah 20:9).

As you listen, consider it an invitation to reflect on why this conversation matters to you, too.

Here's to the journey ahead...

Get the ebook of Truly Us.

Music Credits (Licensed via Soundstripe)

"Newport Nights" by LNDO

I really wanted to know what "gender" was actually about. I was tired of hearing people in the Church uphold or elevate what felt to me like ancient or unfair gender norms. And I was tired of deconstructionists tear down gender all the way to the point where it no longer exists.

But mostly, I was tired of people saying, "gender is not this" or "gender is not what they say it is"... with no one clearly articulating what it is. I could only find critiques, no maps. Only rebuttals, no beautiful ways forward.

So I studied and studied and studied. And I met with person after person. And I prayed. A lot. And while I still don't have all the answers, I do have a robustly missional, Jesus-shaped framework for affirming truth, holding tensions, and placing others above ourselves.

This is my thesis for my Masters of Theology on Mission degree from Northern Seminary. I'm releasing this as both an audiobook (I'm reading it to you) and a podcast (a cadence of releasing episodes so we can thoughtfully engage along the way).

If you have thoughtful reflections or want to go deeper, you can get the eBook (with footnotes!) at brianmenzie.com. You can also @ me on Threads.

Here's to the journey of Truly Us: Jesus, Gender, and How to be Human... Together.

Background music is "Newport Nights" by LNDÖ licensed through Soundstripe.