Men, women, and relationship with God

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steadfast7

Puritan Board Junior
In trying to expound the doctrines of grace with people in my church, many of them women, I often get the response that women don't relate rationalistically with God, women are more relational and prefer to live out their spirituality in a personal, subjective way.

Is there any credence to this? Is Reformed theology a "male" thing?
 
Dennis,
It's hard to take a question like that seriously.

Theology is the study of God. Religion is the study of man, really and his beliefs and behavior toward God.

Knowing God, which is what reformed theology is about, is not a province of gender.
 
Is this a question that would occur more in a Malaysian context than an American context? Maybe it shows a glimpse into Malaysian thoughts on gender differencs more than anything?
 
I definitely think many women are not as interested in theology as a science.

My oldest, adult daughter grows quickly tired of a theological discussion, but if you ask her what a particular scripture means, or relate it to a current event she's right on. You have to be careful about the "subjective part" though. No one should use "well I feel..." as a trump card in any discussion.

Women who are interested in the science should be encouraged to join in where they can, even if the other women are off discussing something else. And men shouldn't assume that women in a group won't be interested in the science -- it can quickly come across as condescending to someone like me.
 
Calvinism is the reason I relate to God in a personal way today.

If I may be so bold, I'd like to suggest that the fault is not with the teachings of the Bible; it's with the way you are presenting them. I don't mean that as a personal insult; most men, myself included, run into trouble trying to explain things to women, because they don't think the same way men do.
 
Maybe it depends what language is being used? People can discuss the same concepts but with different types of language. Also, it may be that in general some men are more likely than some women to want to discuss certain aspects of "Reformed theology", such as primarily historical discussions. Perhaps men are more likely to be interested in what is going on in the whole of the Christian community whereas the women are more interested in their own congregation. In general, maybe, etcetc.
 
I do notice that women's material (written by women) is more devotional. And that when women gather to talk about God, men often talk theology like they would sports whereas women often talk in more emotional ways.
 
Calvinism is the reason I relate to God in a personal way today.

If I may be so bold, I'd like to suggest that the fault is not with the teachings of the Bible; it's with the way you are presenting them. I don't mean that as a personal insult; most men, myself included, run into trouble trying to explain things to women, because they don't think the same way men do.
This is what I'm pretty much getting at. But are there really ways of explaining theology in feminine ways without hyper contextualizing? Shall we say that God gets "sad" at our sin? for example
 
I don't mean that as a personal insult; most men, myself included, run into trouble trying to explain things to women, because they don't think the same way men do.

You are right, you all don't think the same way as we do. I'm thinking that, even though Reformed theology isn't a male or female thing, the description of it differs. I'm guessing us women think about Reformed theology in a more practical and relational way than do men. The men would be more likely to discuss the mechanics of second causes, for example, while us women would be more likely to exchange stories about how God has worked providentially in our lives. Of course, I have heard plenty of men relate specific stories about providence too.
 
Reformed theology is very relational. God chose to bestow his love upon lost and undeserving sinners and send his son into the world to dwell with them and take upon their sin, guilt, shame, burdens and sorrows, and bring them into a right relationship with them, a relationship of undeserving love and acceptance.

God works in covenants, and that is also relational. The Trinity itself is relational within the Godhead. Ecclesiology is about people in the body manifesting Christ in relating to one another.

It may take some readjusting to be able to teach theology relationally, but you will reap the benefits if you do, both in your own life and in the lives of those you teach, both male and female.
 
I know Shannon is probably more passionate about reformed theology then I am, and I don't think she is the exception to the rule.
 
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