Complementarianism is a theological view held by some Christians that men and women have different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere. The word “complementarianism” comes from the idea that men and women complement each other through the different roles and functions that each performs.
Basic Tenets of Complementarianism
Here are some of the basic tenets of complementarianism:
- Men and women are created equal before God in terms of value, dignity and being made in God’s image. However, men and women have distinct roles and functions (Genesis 1:26-27).
- In marriage, the husband is called to loving, humble headship and servant leadership, while the wife is called to intelligent, willing submission to and support of her husband’s leadership (Ephesians 5:22-33).
- In the church, only qualified men should serve in positions involving teaching and authority over men. Women are permitted and encouraged to teach other women and children (1 Timothy 2:11-15).
- Men and women have equal access to God through faith in Christ. But in family and church order, including marriage and worship services, men and women have distinct roles (Galatians 3:28).
- Men and women have different natural strengths and should not compete for the same roles. Their value comes from fulfilling those roles for which God designed them (1 Peter 3:1-7).
In summary, complementarians believe God created men and women equal in essence but distinct in role and function. They view gender differences more in terms of authority and leadership in marriage, family and the church.
Key Scripture Passages
Here are some of the main Bible passages that inform and support the complementarian position:
Genesis 1-2
These chapters describe how God created humans male and female in His image and gave them joint authority to rule over creation. This shows equality in essence. But it also describes the man being created first and the woman coming later as a “helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18). This hints at differences in roles.
1 Corinthians 11:3-16
This passage speaks of man as the head of woman, and instructs women to cover their heads while prophesying and praying as a symbol of male headship. It roots gender roles in the created order.
Ephesians 5:22-33
These verses command wives to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, comparing the husband’s headship to Christ’s headship over the Church. It also instructs husbands to love their wives sacrificially as Christ loved the Church.
1 Timothy 2:11-15
This passage does not permit women to teach or exercise authority over a man. It roots this command in the creation order, with Adam being formed first. It allows women to learn quietly with submission.
1 Corinthians 14:33b-35
This passage prohibits women from speaking in church and commands them to be in submission, stating it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.
Titus 2:3-5
The older women are instructed to teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands.
History of Complementarianism
Complementarian distinctives have been part of church history for centuries. But the modern complementarian movement really began in response to evangelical feminism in the 1970s and 80s. Here’s a brief overview:
- In the 1970s, evangelical feminists began advocating for equality in marriage and ordination of women in the church.
- In 1975, Letha Scanzoni and Nancy Hardesty published “All We’re Meant to Be” articulating an egalitarian view of gender.
- In 1977, egalitarians formed the Evangelical Women’s Caucus to advocate for gender equality in church and home.
- In response, in 1987 Wayne Grudem and John Piper co-authored an influential book called “Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood” to make a biblical case for distinct gender roles.
- In 1988, the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) was formed to promote complementarianism. They published the Danvers Statement, which outlines the complementarian position.
- Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, CBMW and the Evangelical Women’s Caucus (later CBE International) represented the two main evangelical positions on gender roles.
- Debates continue today within evangelical churches and denominations regarding women in ministry and appropriate family roles.
So contemporary complementarianism coalesced largely in reaction to evangelical feminism, as a defense of more traditional gender roles.
Differences from Egalitarianism
Complementarians and egalitarians represent two major evangelical views regarding gender roles. Here are some key differences:
- Egalitarians believe the Bible teaches that men and women are created equal before God in value, dignity, and opportunities for ministry. There are no universally binding gender roles restricting either sex.
- Complementarians agree on equality in essence, but believe God assigns men and women different roles in marriage and church leadership.
- Egalitarians do not believe the Bible restricts women from any position of church leadership or teaching if they meet the biblical qualifications.
- Complementarians believe the Bible prohibits women from senior pastorate, preaching to men, and other governing authority positions in the church.
- Egalitarians believe in mutual submission in Christian marriage without mandated leadership or roles based on gender.
- Complementarians believe the Bible calls for male headship and female submission in marriage relationships.
So while both camps agree men and women are created equal before God, complementarians maintain that God grants men and women different roles and responsibilities based on gender, especially in marriage and church leadership.
Criticisms of Complementarianism
Complementarianism has been criticized by Christians identifying as evangelical feminists and egalitarians on several grounds:
- It is inconsistent to argue men and women are equal in personhood but assigned different roles based on gender.
- Restricting women from church leadership/teaching roles based on gender alone prevents the church from benefitting from their gifts.
- Headship/submission language can lead to the husband dominating the wife, not loving servant leadership.
- Interpretations of the key passages are debatable, and reflect outdated cultural assumptions.
- It imposes modern concepts of gender roles not explicit or inherent in the texts.
- It denies women the opportunity to fulfill their God-given calling based solely on their gender.
- It is rooted more in the culture and history of patriarchy than biblical norms.
In response, complementarians argue these criticisms stem from unbiblical cultural accommodation and rejection of timeless biblical principles for marriage, family and church.
Application of Complementarian Principles
Complementarians seek to apply their understanding of biblical gender roles in marriage, family and church life:
In Marriage:
- Husband assumes a servant leadership role; wife submits to and supports his leadership.
- Wife manages the household under the husband’s authority.
- Husband sacrificially loves his wife as Christ loved the church.
- They make decisions mutually, but husband has final authority.
- Wife respects her husband’s leadership; husband values his wife’s input.
- They divide household responsibilities based on gifts, not gender-based roles.
In Family Life:
- Husband serves as loving, humble spiritual leader of the home.
- Wife caring for home and children as top priority.
- They train sons and daughters differently based on gender roles.
- Children submit to father’s authority.
- Mother grants father final authority over decisions.
In Church Leadership:
- Only men serve as pastors, elders, deacons, and in formal teaching/governing roles.
- Women prohibited from preaching, teaching men, or exercising authority over men.
- Women restricted from ordination, senior pastorate, elder boards.
- Men exercise authority in church polity and disciplinary procedures.
- Women encouraged to serve in children’s, women’s, hospitality ministries.
Complementarians believe applying these principles allows men and women to serve God fully within the respective roles He has designed for them.
Prominent Complementarian Teachers
Here are some of the key figures and organizations that have promoted complementarian teachings:
- John Piper – Founder of DesiringGod.org, long-time pastor, author of many complementarian books like “What’s the Difference?”
- Wayne Grudem – Theologian and co-founder of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW); author of Systematic Theology.
- CBMW (Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood) – Leading organization dedicated to promoting complementarianism through books, conferences, and other media.
- Douglas Wilson – Pastor, theologian, and prolific complementarian author of many books including Reforming Marriage.
- John MacArthur – Influential pastor, author, host of Grace to You radio ministry, advocate of complementarianism.
- R.C. Sproul – Late pastor, theologian, and founder of Ligonier Ministries which propagates his complementarian teachings.
- Al Mohler – President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, host of The Briefing podcast, vocal complementarian.
These pastors, theologians and ministries have been instrumental in articulating and disseminating complementarian beliefs over the past few decades.
Denominations Supporting Complementarianism
Here are some of the major Christian denominations and church networks that officially advocate for complementarian principles in gender roles:
- Southern Baptist Convention
- Presbyterian Church of America
- Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- Anglican Church in North America
- Converge Worldwide
- Calvary Chapel
- Sovereign Grace Churches
- Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America
- Christian Reformed Church
- Acts 29 Network
These denominations differ on the specific ways they implement complementarianism. But they officially hold to distinctive gender roles in marriage and church leadership in accordance with their complementarian understanding of Scripture.
Prevalence Among Evangelicals
Complementarianism remains the majority position among American evangelical Christians:
- A 2019 Lifeway Research survey found around 65% of evangelicals believe only men should serve as pastors.
- About 58% believe men should lead in marriage according to a 2017 Pew Research poll.
- 72% of evangelicals in a 2014 National Association of Evangelicals poll said they support distinct roles for men and women in marriage.
- However, evangelical millennials are slightly less supportive of traditional gender roles than their elders.
- Southern Baptists, PCA, Assemblies of God members show high levels of support for complementarian viewpoints.
So while holdouts remain, complementarianism still predominates as the majority position on gender among American evangelical Christians.
Current Debates Within Complementarianism
Here are some of the major issues still being debated among complementarians today:
- What leadership/teaching roles can women hold in the church without exercising authority over men?
- Should seminary training be available to women even if restricted from pastoral ministry?
- Can women serve on leadership boards if not holding doctrinal authority?
- Should women be voting members at denominational assemblies and conferences?
- To what extent can women participate audibly in worship services?
- How much freedom should women have to work outside the home if primary homemakers?
- Do prohibitions on women preaching/teaching apply only within the church or in any context with men present?
- What constitutes female submission vs. unhealthy domination in marriage?
Complementarians agree on core principles, but often differ widely on practical implementations and applications to contemporary contexts. These kinds of debates continue within the movement.
Complementarianism Going Forward
The complementarian/egalitarian debate shows no signs of going away within evangelicalism anytime soon. Here are some possibilities going forward:
- Younger evangelicals might continue becoming more egalitarian, forcing complemetarians to defend their position more robustly.
- Yet as secular culture becomes more gender-fluid, many will cling more tightly to complementarianism as countercultural.
- Mainline complementarian institutions will remain bastions upholding traditional gender roles.
- New complementarian confessional statements and alliances may form as cultural pressures mount.
- Some extreme forms of complementarianism could get amplified online, especially in certain forums.
- More progressive forms advocating equality in personhood might gain traction.
- Debates around women’s issues will likely continue frequently splitting evangelicalism.
So complementarianism faces challenges from both internal debates and shifting external cultures. But it remains entrenched among key evangelical institutions and much of the movement still holds to it theologically. The future will likely see both defensive retrenchment and calls for reform from within.