Socially Constructing God: Gender, Culture, and a Stratified Trinity

121 Pages·2016·0.83 MB·English

by  Landon P. Schnabel

Andrews University
Digital Commons @ Andrews University
Master's Theses Graduate Research
2012
Socially Constructing God: Gender, Culture, and a
Stratified Trinity
Landon P. Schnabel
Andrews University
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Schnabel, Landon P., "Socially Constructing God: Gender, Culture, and a Stratified Trinity" (2012).Master's Theses. 53.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/theses/53
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ABSTRACT

SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTING GOD: GENDER, CULTURE,
AND A STRATIFIED TRINITY

by

Landon P. Schnabel

Adviser: Darius Jankiewicz
ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH

Thesis

Andrews University

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Title: SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTING GOD: GENDER, CULTURE, AND A
STRATIFIED TRINITY

Name of researcher: Landon P. Schnabel

Name and degree of faculty adviser: Darius Jankiewicz, Ph.D.

Date completed: July 2012

The Problem

Both hierarchicalist and equivalentist evangelicals use Trinitarian relations to
argue for their opposing views on gender roles. How can this stalemate be broken if the
Bible, the typical evangelical foundation for resolving doctrinal disputes, is used by both
sides to argue their contrasting positions?

Methods and Procedures
I explored the cultural determination of worldview, bringing the fields of
sociology, psychology, history, and philosophy to bear on this theological debate and
considered whether it may be differing presuppositions and subsequent opposing
interpretations that cause the conflicting positions, rather than what the biblical text
means. By looking through the eyes of experts in this mix of fields, I gained insight on
the development and impact of gender presuppositions in regard to role stratification in
the conceptualization of the Trinity.

Findings
I found that culturally determined presuppositions seem to be at the root of the
disagreement. It would seem that the divine is being conceptualized and stratified
according to contemporary human society. Until each side of the debate can understand
their presuppositions and recognize the extent to which they are creating God in their
image, constructive dialogue will be limited and I project that the debate will continue
passionately and divisively.
Andrews University
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTING GOD: GENDER, CULTURE,

AND A STRATIFIED TRINITY

A Thesis
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Divinity

by
Landon P. Schnabel
2012
© Copyright by Landon P. Schnabel 2012
All Rights Reserved
SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTING GOD: GENDER,

CULTURE, AND A STRATIFIED TRINITY

A thesis
presented in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Master of Divinity

by

Landon P. Schnabel

APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE:

__________________________
Darius Jankiewicz, Ph.D., Adviser

__________________________
Richard Davidson, Ph.D.

___________________________ ______________________________
Martin Hanna, Ph.D. Date approved
To Kate

iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1
Historical Context .................................................................................. 1
The Problem ........................................................................................... 6
The Purpose ............................................................................................ 7
Justification ............................................................................................ 7
Methodology .......................................................................................... 8
Limitations ............................................................................................. 8
Outline .................................................................................................... 9
2. GENDER .............................................................................................................. 10
Introduction .......................................................................................... 10
Ancient Perspectives on Women in the West and Near East ............... 11
Cultural Diversity.......................................................................... 11
Cross-Cultural Similarities............................................................ 13
Western Views on Women in the Early Common Era ........................ 15
Roman Perspectives ...................................................................... 15
Early Christian Perspectives ......................................................... 17
Protofeminism: Fifteenth Century to Eighteenth Century ................... 20
First-Wave Feminism: Nineteenth to Early Twentieth Century .......... 26
Second-Wave Feminism and Beyond: Christian Responses and
Developments ............................................................................... 29
Emergent Evangelical Feminism and Egalitarianism ................... 30
Gender Hierarchy Re-Imagined and the Emergence
of the Current Evangelical Gender Debate ............................ 32
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 35
3. CULTURE ............................................................................................................ 37
Introduction .......................................................................................... 37
Sociocultural Development of Worldview: Social Determination of
Cultural Beliefs ............................................................................. 40
Social Construction ....................................................................... 40
Gender as a Social Construct ........................................................ 43
Social Construction of Presuppositions ........................................ 45
iv