Hearing the Helpers: An Examination of How WELS Women Understand the Teaching of the Roles of Men and Women in an Age of Feminism

Abstract

The feminist movement’s influence reaches across today’s culture and into the church. There is a stark contrast between modern society and the Bible’s teaching of the roles of men and women. This can be tremendously difficult for the Christian woman. How do WELS women in particular come to grips with what God says about the roles of men and women when daily influences tell them it is nothing short of oppressive? Many have written about the roles of men and women in the church, family, and society. However, there is an understandable lack of female voice in scholarly materials from confessional Lutheran church bodies as to how women interact with, understand, and process this doctrine. Without challenging or compromising Scripture’s teaching, this thesis aims to listen to, analyze, and learn from the experiences of women in our churches on this issue. The results of this research underscore the difficulties many WELS women face today as they consider and seek to live under the biblical doctrine of the roles of men and women in an age of feminism. This study also demonstrates the unique insights women have into congregational life and the importance of careful communication of scriptural truth.