Gender and Biblical Equality – How Jesus modeled for us

For the last few years, I have championed initiatives on women leadership, diversity and inclusion. While metrics in workplaces always have been compelling, the gap between perception and reality made me curious enough to decode it through the biblical lens.

When I was introduced to TRACI’s course on gender and biblical equality, I didn’t realise that it was going to change everything I thought I knew. The course intrigued us to ask questions and inspired us to study the Bible carefully to be able to interpret God’s vision of gender correctly. During the 9-weeks, it was unsettling to learn about the discouraging situation both in Christian homes and churches.

The course peeled back the historical and cultural contexts of many verses, and Genesis 1:27 spoke vividly about equality in God’s kingdom and provided me with a perspective to re-look at gender inequality prevalent in churches and better understand its application in today’s context. It helped me to also reflect upon how the church had deviated from God-given order of equality. If Jesus illustrated inclusion at His best with His interactions with women all the time, then why did we as His church deviate?

It became clearer to me that incorrect and historic interpretation of some biblical verses had kept women away from taking up leadership roles despite their active participation in church ministries. It challenged me to ponder over the patriarchal mindsets that have led to the ethical decay in our society.

Simply celebrating Mother’s Day or International Women’s Day, is not enough to build a truly equal and inclusive society. Real transformation will require real conversations and real action. If scholars and theologians can re-examine key biblical texts to unlock a fresh understanding on gender, it would be a great start. Additionally, as a body of Christ, we must take steps to ensure equality and challenge patriarchal oppression, we can begin our journey towards creating a future where gender equality is no longer just a lofty goal, but we are truly His image bearers!

Sushmita Bandopadhyay leads the corporate communications for Apollo group of Hospitals. She participated in the course on Gender and Biblical Equality (2024). The art work shared here is a water colour work by her husband Rajat Subhra Bandopadhyay, an acclaimed artist