What is a Woman? with Gracilynn Hanson
Gracilynn is a wife and a mom of two boys. She recently completed her PhD at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, located in Louisville, KY. Today we discuss the subject of her dissertation, Establishing a Framework for Female-Gendered Embodiment in a Redemptive Context. The content of this dissertation can be summed up in the following question: What is a Woman?
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Show Notes
Notable Quotations
What is an ontological question? What does an ontological question address?
Why is it essential or important that we ask this particular ontological question (What is a Woman?)?
How would you define the term, “gendered?” Why must we recognize ourselves as “gendered” beings?
What does “embodied” mean?
Why is this concept of embodiment important, and where do we see support for our embodiment in the Scriptures?
In your dissertation, you argue the following: “The temptation in existing research has been to define genders according to roles and generalized activities” (1). When you made this observation, what did you mean? Why is it dangerous to exclusively define genders according to our roles or functions?
Generally speaking, how have you seen women incorrectly or dangerously defined by our functions? Why do you think this is the case?
Secular society continues to push back against these erroneously reduced definitions of “women.” As a result, society has thrown away gender distinction altogether. Why do you think this is? And why is this also dangerous?
Now that we have considered a few areas in which researchers have incorrectly sought to answer the question, “What is a woman?” I would love to discuss how you determined we should answer this question biblically.
How did you begin to answer to this question?
Where did you turn to answer this question?
In the end, what conclusions did you come to and why?
What challenge or encouragement would you offer women who have been taught that the female identity is equivalent to particular roles and/or functions?
What are your thoughts on Complementarianism?
Recommended Resources
Scripture References
Genesis 1-2
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