Council On Biblical Manhood And WomanhoodEdit
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) is a conservative evangelical organization that has long sought to articulate a biblically grounded framework for gender roles in both the home and the church. Founded in the late 1980s by a coalition of scholars and pastors, the CBMW promotes a view commonly called complementarianism: men and women are created with different, complementary roles, with male leadership in the family and in most church settings. The group has produced doctrinal statements, books, conferences, and public statements that have helped shape the practice and teaching of many conservative churches and seminaries, and it has become a central point of reference for debates over gender, marriage, and the authority of Scripture within the evangelical world. evangelicalism biblical inerrancy
History
Formation and aims The CBMW emerged in the context of late-20th-century debates over gender, family, and church leadership. It was established by scholars and pastors who argued that the Bible teaches a distinct order of male leadership and female submission within the home and the local church, and that this order matters for personal flourishing and social stability. The organizing group issued statements and resources intended to clarify this biblical framework for lay believers and church leaders alike. complementarianism Scripture
Key figures and influence Leading voices associated with CBMW over the years include prominent theologians and pastors who have written on biblical doctrine of the family, male leadership, and the limits of women’s roles in church governance. Their work has influenced many conservative seminaries, church denominations, and mission organizations that subscribe to a high view of Scripture and a traditional view of gender. The organization has also fostered networks and publications designed to equip churches to implement what it describes as biblical order. theology seminaries
Nashville Statement and public debates One high-profile milestone was the Nashville Statement (2017), a declaration addressing gender identity, sexuality, and related matters in light of biblical authority. The Nashville Statement sparked intense public discussion, with supporters arguing that it protects religious liberty and the integrity of biblical teaching, and critics charging that it enshrines discrimination or undermines dignity for LGBTQ+ people. Proponents defend the document as a principled, biblically faithful stance; critics contend it reflects a political and cultural agenda. The Nashville Statement remains a focal point in the broader culture-war debates surrounding gender, sexuality, and religious liberty. Nashville Statement
Beliefs and doctrine
Biblical authority and gender roles CBMW anchors its position in a high view of biblical authority, arguing that Scripture provides a divinely intended order for human relationships. Subordination of certain roles within the church and home is presented not as a claim of inferiority, but as alignment with the created order and God’s design for human flourishing. This framework relies on particular hermeneutical choices about passages related to leadership, teaching, and family life. biblical authority Scripture
Complementarianism as the organizing principle The core doctrinal stance—complementarianism—holds that men bear primary leadership in public and family life, while women exercise unique and meaningful influence in other spheres (often including teaching roles in certain contexts, but with limits on ordination to pastoral office in many CBMW-adjacent networks). The aim is to preserve order and accountability within the church, while affirming the equal dignity and worth of both men and women. complementarianism pastor elder
Marriage, family, and church practice In the home, CBMW-aligned teaching typically emphasizes the husband’s responsibility to lead in love and sacrifice, paired with the wife’s role in nurturing and supporting family life. In the local church, the framework often restricts certain offices (such as senior pastoral leadership) to men, while allowing women to contribute in other teaching and service capacities. Advocates argue that these patterns foster stability, disciple-making, and clear accountability within communities of faith. Marriage family church governance
Scriptural interpretation and debates CBMW’s positions are grounded in a particular interpretation of biblical passages about creation, fall, and redemption, as well as New Testament teaching on church leadership and instruction. Critics from broader scholarly circles argue that some texts are contextually bounded or culturally conditioned in ways that do not require permanent restrictions on women’s ministry. Defenders respond that their framework reflects enduring principles about creation order and divine design. biblical interpretation New Testament
Strategies, publications, and outreach Beyond formal statements, CBMW produces essays, books, conferences, and counseling resources intended to help churches apply its read of Scripture to contemporary life. The organization has collaborated with allied networks and seminary programs and has supported educators and pastors who advocate for its approach to gender roles. publications seminaries
Controversies and debates
Critiques from egalitarian and progressive perspectives Critics contend that the CBMW framework reinforces patriarchal norms that limit women’s leadership opportunities, curtail economic and public life participation, and constrain personal autonomy. They also argue that a strict gender hierarchy can undermine social equality and overlook women’s diverse gifts and vocational callings. Proponents of the CBMW position reply that their aim is not domination but order, spiritual flourishing, and fidelity to biblical teaching. They note examples in the Bible where women exercised influence and leadership in certain contexts, but they interpret those instances as exceptional within a broader created order that privileges male headship in specific church and family roles. gender roles feminism women in ministry
Defense against blanket accusations Supporters maintain that the CBMW framework seeks to protect religious liberty, family stability, and the integrity of biblical teaching in a culture they view as increasingly secular and relativistic. They argue that the alternative—unrestricted female ordination in all church offices or a wholesale rejection of gender-differentiated roles—poses risks to doctrinal coherence and communal accountability. In this view, criticisms labeled as “woke” sometimes arise from mischaracterizations or misunderstandings about what the CBMW actually teaches about dignity, calling, and role differentiation. religious liberty doctrinal coherence
Critiques of the Nashville Statement The Nashville Statement and related declarations have generated a wave of responses, including defense from those who see it as essential to preserving biblical ethics, and critique from voices who view it as exclusionary or out of step with evolving norms around gender and sexuality. Proponents argue that the statements protect religious conviction and conscience rights for individuals and institutions that adhere to a traditional framework, while critics raise concerns about equal protection, civil rights, and the impact on vulnerable people. CBMW and its allies contend that their position rests on a coherent reading of biblical anthropology, not on hostility toward individuals. LGBT rights gender identity
Influence on institutions and culture CBMW’s persistence and rhetoric have helped shape the ethos of several conservative denominations and educational institutions. It has contributed to ongoing conferences, curricula, and credentialing that prioritize a traditional hermeneutic and a particular ecclesial structure. The degree of influence varies across denominations, with some churches adopting formal limitations on leadership roles for women, while others in the wider evangelical world maintain more expansive practices. denominations conservative theology
See also