Thread by @lisasharper

From 2015–before #metoo #churchtoo #silenceisnotspiritual. #THIS is most white-male-centered narcissistic drivel I have ever read in my entire life. @JohnPiper claims scripture is his authority then offers no exegesis of any text. “Principles” instead. 1/ desiringgod.org/interviews/sho…

Teaching “principles” rather than teaching excellent exegesis is a narcissistic tactic of control. ANYONE can claim the scripture says ANYTHING when they leave the scripture out. Brings followers into close relationship w/ leader, but leaves them not knowing Jesus (The Word). 2/

What .@JohnPiper did here was unbelievably manipulative. Demonstrated #ZERO submissiveness to scripture. Has nerve to guilt/shame women into “submission to scripture” then offers #NONE. Only offers his own “principles,” which scripture would drop-kick. 3/

Notice how .@JohnPiper “defines” manhood and womanhood. First narcissistic control tactic: DEFINE THE WORLD. Claim it is on divine authority, but offer no evidence. #THIS is the core sin of people deemed “White” who are male. They claim the power of God to define the world. 4/

And because “White” men have had actual institutional power (US Govt, Business, Church Denominations, Parachurch) they have been able to literally play God, By speaking policy into being...and so it DID define the world for all else. 5/

But #actualscripture says only God is God. Only God has authority to define the world. We do not. We are made in the likeness (dmuwth) of God, but we are NOT God. So, 3/5ths Compromise declared blacks to be 3/5ths of human being by law—SIN. 6/

Immigration Act of 1790 declared only Free (non-indentured) White men could b/c naturalized citizens. Naturalization gives write to vote. Theologically, this was declaration that only White men divinely called to exercise dominion on this land—only White men fully human. #SIN 7/

White men have “defined” the world in ways that Center the interests of men of European descent. .@JohnPiper’s tactic is perfect example of this narcissistic strategy of control. 8/

“At the heart of mature manhood is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for, and protect women...” #NOTICE how .@JohnPiper’s “definition” of #manhood offers abundant space for the male self to flourish. 9/

“At the heart of mature womanhood is a freeing disposition to affirm, receive, and nurture strength and leadership from worthy men...” #NOTICE .@JohnPiper’s definition of womanhood 100% focused on flourishing of men. O👏🏾M👏🏾G! Women = non-persons. We exist to affirm men!! 10/

“Now in the home, the Bible makes plain that these definitions imply a leadership role for men that bear the burden of loving and leading his wife like Christ. In the church, men bear the responsibility to lead the church as elders.” #No. It doesn’t, @JohnPiper. 11/

The fatal fault in .@JohnPiper’s exegesis is that Genesis 3 (The Fall) lays the foundation for his understanding of biblical gender relations. He superimposes Gen 3 on exegesis of Gen 1 and 2. As result, misses or ignores key exegetical truths in these texts. 12/

Plus, .@JohnPiper #omits all evidence of Jesus’ liberation of women from his “principles.” #silenceisnotspiritual #churchtoo #thread 13/

The exegetical excrement .@JohnPiper superimposes on Gen 1-2 from Gen 3 is that there is any distinction btwn men/women’s call to exercise dominion (to steward, serve and protect all creation) or that dominion is reserved for men. #NODISTINCTION #NOTRESERVED in Gen 1 or 2. 14/

Genesis 1 makes revolutionary declaration in time/culture when women were NOT believed to bear image of God or to be created to exercise dominion. “...in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and God said to THEM...have dominion.” 15/

Genesis 1: God did NOT take the man aside and tell him to subdue the earth and have dominion, then take the woman aside and say “Affirm him.” Text #explicitly calls BOTH men AND women to subdue the earth and have dominion. And God calls this relating #verygood (tov m’od)! 16/

Genesis 2:7 “then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” Word “man” (Heb. adam) DOES NOT mean male. It means human. Also NOT name. Means human. Period. It is gender-neutral. 17/

Genesis 2: God says humans (Heb. adam) not males need a helper (Heb. ezer) as a partner. Btw, #ezer only used two ways in scripture: 1) military term for point-person in V formation, 2) kind of help Holy Spirit gives. 18/

Genesis 2:22-23. First gendered language occurs AFTER rib taken from the human. Human (Heb. adam) becomes man (Heb. iysh) and woman (Heb. ishshah). Male and female genders created at exact same moment in the text. Mirrors equal dominion of Genesis 1. 19/

Let’s move through the rest of Bible, .@JohnPiper @desiringGod @TGC. What about Deborah? Esther? The #Queen of Sheba? Did their entire existence rest on the affirmation and nurture of men? Were they immature women? #churchtoo #silenceisnotspiritual #thread 20/

What about Mary, @JohnPiper @desiringGod .@TGC? She’s 1st theologian in New Testament. What about Samaritan woman—1st evangelist in The Bible? What about woman with the alabaster jar? Not worried about catching a husband. Pours out her life over #bodyofChrist. #immaturewomen 21/

What about Priscilla, the LEAD evangelist in her wife/husband team, @JohnPiper @desiringGod .@TGC? What about Peris, Paul’s CO-LABORER? What about Phoebe, who Paul says is a DEACON? What about Junia, the APOSTLE, who did jail-time with Paul? #immaturewomen 22/

What about Galatians 3:28 @JohnPiper @desiringGod @TGC? “...there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” In baptism, we no longer see fallen gendered distinctions of dominion; only the image of God and equal call to exercise dominion in all. 23/

Finally, why call out .@JohnPiper’s @TGC #White male Centered perspective? What does #whiteness have to do with it? Here’s what: Piper’s exact view of mature womanhood secured white male domination over white women and everyone else during antebellum slavery and Jim Crow. 24/

Antebellum AND Jim Crow South trumpeted .@JohnPiper brand white womanhood; 100% focused on affirming, nurturing, submitting to the leadership of White men. White femininity seen as fragile, needed protection. White manhood defined by capacity to “protect” white woman. BUT... 25/

...BUT WHILE White men “protected” white women, they raped women of African descent for money and sport—breeding more money during slavery; for pure sport during Jim Crow—marking their domain. White men beat, mutilated and sold men of African descent away from their families. 26/

... and all the while Southern White women in Southern church pews were absolutely POWERLESS to do anything about any of it. White women watched their husband rape and name—powerless. They were literally the property of their husbands, existing for their husbands’ pleasure. 27/

Under racial construct of “Blackness,” womanhood has NEVER been protected and manhood has NEVER been encouraged to lead—even inside the home. Not when sold from your home by White slave owners, or strung up by White vigilantes or stolen from your home by incarceration. 28/

Thus, in submission to the scripture and in light of the truth of history, I reject @JohnPiper’s @desiringGod .@tgc White-male centered view of #maturewomanhood and #maturemanhood. I find Piper’s “principles” untethered from both scripture and reality. 29/

To Beth, whose inquiry to .@JohnPiper sparked this #thread: Exercise ur divine call/capacity to exercise dominion. Serve protect steward the world. Do this in the likeness of the dominion of God—with humility and love for all. #maturewomanhood #silenceisnotspiritual #thread 30/30

*mame (Not name—though that kind of works, too)

*right (not write) 😉