Journal: Eikon
Volume: EIKON 05:1 (Spring 2023)
Article: Editorial
Author: Colin J. Smothers

Eikon 5.1 (Spring 2023) p. 4

Editorial

Colin J. Smothers

Eikon Executive Editor

And

Denny Burk

Eikon Editor-in-Chief

This issue of Eikon is devoted almost entirely to a chapter-by-chapter review of the third edition of Discovering Biblical Equality (DBE). Our reviews reveal that this third edition marks a significant departure from previous iterations of the intra-evangelical debate between complementarians and egalitarians. While most of the book is refreshed and repackaged arguments for egalitarianism, some chapters have given up significant ground to LGBTQ ideology, including an embrace of personhood theory, the use of gender-neutral pronouns for God and preferred pronouns for our neighbors, suggestions of feminine names for God, the promotion of “Side-B Gay Christianity” and same-sex covenanted partnerships — or marriage-lite, as it has been called by critics — and, most alarming of all, a chapter that entails an endorsement of transgender ideology, including so-called gender reassignment surgery.

Before the publication of DBE’s third edition, evangelical egalitarians have historically and at least nominally maintained orthodox commitments when it comes to LGBTQ ideology and biblical sexuality. But as several chapters in this new edition demonstrate, that commitment seems to be eroding. This erosion parallels the changes that have taken place through successive waves of feminism, each of which has grown more radical in the attempt to downplay and even erase the distinction between the sexes.1 Feminism greased the skids for functional interchangeability between men and women, and society has slipped right

Eikon 5.1 (Spring 2023) p. 5

into ontological interchangeability.2 How are these trends revealed in this issue?

Christa McKirland’s chapter, which I review in this issue (Colin), is perhaps the most radical chapter in the book, which is significant because she serves as associate editor for this edition of DBE. In her chapter, McKirland not only rejects gender essentialism, but she also uses the gender-neutral pronoun “Godself” in place of masculine pronouns to refer to God. She also uses masculine pronouns to refer to a biological woman and even refers to this woman as a Christian, despite this individual’s embrace of a transgender identity. Most troubling, McKirland opens the door for people to undergo so-called gender reassignment surgery, provided they pursue it in submission to the Spirit in order “to become more like Christ.”

Another noteworthy chapter is by Ron...