Journal: Eikon
Volume: EIKON 06:2 (Fall 2024)
Article: Feminine Courage
Author: James Wood

Eikon 6.2 (Fall 2024) p. 107

Feminine Courage

James Wood

James Wood is Assistant Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer University in Ancaster, ON. He is also a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, a co-host of the Civitas podcast produced by the Theopolis Institute, a Commonwealth Fellow at Ad Fontes, and former associate editor at First Things.

As a father of five daughters, I think a lot about what it means to be a good woman.

This topic comes up somewhat often in our reading or choosing which films to watch, and discussions that emerge from these engagements. Many recent stories that seek to inspire young women fall into the popular stereotypes of the “girl-boss” and “strong female lead.” But too often these portrayals seem to present feminine strength in ways that mirror the masculine. A common message is that women can do anything a man can do, that they are just as strong as men in the same ways as men. This runs up against both Scripture and nature. Men and women are different. Thus, why do we need to encourage them to be strong like men? Is there not a uniquely feminine way to exhibit strength?

This is dangerous territory. Even many who embrace the label “complementarian” can be reticent to provide any definition for what “masculine” and “feminine” mean.

In this issue on the natural differences between men and women, I would like to offer my contribution by focusing on feminine courage. To begin, I need to explain that there are not particularly male or female virtues. Rather, all the virtues apply to both sexes. However, the ways these virtues are lived out are inflected differently according to the sexes. One’s sex colors the life of virtue. It conditions how the cardinal virtues, such as courage, are expressed.

Thus, with regard to courage, we shouldn’t assume that women should be courageous in the same way as men.

As Herman Bavinck explains in his wonderful little book The Christian Family:

Eikon 6.2 (Fall 2024) p. 108

The distinction between man and woman was always known among all people groups, and taken into account by all of them in terms of practice. Nature teaches this distinction, and no science or philosophy is needed to acquaint oneself with this. Man and woman differ in physical structure and physical strength, in psychological structure and psychological strength; thereby they . . . are called to different duties.1

Many recent scholars have helped us retrieve sanity about our sexuality: men and women are not interchangeable. C.S. Lewis hit this message in various ways, especially in his famous essa...