By Bob Allen
The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, an organization opposed to women’s ordination and other trends attributed to feminism in the evangelical church, has named a new leader.
Owen Strachan, 31, assistant professor of Christian theology and church history at Boyce College in Louisville, Ky., succeeds Randy Stinson as executive director of the organization based on the campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Stinson, dean of Southern Seminary’s school of church ministries, held the post seven years and now serves as senior fellow.
The council was organized in 1987 by a group of conservative scholars for the stated purpose of “upholding both equality and differences between men and women in marriage and the church.” They produced a set of core beliefs that came to be known as “complementarianism,” a counterargument to the egalitarian view that men and women are equally equipped for leadership roles.
Over time the council has broadened its focus to include “gender confusion” in the home and church, acceptance of homosexuality and gender-neutral language in Bible translations.
“These are critical times for our public square, and CBMW needs to have a voice in these discussions, both for the sake of our Christian witness and for the equipping of pastors, churches, and individual Christians who face a culture shifting from traditional mores,” Strachan wrote in his first blog post in his new role.
Strachan (pronounced “Stran”) has written numerous articles on gender roles for men and women. Last fall he drew media attention with an article in the council’s journal labeling stay-at-home dads “man-fails,” arguing that God’s design is for men to be breadwinners and women homemakers.