Episode 3: Wayne Grudem’s View of Humanity, Bodies, and “Biblical Roles”
In this episode, I read Chapter 3 of Flourish: An Open and Relational Queer Theology.
This chapter engages Wayne Grudem’s theology of humanity, the body, and what he calls “biblical roles” for men and women. His view has shaped everything from complementarian marriage advice to purity culture to the way churches gatekeep power, identity, and calling.
If your theology begins with hierarchy, it ends in harm.
I explore how Grudem’s perspective frames human bodies as vessels for obedience rather than expressions of divine creativity. I unpack how rigid roles—especially around gender—don’t just flatten us, they miss the point of what it means to be human, embodied, and made in the image of a loving, relational God.
This isn’t just critique—it’s a conversation. In the upcoming chapters I will show a theology that celebrates embodiment, welcomes fluidity, and affirms the sacred dignity of every person.
If you’ve ever been told that your body, your identity, or your calling didn’t fit “God’s design,” this chapter will be a hurtful reminder, but I think it gives words, terms, and names to the things that have caused that harm, which is a step toward healing and there is hope in the upcoming chapters. .
Thanks for listening. As always, early chapters are available for free, but future chapters will move behind the paywall soon. If you’re finding something true or freeing in these words, consider subscribing to keep walking with me.
With love,
Michael
P.S. I’d love to hear how your understanding of the body, gender, or calling has changed over time—or what’s still shifting for you.
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