God’s Ideology

Specific Objectives

At the end of the session, the participants are expected to:

1. Understand God’s plan for man and woman in this time of confusion caused by different ideologies.

2. Celebrate the masculinity and femininity that is according to God’s original design based from the book Females are Fabulous

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

"The final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid, because anyone who works for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be fought and opposed in every way, because this is a decisive issue. However, our Lady has already crushed its head." - Sr. Lucia, Visionary of Fatima

We are in the final battle and it is about marriage and family. As Catholics we should understand the truth about God’s Ideology. Given all the competing ideologies in the world today, how are we to know what is right and true? Well, we go to the original design of the One who created everything. We read in the very first verse of the very first book of the Bible, “In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth” Gn 1:1. Then God came around to creating living creatures, culminating in the creation of humankind. This chapter assembly topic is based mostly from the book FEMALES ARE FABULOUS - The Threequel (Where Have All The Women Gone?) by Qoheleth II

II. God’s Plan: Man and Woman

The future of humanity passes by the way of family. – St. John Paul II

Let’s talk about God’s Plan: The love giving and life giving relationship of Man and Woman.

A. Created in His Image and Likeness

“So, God created mankind as His own image, in the image of God He created them male and female He created them” Genesis 1:27

In the beginning of time God created man and woman out of His own image and likeness, therefore having a reflection of His perfection on us. He built us up from the bottom to the top, not changing anything from His image as God created us. Later, in the second story of Genesis, we even get to discover why God created man and woman in the first place.

B. Made for Each Other

“...the Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being... The Lord God said, ’It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him’... So, the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed its place with the flesh. The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: ‘This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.’ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.” Genesis 2:7, 18, & 21-24

As we read these passages, it becomes evidently clear how God designed man and woman to be, and that is to be for each other. Through the love and commitment of man and woman, they may become one “body” meaning one in unity and fullness having a sense of wholeness. This is how God’s design for man and woman may be fulfilled, that be whole in harmony.

III. Celebrating the differences

God has a wonderful design for the world and for all peoples. We just need to understand what that design is and then try to live it out as best we can, by His grace.

A. Men can celebrate their masculinity.

He is head of the home. He acts in God’s place, taking care of His children entrusted to him and his wife. He builds his home for Christ, a place of Kingdom ground.

• He is protector and provider.

• He is priest of the smallest ecclesial community which is the family. He brings his children to Christ. He raises the next generation of God’s People.

B. Women can celebrate their femininity.

She is the heart of the home. She is a strong and indispensable support to her husband. She provides love, care and nurturing.

• She brings forth new life into the world. She has a profound and mysterious role in being co-creator with God.

IV. Two Perspectives on the roles of Men and Women

Why would we ever want something that God does not intend for us? Well, unfortunately, human beings do, in their depraved and sinful state. God, in His supreme wisdom, has given man and woman the best roles that can provide them full satisfaction and great happiness. Unfortunately, liberals and modernists, both in secular and spiritual life, have distorted or even overturned God’s will and plan.

Let us look at two approaches or perspectives with regard to the roles of men and women—egalitarianism and complementarianism.

A. Egalitarianism

Egalitarians look to the authority of the Bible but also embrace a feminist. Understanding of equality between men and women. They accept complementarity but deny hierarchy. They argue that male hierarchy is rooted in the Fall and not in God’s original intent for creation. In fact, looking at Genesis 1:26, they say that God gave dominion over the rest of creation to both man and woman, who are both made in God’s image.

How about God making Eve a helper to Adam, as we read in Genesis 2:18? Does that not indicate subordination? Well, they say that God Himself is called a helper, in many different passages in the Bible. Further, they say that hierarchy came only after the Fall, as part of God’s curse, when He told the woman, “Yet your urge shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Gn 3:16b). They say it was not part of God’s original intent.

How about Paul’s teaching on subordination of the wife to the husband?

See Genesis 49:25, Exodus 18:4, Deuteronomy 33:7.

Well, they point out that right before Paul’s treatise on this, he says, “Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Eph 5:21). So there is to be mutual subordination, and not just the husband being over his wife.

Bottom line, leadership in the Church and even in the home is not based on sex or gender, and all positions of leadership are available to both men or women.

B. Complementarianism

Complementarians claim that men and women are equal in worth and dignity, both made in the image and likeness of God, but have different roles and callings, which are complementary. In marriage, the man is the head of the family and the wife is his support. Also in the Church, some governing and teaching roles are restricted to men. In See Ephesians 5:22-33. the Catholic Church, ordained clerics are male only.

These different roles are grounded in God’s will and design, and are not a consequence of the Fall. Such complementarianism does not lend itself to male superiority or to female inferiority. Peter says both “are joint heirs of the gift of life” (1 Pt 3:7b). Both share in the blessings of salvation in Jesus, as well as indwelling by the Holy Spirit.

There are obvious biological differences. These are basically for the purpose of procreation. Both are told by God to “be fertile and multiply; fill the earth” (Gn 1:28b). Only a male body and a female body can unite so as to result in procreation. This is one very fundamental reason why same-sex unions, whether one party is transgender or not, is contrary to God’s design.

Then there are social differences. These stem from biological differences. The man is bigger and stronger, and so is the protector and provider. The woman is more nurturing and caring, and so is the heart of the home and takes a major role in raising and caring for children. These differences are complementary. The best situation is when both man and woman live out their social differences, so that together they form a formidable social unit.

Even in emotions, such social differences are important. The man looks for respect while the woman looks for love and affection. Thus Paul, with deep social (and of course spiritual) insight, says the man “should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband.” (Eph 5:33).

VI. God’s design

We celebrate and proclaim God’s original design for masculinity and femininity. This is love giving and lifegiving, this is the truth and the original intent of God.

The Father knows best. God’s design is perfect. When we look to God’s design, then we look to what is normal, good, right, beautiful, functional, blessed, life-giving. Why desire something that God does not intend? Or worse, desire something that is an abomination to God? Women ought to know, because women are smarter. But do they? And are they? Let us see. - Qoheleth II

Source: FEMALES ARE FABULOUS - The Threequel (Where Have All The Women Gone?) by Qoheleth II

Discussion Questions

For discussion, answer the following questions:

1. What are my realizations from the truths presented in this session?

2. How can I proclaim to others the truth about God’s original design?