They Actually Said the Bible is 'Harmful'
From the Dashboard >
I don’t really get angry. As I’ve been maturing in my Christian faith I think the Holy Spirit has taught me to see those I’m inclined to get angry with – worldly, immoral people – as captives to the enemy rather than the enemy themselves. I’m thankful that my impulse towards those in rebellion to God is more pity than rage.
That said, I’m not perfect. And if there is anything that is likely to get my blood boiling, it’s not the antics of the “ungodly,” but the permissiveness and sinful indulgence of those who present themselves as believers. That’s exactly what happened yesterday when I checked the website I write for and saw this video produced by a Christian denomination claiming to follow.
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They argued that the Bible itself is “harmful” to women and that Scripture must be reinterpreted to fit modern notions of equity, justice, and social liberation. Let me be blunt: this is not faithful theology. It is a profound misunderstanding of God’s Word and a distortion of His character. And watching that pour from the lips and hearts of those who claim to love God stirs up (what I hope is righteous) anger inside me. Here’s the video from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA):
In the ... ELCA, we believe all people are created equally in the image of God. God intends for everyone to flourish. But because of the sin of sexism, women are often deprived of that right ... we are called to seek equity and justice for all ...
The Lutheran commitment to neighbor justice compels us to expose how patriarchy and sexism cause harm to all of creation ... This has roots in patterns of power, privilege, and prejudice within a patriarchy ...
The Christian tradition is both a challenge and a resource when it comes to addressing sexism. And, let me tell ya, it’s been a big challenge ... biblical texts say things about women and girls that we now recognize as harmful.
That gives you a taste of what all this abomination entailed. Let me simply state, the Bible is not ‘harmful,’ it is life-giving. When we bend it to fit culture, we rob the world of the very wisdom and love mankind was meant to see.
It’s interesting that one of the “examples” of the Bible’s cruelty given by the ELCA was Genesis 3:16, the account of the Fall:
“To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.’”
The problem with calling this verse patriarchal or abusive to women is that it is clearly descriptive, not prescriptive. It does not say that God arbitrarily oppresses women. It describes the consequences of sin entering the world – a brokenness that affects all relationships. Paul reinforces this in Romans 5:12:
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
The pain and struggle described here are the result of sin, not the failure of God’s design. Calling this “harmful” to women is to accuse God of cruelty rather than to recognize the tragic reality of the Fall.
Another point of contention was the New Testament teaching on headship and mutual submission. Ephesians 5:22–33 instructs wives to submit to their husbands as the Church submits to Christ, and husbands to love their wives sacrificially, as Christ loved the Church. 1 Corinthians 11:3 also reminds us:
“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.”
This also is not oppression. It is a mirror of the relationship within the Trinity, a divine pattern for love, respect, and mutual flourishing. True Christian submission is never exploitation; it is participation in God’s loving order, pointing the world to the beauty of Christ’s self-giving love.
The danger in all this is not simply disagreement; it is idolatry. By elevating modern ideologies over the authority of Scripture, we replace God with human wisdom. The very thing that Proverbs 3:5–6 warns us against:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
This is the well-worn path and frequent pattern repeated in the culture of many mainline denominations. Churches that abandon biblical sexual ethics in favor of secular morality – ordaining same-sex couples, revising the definition of marriage, teaching children that gender is a “social construct” and not biological, physiological, and spiritual reality – often do so under the banner of “justice” or “love.” But if truth is subordinate to ideology, the church no longer points to Christ; it points to culture.
So yes, it made me angry. I’ve since cooled down…a little bit. But on this ground you and I must plant our flag and take a stand: we are called to justice and love. But our model is always Christ. Micah 6:8 reminds us:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
True justice flows from obedience to God’s Word, not from reshaping Scripture to fit contemporary ideals. True love seeks the good of others as Christ modeled for us on the cross (John 15:13). And true flourishing comes when we live within God’s created order, honoring His design for marriage, family, and community (Genesis 2:18–24).
We cannot allow the church to be captured by cultural trends that undermine God’s Word. Our task is not to make the Bible more palatable; it is to preach it faithfully, apply it wisely, and live it courageously. Churches that claim to be “welcoming” but silence discussion of biblical ethics, seminaries that replace Scripture with social theory courses, and ministries that frame political agendas as gospel priorities effectively erode the church’s witness to a world desperate for truth.
Let us instead celebrate the richness of God’s Word, the dignity of all people as image-bearers of God (Genesis 1:27), and the beauty of His design for human relationships. The world does not need a Christianity bent to fit human ideals; it needs the gospel in all its truth, love, and power.
Yes 100% right. Sometimes I think everyone knows that, just like with the United Methodist debacle, but it needs to be said. I imagine Martin Luther is - even shielded by the glory of heaven - cringing at the ELCA bearing his name!
I am a member of the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod), one of the more conservative Lutheran denominations, and I’ve felt for a long time that the ELCA gives Lutheranism a bad name. Instead of preaching the Gospel in its truth and purity, they preach what people want to hear.