POD 034 | Gender As Love: A Conversation With Dr. Fellipe do Vale

theFormed.life

How should we understand and navigate the complex interplay between gender as a social construct and theological teachings, within the context of the broader biblical narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation? Throughout the episode, Fellipe do Vale and the hosts dig into various aspects of this question, discussing how gender is understood in theological circles, the implications of viewing gender through a social constructionist lens, and the need to situate these discussions within the deeper story of God's work in the world. They explore the ethical and theological considerations of gender, emphasizing the role of love and the guidance provided by scripture and community in making sense of gender in today's cultural contexts.

Bio

Dr. do Vale’s research is primarily on the connection between moral theology and theological anthropology. He focuses on gender, but also writes and teaches on political theology, theology of race, and other aspects of human identity, especially from an eschatological point of view. He is passionate about helping students see how the gospel of grace can richly saturate every aspect of human life. He is the author of Gender as Love: A Theological Account of Human Identity, Embodied Desire, and Our Social Worlds, along with articles in the International Journal of Systematic Theology, Pro Ecclesia, and others. He is also the winner of the 2023 “Emerging Public Intellectual” award, given by Redeemer University. Dr. do Vale enthusiastically supports Liverpool Football Club and the Brazilian National soccer team; he is fond of horror movies and fiction, wistful landscape paintings, and Richard Curtis rom-coms. He is married and has two kids. His family enjoys reading, going for walks, and generally getting outside.

Quotes

"So you have these two ways of trying to answer the question, what is gender? The social constructionist answer and the gender essentialist answer. And I'm trying to say that these both of these alternatives, they're they're entrenched in the conversation, but they're not very good. And so maybe we need to go back to the drawing board and start asking some better questions and coming up with some new categories."

— Fellipe Do Vale

"So the gendered world is out there. Right? Like, not to sound 2 x files on you. Right? The gendered world is out there, and we're all walking around in it."

— Fellipe Do Vale

"But in the in the face of these objections, a lot of people have opted for this other few thing that that gender is socially constructed, which is the one that I give the most time and attention to in the book just because that this is probably the view that if you go into a gender studies class in if you're in college and you go to gender studies class or if you pick up a book on gender studies or even, like, it's probably the majority view within theological circles, is this view that gender is socially constructed."

— Fellipe Do Vale

3 Main Takeaways

1. Gender as a Social Construct - Dr. Fellipe Do Vale explains that gender is largely understood as a social construct within theological circles, shaped by cultural norms and social contexts rather than fixed biological traits.

2. Theological Integration in Gender Discussions - Dr. Do Vale emphasizes the need to consider theological perspectives in discussions about gender, situating these conversations within the larger narrative of God’s creation, redemption, and restoration.

3. Love as the Ethical Framework - The discussion highlights love as the core framework for understanding gender and ethics. Evaluating gender roles and social goods through a lens of God-centered love helps navigate complex ethical dilemmas.

Resources

Gender As Love - Dr. Fellipe Do Vale

Timestamps:

00:00 Book "Gender as Love" explores theological identity.

04:54 Gender versus sex, often seen as incompatible.

08:43 Christian history, pastor opposes women's suffrage.

12:15 Gender is social construction, body + expression.

15:28 Challenges gender concepts, seeks better theological answers.

18:35 Paul's language in Ephesians about divine plan.

21:18 Musing about wisdom and gender in Proverbs.

25:59 Gender identity formed through social experiences and goods.

27:00 Our loves shape who we are deeply.

30:05 Gender defined by everyday discipleship, not just rules.

36:39 Flexible ethics for diverse contexts, emphasizing love.

38:03 Changed relationship with coffee, ethic of love.

41:28 Bible framework for ethics and gender discussion.

46:27 Fall wrecks love, turns hate, seeks control.

47:24 Jesus redeems and reshapes love and gender.

50:22 Waiting for dinner, anticipating Christian eschatology. Gender struggles.

53:36 Grateful for TED's role in church development.

Hashtags

#GenderTheology #SocialConstructs #CulturalContexts #TheologicalPerspectives #ChristianEthics #LoveAndDesire #BiblicalFramework #CommunityGuidance #DrFellipeDoVale #theFormedLifePodcast

Keywords

Gender, sex, cultural roles, theological perspective, universal truths, natural truths, sin, gender essentialism, socially constructed gender, social construction, personal example, cultural contexts, moral evaluation, theological view, biblical story, wisdom in creation, creation, fall, redemption, new creation, human relationships, desires, love, domination, creaturely goodness, social goods, gendered nature, daily activities, identity language, Augustine's thoughts, ethical considerations.