Although wives are commanded to submit to their husbands (Eph. 5:22-24), and there is a distinct creation-order to the marriage relationship (Gen. 2:23-24; 1 Cor. 11:7-12), one must not blur the line between society and marriage. A woman is free to possess any vocation in society that a man can occupy so long as she is still distinctly feminine and men are not required to ignore this femininity.

Owen Strachan, Associate Professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Executive Director of the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, recently wrote an article titled “Women Bludgeoning Women: On The UFC and Femininity.” As a fellow complementarian, I cringe at disagreeing with a fellow brother publicly since we have enough to answer concerning those who are not complementarians. Nevertheless, I believe my disagreement with Strachan on this issue warrants a response:

First, Strachan caricatures the UFC. The title of his article is a caricature; “Women Bludgeoning women.” He also compares the UFC and MMA to the gladiator games the early church rejected. The UFC, however, has a referee who stops the fight before someone is seriously injured. Also, the UFC does not sanction a “no rules” bout. There is no eye-gouging, fish-hooking, etc. The goal is not to “attack” (Strachan’s words) one another in MMA. If we wouldn’t describe a tackle in football or a hard foul in basketball as “attacking,” then we have no warrant to label combat sports as sanctioning “attacks” either. The goal in MMA is to end the fight as soon as possible while receiving the least damage as possible. More people are seriously injured in football and boxing than MMA every year (Granted, this reality may be due to the lack of statistics on MMA injuries since its popularity is fairly new). Consider the various football players who have suffered brain damage from this violent sport.

Second, Strachan argues,

It’s not good for boys to fight girls, and it’s not good for girls to fight other girls. The spirit of a woman, in sum, is to be gentle and quiet (1 Peter 3:4). A feminist age running counter in many ways to biblical Christianity opposes this teaching, and trains girls to think the opposite.

I’m not a feminist, and I’m not in favor of teaching women to think the opposite of Scripture; however, the context of 1 Peter 3:4 is the marriage relationship, not a woman’s role in society. I think Strachan confuses a woman’s role in her home and a woman’s role in society. I agree that women are the weaker vessels and should be treated as such by men (1 Pet. 3:7), but not by other women. I stand with Strachan against men fighting women, but I disagree with Strachan concerning combat sports involving women versus other women. Furthermore, if “the spirit of a woman, in sum, is to be gentle and quiet,” then this means that women cannot be involved in combat sports, but they also cannot be bosses in various businesses, politicians, lawyers, professors, etc. Any vocation that does not reflect a “gentle and quiet spirit” must be rejected as “the opposite” of Scripture. I think that’s an application of this text that is unwarranted.

Moreover, consider Strachan’s brief reference to the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31:10-31:

The Proverbs 31 woman is a durable, hard-working, fearless taker of dominion, for example.

I agree! Where I disagree is that I do not believe the Proverbs 31 woman can be described as “gentle and quiet” in society. Consider the “virtuous woman” passage in Proverbs 31:10-31,

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

This woman is not merely described as “gentle and quiet” (her mercy toward the poor, for example). Strachan even describes her as “durable, hard-working, and fearless.” She is strong, hard-working, making business decisions, using her wisdom, taking care of her household, and bringing home money to help provide for them. Her reputation proceeds her in the community, so much so, that her husband is praised publicly. These traits are often thought of as “masculine,” but the Bible makes no such distinction. Although wives are commanded to submit to their husbands (Eph. 5:22-24), and there is a distinct creation-order to the marriage relationship (Gen. 2:23-24; 1 Cor. 11:7-12), one must not blur the line between society and marriage. A woman is free to possess any vocation in society that a man can occupy so long as she is still distinctly feminine and men are not required to ignore this femininity (I’m against women in combat, for example. Men should die for women, not women for men.).

Where we disagree is that I consider combat sports to be an area of dominion in which a virtuous woman may labor to provide for her family. She may labor, not in a husbandly way, but in a distinctly “durable, hard-working, and fearless” feminine way. I’m against men fighting women, but women fighting women seems fair in the area of dominion. Unless, of course, we want to eliminate female participation in every sport and vocation that does not encourage a “gentle and quiet spirit.” My contention is that a woman may be a “durable, hard-working, fearless taker of dominion” while still exercising submission to her husband and a gentle and quiet spirit in her home. I think Strachan would agree. Where we disagree is that I believe a Christian woman can fight a woman in a combat sport in a “durable, hard-working, fearless” feminine way and still submit to her husband and exercise a “gentle and quiet spirit” in her home.

Jared Moore is pastor of New Salem Baptist Church in Hustonville, KY. He has an MAR from Liberty Seminary and an MDiv from Southern Baptist Seminary and is working on a ThM. This article first appeared on his blog and is used with his permission.