As Christians, we should seek to serve where we are gifted. We should support those who are best qualified for combat, whether male or female. I find this similar to Paul’s proclamation in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Whether it is a playing field or a battlefield, all who are called should have the opportunity to serve without reservation.

Men Are Fitter
Owen Strachan is a contributing writer for the Gospel Coalition and executive director of the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

The Bible teaches textually what common sense tells us naturally—and physiological study confirms scientifically. According to scientists Anne and Bill Moir, authors of Why Men Don’t Iron, men are generally larger, stronger, and faster, and have greater lung capacity, a faster metabolism, and roughly 11 times the testosterone of women. God’s design for men and women is good. We ignore it at our own peril.

If men will not own this responsibility, then women will be forced to take it on as did biblical women such as Deborah and Jael (and the extrabiblical figure Judith). Many modern men fail to mirror Christ in leading, providing, and protecting. In the cries of fatherless children, the strained voice of working mothers desperately seeking “work-life balance,” and the Marine Corps Gazette, we hear echoes of the Bible’s first question, addressed to a self-crippled man: “Where are you?”

Gender Doesn’t Matter
Jan McCormack, USAF Chaplain, Lieutenant Colonel (retired), is director of the chaplaincy and pastoral counseling programs at Denver Seminary.

Yes, women should be allowed to serve in combat roles. Sacrificial love is a core principle of Christianity—as is compassionate protection for those who are not able to protect themselves.

These are principles that apply to all of us, regardless of gender or the times in which we live. They demand courage and often break with the mores of the culture for a greater good. Esther was willing to sacrifice herself by braving the wrath of the king even unto death, in order to save her people. Mary knew that becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit, not by her fiancé Joseph, could get her killed, yet she obeyed God’s will for her.

Gifts are what counts
Alan “Blues” Baker, Rear Admiral and Chaplain of the Marine Corps (retired), served on staff at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and is currently principal consultant at Strategic Foundations.

Earlier in my career, I was responsible for the safety of 30 crewmembers as the officer-in-charge aboard an 80-ton training vessel. When caught in an offshore squall, the entire crew became seasick and I felt as if I were the only one left to steer the boat.

I was relieved to see five crewmembers gain the resolve and iron will to maintain their posts in spite of their illness. As a small team, we brought the vessel safely into port. All five of these tough sailors were women. Once the males saw their female colleagues in action, not only did any doubts about the women’s abilities disappear, the whole crew grew stronger as well.

Aboard this boat, I noticed that the women tended to work twice as hard, perhaps because of lingering stigma. The men seemed to need to compete with each other and with the women, so they also brought their best to the same mission. It became symbiotic. These experiences demonstrated to me that a woman can be as successful as a man whether she is leading a helicopter squadron through the Euphrates River Valley or a software company in Silicon Valley. In my experience, I have seen women not only being as successful as men, but often more successful.

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