If you go into [name of famous Christian bookshop deleted] you will find a section on feminist theolgy. A large vibrant challenging section at a convenient browsing height.
Tucked away on the bottom shelf (Freudian?) you will find a tiny, rather apologetic, "men's section".
Well it's right to be apologetic about it.
Whereas the feminist section is full of affirming, inspiring, provocative, positive stuff the books for blokes are appalling.
They fall into two types.
The first type is about sex. Not having any, to be precise. How it's a real problem, how you have to pray harder and harder every day and how you can never truly succeed because the danger of falling away is always present and defeat is always round the corner (there's probably a witty turn of phrase here, but it won't come). Even Stephen Fry would find them hard going. Dispiriting, insulting, repetitive, strident books. Who writes whole books about this? Yes it's an issue, men are obsessed by sex, but come on, give us a break, change the record, can't you say anything uplifting, a whole book?
Still the feminists may say there is a need for such books. They won't say that about the second type. They'll do more than that - if they knew they existed they probably would want to burn the shop down.
For the second type says that the man is the head of the household and it's all his responsibility to keep his wife from falling into sin, for she can't do it herself, she's too weak and it's only to be expected that if he relinquishes control, the household will go to hell (literally). He is to be her teacher, her instructor, her example and yes her disciplinarian. I kid you not. Woman can only be saved one at a time by her strong man, who shows no weakness.
Per-lease. The first type is insulting to men, the second type to women.
So, can someone try and write us a truly masculinist theology book, please? Just one?
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