To the thoughtful individual who went through the trouble of searching out Titus 2:1, 3-5 (ESV), pasting it in a document, printing it, laminating it and posting it on the Hiemenga Hall gender studies board: thank you. For those readers who do not know, this passage states:

“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. … Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.”

I am a senior here at Calvin College, and this past year, I have been thinking about how much easier my life would be if I just dropped my gender studies minor. What has held me back, however, is the thought of abandoning such a small department in the face of cutbacks. I am afraid that if the gender studies department doesn’t have enough students, Calvin will shut it down. This cannot happen.

Why? Because gender is a conversation Christians need to address. The issue is bigger than the money Calvin might save by dropping the minor. Finding that verse pinned up on the cork board between the images of my friends reminded me that the plane of struggle regarding feminist Christians is not just my own.

No matter what you believe, your voice is important. If I don’t talk about the issues I take with my belief system, then I could never be able to honestly call myself a Christian. It’s when I become complacent that I know my faith is truly broken.

Surely, whoever took the time to neatly create this slip of paper must know that I, and many of my peers, grew up in conservative Christian homes. We have all heard these verses. Yet, for some reason, we’ve decided to keep believing that feminism is important. Somehow, we’ve managed to reconcile the notion that all genders are equal with our Christian convictions. If that sounds unbelievable, then talk to someone like me about it. Express your views, and I will express mine. We may never be able to see eye to eye, but at least we can claim to know more about the other perspective. Iron sharpens iron; if we aren’t having discussions, then how can we ever learn?

I sincerely appreciate that there is a person on campus who looked at the gender studies board and did not disagree silently but let their voice be heard. Although I think there may be more appropriate venues and less inflammatory ways of speaking out, there is a lesson to be learned from this individual nevertheless.

So, to my fellow thinker: I hope you don’t mind that I took your note. I want to keep it, because it reminds me that I always have to consider the person who does not share my standpoint. I am a woman, I am a Christian and I am a feminist. Thank you for your honesty. Let’s talk.