Monday, September 08, 2008

Gender and the vice presidency

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=28848

[Baptist Press} 8 Sep 2008--Arizona senator and Republican presidential nominee John McCain recently made history with the announcement that his vice presidential running mate is a woman. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is the second female to be chosen as a major party's vice presidential candidate; Democrat Geraldine Ferraro received her party's nomination in 1984.

Other women have run for the presidency itself, including Republican Elizabeth Dole and Democrat Hillary Clinton, but to date a woman has never been elected to the first or second highest office in the land.

Gov. Palin's candidacy has sparked debate among some conservative Christians. While many applaud her pro-life convictions and traditional conservative policy positions, some have raised concerns about a woman occupying high office. Some complementarians -- those who affirm traditional gender roles in the home and the church -- are concerned that electing a woman to the vice presidency (or presidency) undermines the biblical understanding of male spiritual headship. The question is whether or not female governmental leadership is consistent with Scripture.

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