Christian Thought on Gender Has Passed Through Various Phases

A retired professor from Canada has posted a fascinating article about how gender has been treated in the Christian community over the sands of time. It turns out the currently popular version of "God created only two genders" has not always been the standard or conventional wisdom within the faith. The current version fits the political agenda of current people in the media and behind the pulpit. Other versions fit the agendas of these people in other periods of time.

The link author says the current two gender version of the faith goes back to the ancient Aristotle who thought of men and women having biological differences and their relationship was hierarchical. Acquinas in the 13th century tried to harmonize Aristotle's pagan beliefs with the Bible's story of Adam's rib becoming Eve.  

Even during the Middle Ages Acquinas' thing about gender was on held be everyone wrote about philosophy, medicine and religion. Still in the Middle Ages a Roman doctor, Galen, steeped in Greek medicine, noted the variations in gender and the existence of gender fluidity.  He saw that children who were godless matured into women. Godly children became men. Other philosophical writing attributed bodily temperature related to passion as the key to gender. Women had more temperature than men.

A well know writer during the second century found herself changing gender. Gender fluidity was common in the literature that survived from the Middle Ages. Then came the most recent several hundred years and the cultural attitude changed. As it always does, Christianity followed the culture like an obedient puppy.

It is simply not true that the faith has held consistently from its beginning that there are only two genders. Instead, concepts of gender have changed. No doubt the current conservative view will be set aside eventually for something different.