Debate on gender roles in evangelical churches brought together theologians and pastors at CIVI-CO

On August 8th, the CIVI-CO auditorium in São Paulo welcomed evangelical theologians and pastors to answer the theme question of the third edition of “Difficult Conversations”: “Do women and men have different roles in evangelical churches today?” Mediated by anthropologist Juliano Spyer, the debate featured the perspectives of three guests.

Theologian and pastor of the Anglican Porto Church, Cynthia Muniz, defended an egalitarian approach, arguing that differences between men and women should not create hierarchies and presenting historical evidence of female leadership since the New Testament. Meanwhile, theologian and Presbyterian preacher Victor Fontana, from Vila Community, acknowledged the complexity of the topic and the need for an “objective and scientific arsenal” against “theology antivaxxers” who sustain male privileges. Karen Colares, feminist theologian and pastor of the Exodus Christian Community, argued that Brazilian fundamentalism sustains patriarchal structures that alienate women, defending the need to deconstruct fundamentalist readings without abandoning the biblical text, in which she finds the “impetus for freedom.”

Created by Humanitas360 Institute in partnership with CIVI-CO and Juliano Spyer, the “Difficult Conversations” series began in May with Spyer’s lecture “2020: The Decade of Evangelicals,” and continued in June with the screening of the series “Believers – Beyond the Walls,” from Globonews channel. Both events featured H360’s president and CIVI-CO co-founder, Patrícia Villela Marino, as host. Following the third debate via YouTube transmission, she wrote: “How beautiful to hear the course corrections Jesus made to religion. Jesus brought women to a place of respect that constituted a tremendous course correction for Christianity.”

Watch the debate: