“Christ’s At<strong>on</strong>ement: A Work of the Trinity,” inJesus in Trinitarian Perspective (ed. Fred S<strong>and</strong>ers<strong>and</strong> Klaus Issler; Nashville: B&H, 2007), 156–88;Robert Letham, <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History,<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>ology <strong>and</strong> Worship (P&R, 2005); Peter R.Schemm Jr., “‘<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Subordinati<strong>on</strong> of Christ <strong>and</strong> theSubordinati<strong>on</strong> of Women’ (Ch 19) by Kevin Giles,”JBMW 10, no. 1 (Spring 2005): 81–87; <strong>and</strong> WayneGrudem, Evangelical Feminism <strong>and</strong> <strong>Biblical</strong> Truth:An Analysis of More Than 100 Disputed Questi<strong>on</strong>s(Multnomah, 2004).– Christopher W. Cowan for the EditorsJBMW | Spring 2008 11
Essays & PerspectivesPursuing <strong>Manhood</strong> 1Ray Van NesteAssistant Professor of Christian StudiesDirector, R. C. Ryan Center for <strong>Biblical</strong> StudiesUni<strong>on</strong> UniversityJacks<strong>on</strong>, TennesseeWhat follows is an address that I gave to someyoung men at my college who asked me to speak to themabout the issue of pursuing manhood. This is an importanttopic not least because of the c<strong>on</strong>fusi<strong>on</strong> that seemsto reign in the minds of so many about what manhoodis <strong>and</strong> how <strong>on</strong>e progresses well in this journey. I haveseen Garris<strong>on</strong> Keilor quoted as saying, “<strong>Manhood</strong> was<strong>on</strong>ce seen as an opportunity for achievement, but nowseems like a problem to overcome.” So though my commentsare directed at college-aged young men, they mayfind applicati<strong>on</strong> to men of other ages as well.I know some have told you that the way totake leadership, step up, <strong>and</strong> progress in manhoodis to get married. However, I must differ. Marriageis the last thing some of you need to be thinking ofjust now. You need to grow up first. I affirm what Ithink these others are trying to say—start preparingyourself for marriage. Move “Halo” down yourlist of priorities in order to begin thinking aboutwhat sort of vocati<strong>on</strong> you will pursue, how you’regoing to pay your bills, etc. But much progress inthis may be needed before you really start lookingfor a wife. If you are not right now getting yourclass work d<strong>on</strong>e, <strong>and</strong> fulfilling your comparativelylight resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities as a single student, then d<strong>on</strong>’teven c<strong>on</strong>sider the prospects of marriage. Insteadstart working <strong>on</strong> growing up.Our culture is infatuated with youth <strong>and</strong>encourages you not to grow up. After all, it says, theglory is in the youth. If you would be men, you mustreject this siren s<strong>on</strong>g <strong>and</strong> swim against the tide. Youmust diligently seek to throw off immaturity <strong>and</strong> togrow up. Remember the <strong>on</strong>e boy who never grewup was Peter Pan—<strong>and</strong> in case you haven’t noticed,his role has typically been played by a woman. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>chase for perpetual youth is never manly. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> otherexample of avoiding the effects of growing up is themedieval boys choirs. To maintain the high voicesof the boys as they aged, the boys might be castrated.Again, avoiding maturity is emasculating.So my main point to you is work <strong>on</strong> growingup. It does not “just happen.” Examples aboundof physically mature males who have never trulyattained manhood because they failed to mature inany way other than physically. So, what does it looklike to grow up in manliness? No doubt this couldbe discussed in many ways. I’ll just take a stab atseveral that I think are important based <strong>on</strong> my ownreflecti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> scripture <strong>and</strong> my observati<strong>on</strong>s of theyoung collegiate men whom I teach.Take Resp<strong>on</strong>sibility/ Reject PassivityWith our modern inventi<strong>on</strong> of “adolescence”(which now includes the college-aged male) youcan be encouraged to float al<strong>on</strong>g without much realresp<strong>on</strong>sibility, just get by in classes, major in play, bea goof-off, sample the girls to whatever extent youcan, <strong>and</strong> not really c<strong>on</strong>sider resp<strong>on</strong>sibility.However, if you would be a man you mustshake off the doldrums. I enjoy life, like to laugh<strong>and</strong> to joke (even if not every<strong>on</strong>e appreciates puns!),but that is different from being a total goof-off. Itis not until there is a weightiness in your core that12 JBMW | Spring 2008
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