Qualitative Analysis: Hegemonic Masculinity in Student Ministries: An Interview Study

Abstract

The evangelical church and secular culture have been in constant tension throughout the ages as the church has influenced secular culture and has also been influenced by secular culture. One aspect that has been consistent through both the evangelical church and secular culture has been the hegemony of men and the subordination of women and gay men. As secular culture has started progressing toward a culture that supports equality for all genders, some denominations of the evangelical church have maintained a complementarian view of women’s role in the church and have continued to support men holding higher roles of power while women are relegated to lower-ranking positions. Using interviews with 3 female student pastors under male senior leadership, I analyzed their reports for themes before analyzing each theme for aspects of hegemonic masculinity. Through this analysis, I was able to see that 3 characteristics of hegemonic masculinity were presented through the experiences of the participants: occupational achievement, familial patriarchy, and frontiersmanship.

Sample of Introduction and Conclusion

Introduction

The evangelical church, defined by Melton (2022) as Protestant churches that provide emphasis on the gospel of Jesus Christ, personal conversion experiences, Scripture as the foundation for faith, and active winning of personal commitments to Christ has often found itself in constant tension with secular culture, creating a congregational back and forth between wanting to be involved with some aspects of secular culture while also disapproving of other aspects of the culture. With this, those involved in the evangelical church are tasked with determining their role within the church following the church’s specific internal culture. In some churches, this allows for a complementarian view of women’s roles in leadership positions. Women in leadership in church roles have frequently been relegated to roles of associate pastor, assistant pastor, or administrative assistant despite being just as qualified, if not more qualified, than their male counterparts. With women in the background of the church rather than being highlighted as competent members of the pastoral staff, young women who experience a calling to serve in the evangelical church often do not have role models they can look up to for guidance on how to navigate and prepare for vocational ministry.

Conclusion

In analyzing the reports given by female student pastors under male senior leadership about the aspects of hegemonic masculinity they have experienced, three central themes emerged: The enneagram and being justice-driven, female biblical leadership, and congregation culture. These themes were analyzed in comparison to the characteristics of occupational achievement, frontiersmanship, and familial patriarchy and found to be accurate representations of these characteristics through the subtle enforcement of the subordination of women.