The Presbyterian Church of America held their annual meeting General Assembly on June 22 through the 26th, 2026 in Louisville, KY. Among the many adoptions, the assembly agreed to ratify the Danvers Statement. The Danvers Statement is a foundational document of complementarianism within evangelical Christianity, outlining the belief that men and women are equal in value but have distinct, complementary roles in the home and church.
It was drafted by several evangelical leaders at a meeting in Danvers, Massachusetts in December 1987 and first published in final form by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) in November 1988.
The prominent men who drafted the Danvers Statement in 1987 included John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Wayne House, S. Lewis Johnson, James Borland, and Ken Sarles.
Next year the General Assembly will be held in Milwaukee, WI on June 14-18, 2027.
Here is my summary of the Danvers Statement followed by the text of the Danvers Statement:
Rationale
- The statement was created in response to several cultural and ecclesiastical concerns, including:
- Confusion regarding complementary differences between masculinity and femininity.
- The impact of this confusion on marriage, the increase of feminist egalitarianism, and the neglect of Biblical teaching on male leadership and female support.
- Ambivalence toward motherhood and vocational homemaking, alongside the emergence of un-biblical roles in church leadership.
- The rise of illicit sexual relationships, pornography, and family abuse.
- A perceived threat to Biblical authority caused by reinterpretations of Scripture to accommodate contemporary culture.
Key Affirmations
The document outlines several foundational theological affirmations:
- Equality and Distinction: Men and women are created equally in God’s image but are created with distinct roles.
- Marriage: Adam’s headship was established before the Fall; redemption in Christ aims to restore harmony by having husbands forsake selfish leadership for loving care, and wives practice willing, joyful submission.
- The Church: While both genders share equally in salvation, certain teaching and governing roles in the church are restricted to men.
- The Fall: Sin introduced distortions—such as domination, passivity, or usurpation—into the relationships between men and women.
- Authority: Christ is the supreme authority; earthly submission does not mandate following human authority into sin, nor should a “call to ministry” override Biblical criteria for specific roles.
The CBMW maintains that neglecting these principles leads to destructive consequences for families, churches, and society, and they advocate for the widespread adoption of these beliefs.
