Introduction
As described in the Bible, God’s biblical principle narrates that man and woman were created in God’s image and likeness. They are both charged with shared responsibility for taking care of God’s creation. The Army Regulation 600-13 of Virginia may probably have good reasons for excluding female soldiers from routines that engage in direct combat. While the female soldiers may not be as physically fit as the male soldiers, the combat exclusion policy does not justify the military’s main reason for excluding trained women in automatic combat. The exclusion seems to be based on social and cultural status in society rather than embracing a merit-based approach to every individual soldier’s preparedness. The AR 600-13 policy violates the Biblical Equality Principle by giving the male soldiers an undue advantage.
Constitutional Framework and Biblical Interpretations
The Biblical Equality Principle is well presented in the book of Genesis during creation. According to the scriptures, man and woman were created equal before God and were charged with taking dominion over the earth (New International Version, 2020, Genesis 1: 26-27). Equality in this context is not limited to spiritual matters only but to dominion over the earth. God created man and woman in the Garden of Eden and charged them both with the duty of multiplying and subduing the earth and also having dominion over everything that moves on it (Cohen, 2019). The story of creation builds a climax on creating a woman as a way of fulfilling a man’s need for a partner. In this context, the woman is presented as a source of help, might, and assistance for the man but not a subordinate. In this regard, the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) should train men and women to become spiritually, mentally, and physically disciplined soldiers who can articulate the moral code authoritatively.
Additionally, Paul’s Biblical Equality Principle is best described in the Epistles when he affirms that man and woman were created equal. According to Galatians 3:28, there is neither a Jew nor a Greek, neither a slave nor a free man, neither male nor female, for all are created equal before Christ. Therefore, every individual’s initiative is to work hard and prove the significance of God’s purpose in the creation story by doing what is right and worthy of God’s creation because all are created in His image. According to the scriptures, man and woman were made equal before God and were charged with taking dominion over the earth. Likewise, G.I. Jane, a recent graduate of Virginia Military Institute should not have been denied the opportunity to serve in the official position in a unit that, in most cases, deals with direct combat. According to Titus (1994), Section IV of the Virginia Constitution stated, “That no man, or set of men, are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community. Therefore, the military administration could have created a test for both male and female soldiers that would help gauge each soldier’s fitness other than making a general assumption that women are weaker than men.
Gender-based government practices must be demonstrated appropriately to ensure that the Equal Protection Clause under the Fourteenth Amendment bill is not violated. Women should not be denied their constitutional and biblical rights simply because they are women; instead, proper mechanisms should be put to tap their capabilities and talents. The federal government would violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause if it categorized women as weak beings who have no legal, social, and economic capabilities to move the government’s plan forward (Alderman, 1992). The protection rule was enacted so that every US citizen may enjoy the fruits of democracy, equality, and the rule of law without any particular bias. Those citizens whose rights have been violated either by the state or federal government should get an opportunity to file a suit against the government body and receive a fair hearing and obtain relief.
Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership was established as a women’s-only college while Virginia Military Institute was a male-only college to help cure the constitutional violation of women in society. The district court’s judgment in the state of Virginia affirmed that these two schools had the same educational opportunities and that none was superior or more prestigious than the other (Harrell et al., 2007). The quality of education between these two institutions was roughly the same, and therefore graduates from these schools deserved equal treatment in all the opportunities offered by the government. All human beings are equal before God’s eyes because they were created in His image and likeness.
Conclusion
The Army Regulation 600-13 in Virginia violated the Biblical Equality Principle from God by exclusively admitting the male soldiers in those specialties, positions, or units routinely involved with direct combat. Paul affirmed this rule by insisting that everyone should be treated equally, whether man or woman because they are equal before Christ. Additionally, the book of Genesis does not grant any special status or authority to man over woman. Instead, it emphasizes equality because women were created from a man’s rib and therefore shared the same substance. Men and women were both naked in the Garden of Eden and did not feel ashamed according to Genesis 2:25 because they shared moral innocence. In this regard, male dominance over females was not designed by God but by men themselves.
References
Alderman, M. I. (1992). Women in direct combat: What is the price for equality? PN Publishers.
Cohen, J. (2019). “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it”: The ancient and medieval career of a biblical text. Cornell University Press.
Harrell, M., Castaneda, L., Schirmer, P., Hallmark, B., Kavanagh, J., Gershwin, D., & Steinberg, P. (2007). Assessing the assignment policy for army women. Rand.
New International Version Bible. (2020). New International Version Bible online.
Titus, H. W. (1994). God, man, and law: The Biblical principles. Institute in Basic Life Principles.