CBMW

The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) is an evangelical Christian organization that focuses on issues of gender, family, and church leadership. It promotes a complementarian view, which holds that men and women have distinct, biblically mandated roles in the home and in the church, with male leadership in public church settings and in the family as a norm, and women serving in supportive roles.

The CBMW was established in the late 1980s by a group of evangelical theologians and pastors seeking to articulate a consistent biblical interpretation of gender roles. One of its most influential early products is the Danvers Statement (1988), a foundational document that describes the organization’s definition of manhood, womanhood, and the boundaries between leadership and submission in both family life and congregational life. Over the years, the CBMW has produced publications, hosted conferences, and offered resources to pastors, scholars, and lay readers.

Among its later initiatives is The Nashville Statement (2017), a public declaration on biblical sexuality and gender identity that reflects contemporary applications of the organization’s complementarian framework. The CBMW also publishes articles and guides related to theology, ministry, and family life, and it maintains networks with evangelical churches and seminaries.

Reception of CBMW’s work has been mixed within Christianity. It has been influential in shaping evangelical discussions of gender roles, while also drawing critique from proponents of egalitarian interpretations of Scripture and from some denominations that differ on leadership and ordination policies.