Should churches mark International Women’s Day or would it go against God’s teaching that we’re created equal?

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and here, writer Claudine Roberts, asks if it is an event we should be celebrating in the Church.

Wednesday 8 March 2023 is International Women’s Day – an annual day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. What does that have to do with Christianity? Should the Church mark IWD? If all men and women are created equal, in God’s image, should we join in with a day which advances just one group?

Although IWD has its roots in socialism and communism, it was marked for the first time by the United Nations in 1975 and by 2014 it was marked in more than 100 countries. The growth of social media increased the profile of annual days of recognition and awareness. I don’t know about you but I don’t recall reading or hearing anything about IWD until the 2010s, when I first saw something on social media. But is it right for Christians to follow the cultural trend towards celebrating women in this way?