Patristic approach to the anthropology of gender in Elisabeth Behr-Sigel

This article examines the theological anthropology of gender as developed by the Orthodox theologian Elisabeth Behr-Sigel, through the lens of the patristic tradition. Valérie A. Karras offers a critical and comparative study, setting Behr-Sigel's thought against that of Paul Evdokimov, notably his work Woman and the Salvation of the World, as well as the writings of Sarah Hinlicky Wilson. The article argues that certain Church Fathers, particularly the Cappadocians, attest to an anthropology that is not fundamentally grounded in gender binary. Sexual difference is presented therein as a secondary element of the human condition, belonging to the fallen state and destined to be transcended in the eschaton. The contribution of the article lies in bringing to light patristic resources capable of renewing contemporary Orthodox reflection on the anthropology of gender and women's access to ecclesial ministries.