Eric Sprankle, an associate professor of Clinical Psychology and Sexuality Studies at Minnesota State University Mankato, tweeted that he wasn’t quite sure if the Virgin Mary had given “consent” when an angel came down from the heavens and told her that she would conceive the Christ child.
The virgin birth story is about an all-knowing, all-powerful deity impregnating a human teen. There is no definition of consent that would include that scenario. Happy Holidays.
— Eric Sprankle, PsyD (@DrSprankle) December 3, 2018
When a Twitter user who seemed to have at least a working knowledge of the Bible called Sprankle out and said that the Virgin Mary did, indeed, OK the plan, Sprankle responded by calling God’s plan “an unethical abuse of power at best and grossly predatory at worst.”
The biblical god regularly punished disobedience. The power difference (deity vs mortal) and the potential for violence for saying “no” negates her “yes.” To put someone in this position is an unethical abuse of power at best and grossly predatory at worst.
— Eric Sprankle, PsyD (@DrSprankle) December 4, 2018
The user wrote, “Sorry. LK 1 26:38 states clearly that the angel communicated God’s plan for Mary and in verse 38 she agreed. Whether you believe or disbelieve, it helps if you actually read the text.”- READ MORE