THE status of men and masculinity has been under more investigation than ever during the past decade. There have been ongoing debates about men’s participation in a culture that privileges them, particularly triggered by far too many instances of men’s violence against women. But a crucial question keeps resurfacing: is there a responsibility for all men to challenge this culture?
Patriarchy is upheld not only by the acts of violence which make it on to the news: it is behaviour and attitudes of most men (often disguised in humour and myths of masculinity) which do the heavy lifting. Even the smallest acts of silence, from the nicest of men, contribute complicity to a culture that allows such violence to occur. Men can exhibit harmful behaviour without even being aware of it, because of peer pressure and social expectancy.
The debate about masculinity has returned to the fore recently with Louis Theroux’s Netflix documentary Inside the Manosphere (2026). The subjects of the film seem absurd: online influencers who see themselves as dominant leaders entitled to certain privileges because of their sex. The women around them are expected to be monogamously subservient, all while men are encouraged to succeed professionally and financially, and enjoy sexual relationships with as many women as they please. As if this lifestyle were not enough, they also take to online platforms to promote it as an aspiration for boys and young men.
The danger is that these men might be thought of as anomalies, and these issues might be seen as too distant from our own lives. Yet many boys and young men in our schools and churches know of these influencers and their supporters, often engaging with their content.
IN CHURCH life, the shadow of the report The Quiet Revival still looms. Despite apologies from the Bible Society for using invalid data (News, 2 April), anecdotally, many church leaders still support its claims that there has been an increase in church attendance by young people, especially young men.
In the middle of this masculinity conundrum, where traditional and patriarchal forms of manhood seem to be taking hold, young men are walking through church doors. Are they hoping for an escape from the madness of the manosphere, to exist without judgement or expectation, or are they seeking a religious place with fertile soil for traditional forms of masculinity to thrive?
Too many boys and young men find themselves stumbling around, seeking a sense of identity and value; but there is a vacuum of silence in which many are scared to speak honestly about masculinity. It is because of this that the negative narratives of misogyny and masculinism, led by online influencers, have gained such traction and prominence. The myths of masculinity which are imposed on most boys and men — “Be tough,” “Don’t cry,” “Men know best,” “Boys will be boys,” etc. — are dangerous. So, what if Christians were to present a more positive and constructive narrative?
Church ought to be a place where the world’s expectations are left at the door, whoever we have been told to be by society. In worship, Christians ask to be changed and transformed by the Holy Spirit — to be made anew. In the eucharist, we kneel shoulder to shoulder, reaching out our hands, knowing that we are vulnerable and empty, asking to receive.
In the life of the Church, we men have the chance to break down those parts of us that the world has built up, and return to what God calls us to be; for Christ’s invitation is one of mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Surely that is the message that Christians can offer the young men who are spiritually seeking today.
THIS month, SCM Press publishes a book that I have edited, For Nothing is Hidden: Masculinities and trauma in Church and theology. It features contributions from theologians, ministers, and poets who recognise the extent to which the system of patriarchy has damaged the world around us, and that, to move forward, men’s self-understanding needs to be addressed.
We, as men, must face our own finitudes, complexities, and vulnerabilities, not only to avoid hurting others, but to put a stop to intoxicating ourselves. The manosphere is not an abstract fantasy, but a product of a patriarchal society. Patriarchy is bad for everyone, and men must be part of its dismantling, so that justice can be pursued.
In creating and facilitating spaces to discuss emotions, power, privilege, and more, churches can play an active part in transforming masculinities for the better. Whether it is in worship, well-being groups, or community projects, Christian communities are uniquely placed to work towards justice.
This is not a “women’s issue” or even a “secular” one: it demands radical Christian involvement. In a moment when masculinity is becoming more isolated and self-defined, and the manosphere preys on the neglected, churches can offer a radical space for connection and relationship, in defiance of the toxicity of some men who have found themselves in the spotlight.
The Revd Will Rose-Moore is Assistant Curate of St John’s, Loughton, in the diocese of Chelmsford. He is also a Ph.D. student with Westcott House in the Cambridge Theological Federation and Anglia Ruskin University.
For Nothing is Hidden can be ordered from the Church Times Bookshop for the discounted price of £48 (978-0-334-06704-7) during June.