Is this Backwards or abusive? I don't think so, first and foremost, I believe it is God's design and not for me to question, second we have a mutual respect and compassion foe eachother and our respective duties, rights, responsibilities, talents and even shortcomings. In short, my wife and I try to practice loving authority (without force) and joyful submission (without ignorance) and through this practice, try to perform our intended duty to God, Society, and Family.
The masculine and feminine persons represent two possibilities of the same nature. They are both equal in potentialities and equal in dignity. It is because they are essentially incomplete and oriented to each other that they tend to follow parallel and converging paths, rather than identical paths. Neither revelation nor common sense admits of any essential inferiority of one sex to the other. The gifts are of equal value. The dependance is mutual.
Human behavior shows the tendency in the woman to be concerned with persons and particulars, and the man with things and generalities. For example, my dearly beloved is usually concerned with the right here and now (the next meal, or the next box of diapers) and I am usually concerned with the overall (providing a stable home, or getting my boys to manhood alive) future. So, the loyalty of a woman usually finds itself in a responsive person, while the man's loyalty tends to find itself in a compelling cause.
Men and women ARE different. Men should be men, women should be women. We should not try to be like the opposite sex as this goes against God's plan for us. Men are not better than women, and women are not better than men. Men are not given authority because they are more important but because of God's design. Men and women are designed and desired to fulfill different roles. Believers in Christ should desire to discover how God wants us to live from His Word, not what is easier or what society and culture may dictate.
Men must be submitted to authorities in the church and primarily to God. If a man is not submitted to God he is not worth following -- he is not worthy of respect. Men should model submission to their wives. Men are NOT the ultimate authority -- God is. As we find life in Christ we should look to restore ourselves to Gods design. Men should lovingly lead their wives, and wives should willingly help their husbands. This reflects the interpersonal authority and submission of the Holy Trinity. This willful harmony is glorifying to God.
Ultimately, these (what we believe are self evident facts) are the what, why, and how of the basis of how we try to model our marriage. Are we different? Defiantly. Equal? Absolutely.
EPHESIANS 5: 21-25
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her.
Paul Kemp Jr.
Devoted Husband, Loving Father, Hockey Fanatic, Passionate Catholic.
References:
Integrity Magazine, September 1948 vol.2, no.12, Ed Willock
http://churchventure.blogspot.com/2008/06/men-women-equal-but-different.html
http://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
Well written Mr.Kemp!
ReplyDeleteIslam also teaches that we are created equal by God, and that we are complementary toward each other (there are of course schools of thought and cultures that confuse this and choose to distort.) The Quran teaches me that yes, I should be subordinate to my husband, but that he needs to take care of me and respect me, not just boss me around and whatnot. Yes, he is the head of the household, but it is my duty as a wife to take care of the house, to ensure that we are all fed and healthy, and we consult with each other in everything that needs to be done.
But I think we're on the same line here...just do it because that's how/what God wants you to do it. :)) -Ashleigh
Thanks for sharing Ashleigh, I'm glad you enjoyed my rant! A lot of people, especially women, hear the words submissive or subordinate and get frightened, or even angry because they either misunderstand and confuse the point completely, or worse they get it but are too full of disgust and hate to care.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I think the common image is that the husband will sit his arse on the sofa and bark orders all day and the woman is just supposed to run around and do it all. Which I guess would be true...if you married an idiot..and if you did well...then it's your fault ;) The Quran says that women should submit to their husbands, but their husbands cannot ask things of their wives which will annoy them!
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