I appreciated the feedback on Romans 13 and the requirement to ‘submit’ to the powers. One of the comments that came in was focused on another biblical requirement of submission – namely that of women to men, with a note on the current context where in different ways a renewed emphasis is being placed on patriarchy mascarading as masculinity. Defining ‘femininity’ or ‘masculinity’ can be problematic and I think so it should be.
Let’s hit a major issue head on. Jesus was male. Jesus was Jewish. We could interpret that to mean to be male and to be Jewish is to be more in the image of God than to be female and non-Jewish. To assume that leads to a challenging conclusion, particularly when there is ‘neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male and female’, so even if the above assumption is made (male and Jewish is closer to God-likeness) there is an awesome change through the resurrected Jesus. I also come at the male / Jewish aspect with an assumption. Jesus, sinless, comes in sinful flesh and ‘all have sinned’ but the sin of male and Jew is where it is focused. That is not to make either males nor Jews greater sinners, but what has been acted out since creation has been the sin of dominance by males (patriarchy), and that Jesus first dies for the nation (John 10:51) to break the ‘curse of the law’ from Israel so that the blessing of Abraham might not be blocked but might come to Gentiles (Gal.3:13). In other words, Jesus as male and as Jewish is not a sign pointing to God but a sign pointing to the plight of humanity.
In this age belong, biological sex, covenantal marriage and singleness. In the age to come there will be no more marriage (and therefore no more sex) for covenant will be a living experience between all who are redeemed. I cannot pull forward a Bible verse – and that often leads us to suggest something that agrees with our view but abrogates the biblical narrative in the process – but I strongly suggest that Jesus is no longer male (or maybe no longer exclusively male). He continues as human for the firstborn of all (new) creation is the one to pull all redeemed humanity to its destiny.
I am reading back in Leviticus (finished this morning – always a sigh of relief when that happens!) and again today noted the difference in value for redemption of the male and the female. It is (for me) not possible to get away from the patriarchial bias of many of the OT laws – reflecting the culture, and yet (thankfully) an improvement to the culture of the day. That ‘improvement’ runs through Jesus, the Easter Event and on into new creation, and that ‘improvement’ takes creation to its fulfilment, that being the reason why Paul makes the grammatical change in the Galatian 3 text of Jew / Greek, slave/free. Grammatically he could have gone on to write ‘and neither male or female’ but he breaks the expected language with ‘no longer male and female’, a quotation from the Genesis record of creation regarding humanity in the image and likeness of God. There is a fall in Genesis, but perhaps not the ‘hard’ fall of sin (guilt) but of taking a path that would never be the path to maturity… one repeated by Israel.
Submission… wives to husbands – so clear but what is the significance of the language when there is not a ‘submit’ word in that verse (Ephesians 5:22) but that in verse 21 there is the ‘submit’ word with the instruction to ‘submit to one another’ with the added phrase ‘in the fear of Christ’. No submission because of a creational aspect – biological, nor related to birth – nationality, nor cultural – social. New humanity in Christ and the inter-relatedness of one another – WOW!
Yes there are texts that call for submission in Paul… Those instructions are contingent based on the situation and into the Graeco-Roman world which was very fearful about women not being faithful to the gods of the Empire. Plutarch (b. 46AD/CE) said:
A wife ought not to make friends on her own, but to enjoy her husband’s friends in common with him. The gods are the first and most important friends. Wherefore it is becoming for a wife to worship and to know only the gods that her husband believes in, and to shut the door tight upon all queer rituals and outlandish superstitions. For with no god do stealthy and secret rites performed by a woman find any favour.
All directive texts calling for submission within the household can (and I consider should) be read as moving the culture forward without making an absolute break that would leave no bridge in place… in other words not the final word but the missiological word.
So here I go, writing as a male, with huge blind spots and shaped by my culture, but I consider that the renewed emphasis on ‘the restoration of masculinity’ will not bring us closer to new creation. This is why we have to go beyond signing up to all ‘again’ messages. The path ahead is challenging, but we have the trajectory that we can follow through the Jesus’ lens. And I suggest that there is a focused battle now (as has always been) on ending the culture of patriarchy. Should that go we will find a leverage point has been found that will accelerate the momentum of the new creation manifesting in our midst.
The whole concept of the patriarchy has been so discussed by opposing right and left wing groups now it’s real nature is almost lost in translation so to speak! The traditional right would see it as being the natural order of things whereas the more progressive left would see it as innately evil and flawed and source of all ills in the world with its connection with colonialism etc and oppressive to women for generations. in Eastern Orthodox Church the Bishop types are called Patriarchs with very positive connotation of duty of care and shepherding the flock and giving guidance and order and taking people into the presence of God, the Father. I see some of the seemingly patriarchal figures in 19th century like Lord Shaftesbury who took on parliament to protect children as beneficial. Yet in that society women still mostly suffered more oppression than men. More recently we see that there is so much confusion about issues like abortion which is seen as protecting women by some yet others see it as only killing babies? The waters are muddy where issues of life are tied up with patriarchy too and I mean being pro life across the board to opposing the death penalty and any other state sponsored death? We see the reimagining of patriarchy in a certain troubling and powerful nation at moment. That is certainly to some extent their aim where Feminism in all forms is seen as progressive without exception. Family values emphasised sounds wonderful and can be if the family operates with mutual respect and consideration but becomes toxic when the insistence on female submission is seen. Husbands not loving their wives like Christ loves the church is highly problematic in marriage but it’s so very rare I observe. Maybe I haven’t seen so many healthy marriages? Yet so many men demand submission from wives in Christian marriage these days. It’s all utterly confusing to me! But then I tend to overthink!!! Thank you Martin
From my point of view, patriarchy is founded on fear. Fear of losing power. Fear of losing place. Fear of losing control. As such, it cannot, by definition, be Christian. Jesus repeatedly warns us to put away fear, do not be fearful. Fear and the attempt to replace it with a sense of security is a foundation for sin against others. Patriarchy, a whole system built to mitigate masculine fear, is nothing but a sin against all others that it seeks to subjugate. . . women, children, every other species on earth.
Because of that, patriarchy tends to be destructive rather than creative and constructive. Yes, there are artists and creators in patriarchal societies. Though as individuals they often are a challenge to the drive for social compliance and conformity. But the root of any fear-based system is destruction of relationships with others and with the earth. Its time for men who call themselves Christian to renounce patriarchy and actually become disciples of the Jesus they claim to follow.
Just saying.
As a male, I thought I would say, ‘hear what you’re saying Anne- and Joanna’. Women and children suffer the most globally from the effects of patriarchy clinging on to power and position, but the reality of that is that everyone and the planet suffers-including men who knowingly or not perpetuate oppressive structures. I don’t think there is a better more benevolent form of patriarchy because control is always control. One root (even route) might be embracing God beyond traditional male, all powerful images. Wisdom, Spirit, sophia- we don’t have to invent the feminie in God, she is there in plain sight. generally I think we become like the God we see.
I think it depends what we mean by patriarchy?. Excellent, benevolent fathers are important in this world be it literal or spiritual or emotional etc. God as father also fundamental to all creation? Therefore it is a role ordained as central but does not diminish the role of the feminine to second class created too in the image of God. As Stated in Genesis. But patriarchy is different, I feel is male dominance and subjugation of women, cultures and children over millennia? Especially for example the use of Bible to force compliance is extremely dangerous and wrong and has led to so much spiritual damage on many individuals and subjugated nations over the centuries. Caused the sin of making people stumble is a very big deal!! Salutory warning to all of us? Scary stuff .
I do think clarity of terms if pretty important. Patriarchy is a system, not an individual. Here is one definition: Sociologist Sylvia Walby defines patriarchy as “a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress, and exploit women”. That’s from Wikipedia.
Of course, we all need fabulous men in our lives. And fabulous women. Both men and women can support patriarchy and oppress others.
While it is a system, it is based on gender definitions and enforcement of compliance to gendered behaviour rules. And it often extends required compliance far beyond gendered behaviours out into a wider sphere. Men can be policed just as much as women in these systems. We need only look to the current news to see examples of this all over the world.