Often, when people think of the word “hierarchy,” they immediately visualize a military chain of command where one person barks out his unquestioned orders and is immediately obeyed. It's no wonder, then, that people are confused–or even angry–when complementarian Christians say they believe that a “hierarchy” wherein the husband is the leader is the right way to structure a marriage. Even worse, when those who do believe in a husband's leadership have an unbiblical idea of what hierarchy entails, the result can be misery–especially for women.
For this “Gender Friday” installment, then, I'm going to clarify what I mean by the term “hierarchy” so there's no misunderstanding about what I'm actually promoting. To begin with, instead of a military image, I would like to offer two, more appropriate models from everyday life that I think far more accurately illustrate different aspects of biblical hierarchy within a marriage. After that, I'll briefly summarize the counter-cultural, biblical context for all Christian leadership, within which a marital hierarchy must be viewed.
First, I think it's helpful to look at how hierarchy works in a healthy place of business. Most of us are familiar with the qualities of an excellent boss. He or she manages, motivates, and brings people together in a way that encourages the greatest unity, growth, creativity, productivity, and satisfaction among the employees for the good of the company as a whole. We know what it means to accept and even respect and submit to a good leader in the business arena. On the other hand, a bad boss tries to do everything himself (even if there's an employee who's more qualified), or he micromanages every detail of his employees' work, or he intimidates his employees into becoming useless yes-men.
You've most likely also seen a well-functioning hierarchy in your experiences with friends. We've all been in groups of friends where one person will emerge as the leader–not in that he gives orders to everyone or demands they pay homage to him, he just takes on the responsibility for the group. His leadership is natural, not oppressive; he doesn't call attention to his position, but simply ensures the unity of the group. He sees that decisions are made, he keeps things moving, he makes sure the others are enjoying themselves, and they look to him to resolve things. In short, he is serving them (not himself) by leading.
Grudem describes this same key idea of responsibility in his discussion of hierarchy. The husband is to take on this role of overseer for the family with the idea that the buck stops with him. Whatever decisions are made that affect the family as a whole, he bears the responsibility as the representative of the family before God. Just as the good leader of a business will empower and encourage the other employees to flourish with creativity and skill to the best of their ability (especially in the areas where they are more skilled than the leader) and yet still bear the weight of responsibility for the working body as a whole, so the husband is to do the same with the members of his family.
In addition to the idea of responsibility, no hierarchy within a marriage is biblical if the leader is not himself directed by the three central ideas of equality, self-sacrifice, and humble service.
A good leader recognizes equality within hierarchy.
As Christians, we know that we have all been created in the image of God, and so we all have intrinsic value. In the secular world, on the other hand, value comes from external characteristics, achievements, or roles. (See here for secular ethicist Peter Singer's thoughts on this.) It is not to be this way for us. The Bible is very clear that all who are fulfilling the task given to them are equal, regardless of role–not equal in terms of sameness, but in terms of honor, value, and necessity.
Paul describes this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-26:
For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you;” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Grudem points out that our model for this view of equality within hierarchical relationships is the Trinity. There is certainly no greater example for us than this! If Christ, though He is the exact representation of the Father–equal in character, power, and glory, submits to the Father with joy, who am I to say such a thing is beneath me?
A good leader sacrifices himself.
Hierarchy within marriage must also be viewed in the context of Ephesians 5:25-30:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.
Christ gave His very life for the good of the church, and a husband is to lead with this same willingness to die–not only literally, but also figuratively every day in order to properly nourish and cherish his wife and family.
A good leader is a humble servant.
Women often reject submission because they fear the domination and oppression they're sure will come. Sometimes, of course, it does. But these things have no place in a Christian hierarchy. Jesus, who wrapped a towel around His waist and washed His disciples' feet, is our model in this, and he not only condemned oppressive leadership but went a step further, calling for leaders to lower themselves below those whom they lead in order to lift them up. See His words in Luke 22:25-27:
The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
What man would not be drawn to the chivalry of this vision of leadership I've described? And what woman would not respect such a man?
Women, men want to lead. And I've been told by some men that, even more than that, they need to lead. I think this is because they've been created to do so. Men, women fear this because we're always conscious of the fact that you are stronger than we are. You have the power to hurt us or to dismiss us as nothing. Because of this, when you do not take advantage of our weakness, but instead value us (and our contributions) as equals, sacrifice yourselves for us, and humbly kneel down so you can lift us up, you have no idea what this means to us, and there's nothing we wouldn't do to support you.
[Click on the “Gender Issues” category to see the previous posts in the Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth series.]
Posted in Amy's Posts, Gender Issues, Main Page 
16 Comments »
August 30, 2006 Posted by Roger Overton
closeAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
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It’s easy for some people to become “so heavily minded
they’re of no earthly good,” while others are more likely to be too earthly
minded to be of no heavenly good. Scripture points us to a middle path, a way
to live between the two worlds. Stehpen J. Nichols sheds light on this path
through a collection of sermons by Jonathan Edwards in Heaven on Earth.
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Through seven brief chapters Dr. Nichols explores a handful
of Jonathan Edwards’s sermons in an effort to explain what it means to live on
earth with a vision of heaven. It includes themes of pilgrimage, citizenship,
just action, waiting, and true happiness found in God’s purposes for mankind.
The book also includes an introduction on how to read Edwards’ sermons, and an
appendix containing an abridged version of the sermon “Heaven Is a World of
Love.”
This is a book that gets better as it goes, which
makes its short length disappointing. I especially found the final two chapters
to be insightful and though-provoking. Readers unfamiliar with Jonathan Edwards
will learn much about his life as application of what he taught. While not an
academically sophisticated work, Heaven on Earth will challenge every
reader to make practical use of the theological truths it describes.
Posted in Book Reviews, Main Page, Roger's Posts 3 Comments »
Those who advocate the postmodern view of the world (that we construct our world through our language within our separate communities) do so in part because they believe it will be a remedy for violence in the world. If we would only understand that our views are merely the views of our community and not representative of reality itself (i.e., if we didn't have confidence that we had the “right” view), then (they believe) we would be humble about our views and just live and let live, not attempting to force them on others through violence.
Here's the irony, however: this view will, in the end, lead to more violence than we currently experience. Imagine a world where all people in all societies view that world in postmodern terms: all of their values and stories about the world (history, theology, etc.) are created through the languages of their particular communities. Further, communication of one's beliefs to another who is part of a different community is not possible in any meaningful way because the separate communities (e.g., Christians and atheists) have different languages and have constructed different worlds for themselves. The only way for someone outside the community to enter in is to slowly learn the language and behavior of that new community.
Why do I say this will lead to violence? Currently, people from different communities (like Christians and atheists) debate and discuss their diverse ideas in an effort to promote what they consider to be the truth. But imagine what would happen if the whole world believed in the postmodern view described above. The problem begins with this: even if people do not believe their view represents actual reality, being a postmodernist does not automatically make people care less about the view they prefer. After all, postmodern philosophers and theologians prefer their views strongly enough to write many books trying to convince others to take on those views as well. The danger then comes because of the isolating effects of the postmodern view. Each community is trapped within the confines of its own language, and the people within are unable (or believe they are unable) to rationally communicate with those outside (who have very different languages) to persuade them that their view is a better one. That is what will lead to violence. In a world where postmodernism dominates and people live out the implications consistently, what is left when separate communities come into conflict and the members believe rational communication and persuasion is impossible? Only the international language of power remains.
[Note: As Andrew rightly pointed out in the comments section, though I used the general term “postmodernism,” not all who call themselves postmodernists hold to the precise view I described. In this post, I refer only to those who believe we are “inside” the language of our community, that our language constructs our world, etc.]
Posted in Amy's Posts, Emerging / Emergent Church, Main Page, Philosophy 29 Comments »
It's Friday again and time to discuss Wayne Grudem's book, Evangelical Feminism & Biblical Truth. Since Grudem's first two chapters describe the foundational thinking behind the rest of the book, I don't want to move past them too quickly. Too often people begin and end their arguments with “the Bible says,” and that's the end of the matter. Now don't get me wrong–the Bible does teach the truth and is perfectly authoritative, and in the sense of truth and authority, it is the end of the matter, but that doesn't mean the discussion about that truth ought to end there. For an emotionally charged subject such as this one, a stark command (“women can't be pastors”) that doesn't include a rounded explanation of the goodness of that command can be confusing and difficult to swallow. Even women (and men) who desire to submit to the teachings of the Bible could submit with their actions but still be in pain and perhaps even misunderstand the character of God if those actions don't make sense to them.
I've changed my perspective on these things quite dramatically over the past 10 years, and I still have not settled my understanding of all the details. At first the change came in submission to biblical truth, but from that moment to this, my life experiences have consistently proven its wisdom and strengthened my complementarian view. I've come to see male leadership as being a result of the positive qualities of women rather than a consequence of women's lack of masculine qualities. (I'll explain more of what I mean by this as we go.) I haven't heard this perspective much, but I think if we could start thinking of this subject in these positive terms, the entire tone of the discussion could change. Some of that may sound cryptic for now, but I will flesh it out in the coming weeks.
So for my first post on this book, I want to start at the beginning and defend the very notion of hierarchy and submission as positive and necessary for members of a body who are working together towards a common goal. First, consider this chart from Chapter One which deals specifically with the organization of the family:
Leaving behind the issue of husbands and wives for a moment, I can give you an illustration–one that is not so emotionally charged–of a beautiful hierarchy and submission in another kind of organized group I've been involved with for years, and in which I've seen these same errors and ideals lived out at various times: the hierarchy observed by musicians. As with the family or the church, musicians bring their varied parts together to create a complete, harmonious whole. But in order for this goal to be reached, there must be a clearly defined leader and the other members must submit to him or her.
Thinking specifically of flute quartets I've been involved with, I've found that the following is necessary for the creation of music–for the optimum fulfilling of the function for which the group was formed:
1. The leader must lead. (No wimps.) When no one's taking charge to move things along for four women flute players in a practice room, there's more talking and less playing.
2. The leader must bring the best out of the other players. (No tyrants.) I've been part of groups where the leader was so demanding and harsh that no one was able to play well. The good leader will encourage, expand, and increase the talent of the other players rather than beat them down so they're hampered by fear.
3. The players must play. (No doormats.) Each player has an equally valuable, unique contribution to the group. If even one of them is not making an effort to fulfill her role, the music fails.
4. The players must follow. (No usurpers.) There's a granting of authority to the leader that must take place on the part of the players if everything is to go smoothly. It's impossible to lead those who won't submit. If they are to accomplish anything as a group, the players must respect and support the office of first chair (though they are usually equally talented to, and occasionally even more talented than, the one who holds that office).
To sum up, every player–including the leader–must have her eyes on the goal (making music) rather than on herself.
As an example of how #4 can go terribly wrong, I was once assigned first chair flute in a quartet, but one of the players (who I suppose was upset she wasn't first chair) made the subtle decision in her heart not to grant me the authority to lead her. What was supposed to be fun quickly became tedious as it proved impossible for the four of us to create anything together without the joyful and productive submission of all the players to my leadership. Her eyes were on herself; her desire was for my role instead of for the ultimate goal of the creation of music, and so she was not able to obtain either, and she destroyed the effectiveness of the entire group. Nobody was happy about this, including her.
As an illustration of error #1, I'm currently part of a community concert band where the director has the silly idea that there should be no first chair–no designated leader with the responsibility of governing the section. He thinks that since we're all there to have fun, we don't need a hierarchy. Wrong. This lack of an assigned leader has led to tension, confusion, and hurt feelings. Who's going to play the solo? Who should play which part? Who has the right to address those who are out of tune or playing something incorrectly? Who gives the final word for decisions that affect the flute section as a whole? Trust me, having an “equal partnership” structure for the entire section keeps us from functioning in an optimal way.
On the other hand, when everything works correctly and the loving, humble headship of the leader meets the joyful, intelligent submission of the other players, the result is fulfilling for all–and not just for those who are playing, but also for everyone who is listening. This, to me, has become the illustration of hierarchy and submission that finally helped me make sense of the subject. Having been both the submitter and the submittee, I know the value and joy of both, and I also know the irritating ineffectiveness that ensues when the structure is not accepted. Luckily, musicians usually do accept and work within the structure that has been created for their good. Perhaps this is because they understand and appreciate the necessity of every part and have experienced the value of submission, even submission among equals. But imagine what would happen if all musicians were to reject submission just as many in marriage relationships have done.
I'll save the question of why the husband has been declared the leader for another post. For now, I'll just say that I know there's nothing wrong with second chair–that it's a crucial role to be filled if the greater goal is to be reached together, as one. And in fact, I quite enjoy filling it.
Posted in Amy's Posts, Culture, Gender Issues, Main Page 12 Comments »
August 22, 2006 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
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Whoever said size matters hasn’t read An Army of Davids
by Glenn Reynolds, well known in the blogsphere as Instapundit.com. The book is
about how individuals, as opposed to large organizations, media, and government,
are and will continue to be the primary moving force behind changes journalism,
business, technology, space exploration, and overall human advancement.
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Composed of twelve chapters, An Army of Davids
examines our society from the bottom up. The analysis begins with the growing
number of small businesses, specifically work-at-home jobs, in contrast Dilbert
type office jobs. Reynolds suggests that this shift will continue and will be
beneficial as a crime deterrent and for more stable families. Moving on,
Reynolds looks at recent developments in music technology, the war on terror,
and media as instances of individuals becoming more powerful and important.
After a brief interlude on good blogging, Reynolds continues
by making the case that war video games have become the best educational tool
for military history and tactics. He then moves on to discuss the possibilities
available from the development of nano and age-prolonging technologies. The
final chapters explore our potential for space exploration and reaching
“singularity.” Singularity, I think, refers to the point in time where
technological advancement occurs beyond the grasp of human intelligence.
While an Army of Davids has much to offer, it also
has a few problems. For one, the discussion of singularity went mostly over my
head, and I think that’s mostly because I couldn’t find a clear definition in
the book that could help make sense of the discussion. From time to time, some
topics seemed to steer off course (portions of video gaming, nanotechnology,
and space exploration come to mind) and in the back of my mind I questioned
their relevance as I read.
I disagreed with a few points here and there, but the most
troubling were statements about teens and pornography: “But, despite continued warnings
from concerned mothers’ groups, teenagers are less violent, and—according to
some, if not all, studies—they’re having less sex, not withstanding the
predictions of many concerned people that such exposure would have the opposite
effect. More virtual sex and violence would seem to go along with less real sex
and violence; certainly with less pregnancy and violence.” (149-150). The
argument that Reynolds appears to make is that this is reason for considering
deregulating pornography. However, assuming his premises hold up, he fails to
consider psychological impact apart from promiscuity. What happens when these
teens get married, if they do? How would this affect their marriage and
families? How will these teens treat women? I fail to see any good possible
answers.
Despite these shortcomings, An Army of Davids
by Glenn Reynolds is a very intriguing book. It expanded my thought into areas
I haven’t considered, and for that I’m appreciative. Reynolds expertise and
background make An Army of Davids an interesting and enjoyable book
overall.
Posted in Book Reviews, Main Page, Roger's Posts No Comments »
August 19, 2006 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this important announcement:
Amy and Roger of the A-Team will be on Apologetics.com radio this evening from midnight to 2am PST to talk about logging and apologetics. Get the details here on how you can listen live from around the world or download the mp3 when it's posted.
Gender Friday will return next week following the Red Sox sweep of the Angels.
UPDATE: The mp3 is now available for download from the Apologetics.com website or via their iTunes podcast. As you listen to the beginning, keep in mind their website originally called us the “A-Team Loggers.”
Posted in Main Page, Miscellaneous, Roger's Posts 35 Comments »
August 16, 2006 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
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No, not spiritually. Virtually. All you have to do is create
yourself anew in a place called Second Life. The picture is of me- Apollos
Corinthian (note the awesome “International Talk Like a Pirate Day” t-shirt
with my birth date across the collar!). In this virtual world, you can make
yourself look however you’d like, including non-human. But this is just the
beginning.
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According to a recent CBS report, $6 million is spent each
month in this virtual world. That’s $6 million of real US dollars. Not only can
you create yourself, but you can also create anything you’d like. The report
notes the example of Shannon Grei who spends more than 40 hours a week making
and selling virtual cloths in order to support her real life family. Record
companies and performers are expanding their marketing to this virtual world
through listening stations and live virtual performances. The possibilities
seem endless.
And that is part of the problem. Unfortunately, every
technological advancement made seems to have a downside. While there is no
murder or theft in Second Life, there’s other opportunity for sin. When I was
on the training island, I ran into a guy who was far too excited about
advancing on so he could have sex with other members. Not real sex mind you,
virtual sex. But the problems are far more reaching. The CBS report tells
another story: “in China, a man was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a
friend who sold the prized sword he'd loaned him — a virtual weapon that
existed only in cyberspace.”
More than 500,000 have been born again into this virtual
world; a world that has a lot of glimmer but little true value. The danger is
for these people to become like the man in China, confusing the real world for
the virtual world. People have a hard enough time dealing with reality (if you
question that, just tune in to Dr. Laura’s radio show). They will go to the
virtual world to escape and thus cheat themselves of truly living. They will
start to believe the lie is true and that the truth is a lie because they don’t
want to deal with it. The virtual world is far easier, less painful, and heck,
you can fly.
I’m all for video games; I own a few. But this is far
more than a game. For many, this is a real Second Life and one they’d much
rather live than their real ones. Is it all really that bad? Is there more in
Second Life than “mature” rated dance clubs and sexual fantasylands? There is,
but if you look at the most popular places people go, that’s all you’ll find. You
may find a few churches, though, if you look hard enough. There’s one church in
particular that represents a growing effort to do ministry in Second Life-
Living Sounds. I'll soon be posting an interview with the leader of this ministry, Benjamin
Faust.
Posted in Culture, Main Page, Roger's Posts 1 Comment »
August 15, 2006 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
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Thirty five years ago a White House cover-up shook the
nation. In the midst of the national controversy were the individual lives that
would never be the same. One of those lives is that of Charles Colson. After
serving time in prison for releasing confidential FBI information, Colson
underwent a transformation, a conversion. He told about his conversion in his
popular book Born Again. More than three decades later he’s telling his
story again, but from a more developed perspective, in his recent book, The
Good Life.
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 Retail: $33.99
Discounted Price: $17.00
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The Good Life isn’t completely about Charles Colson. In
fact, his is just one of many stories the authors share to explore the issues
of purpose, meaning, and truth in this life. Reflections are offered on men who
“had it all,” such as L. Dennis Kozlowski (former CEO of Tyco International),
as well as people who endured devastating pain and suffering, such as Nien
Cheng (a women who suffered under Communist rule in China).
Each of the stories told sheds some light on what “the good
life” truly is. Along the way, pieces are placed together in the puzzle. Colson
and Hackett make the case that self-sacrifice in serving others is an essential
element. So to, they claim, is a well-founded worldview that holds truth as
valuable and morality as objective. Ultimately, “the good life” comes from
complete surrender to Jesus Christ- embracing who He is and what He wants to do
with our lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Good Life. The stories were
artfully told in a manner that drew suspense at times and thoughtfulness at
others. Powerful points are made by the use of these narratives in conjunction
with the clear thinking of a seasoned apologist. The Good Life by
Charles Colson and Harold Fickett is exceptional book that will draw readers
from almost every background.
This is the first book I’ve ever heard. I was skeptical
about how good listening to a book is compared to reading it, but I was
pleasantly surprised at how great it was. Todd McLaren, the narrator has the
perfect voice for the materials. Whenever there was a quote from someone else,
he spoke in a different voice, one that was distinct yet fitting for the piece.
I don’t believe anyone could have done a better job.
I was able to listen to this audio book thanks to the
generous folks at www.FamilyAudioLibrary.com.
They offer quality Christian audio books at discounted prices- 50% off retail.
I don’t think you can find a better deal than that. The
commercial activity of the site helps to fund deep discounts on the
same products for visually impaired, learning disabled and most
recently, the entire roster of New Tribes Missionaries! Needless to say,
you should stop on by www.FamilyAudioLibrary.com
and take advantage of the great deals and help support their ministry in the
process.
Posted in Book Reviews, Main Page, Roger's Posts No Comments »
August 14, 2006 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
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What does it mean to follow Christ at all costs? For
Dietrich Bonheoffer, it ultimately meant losing his life for being part of an
attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler. Six decades later, Bonhoeffer’s writings
are still influence individuals and whole churches. Professor and former pastor
Mark Devine asks of these writings, what does Bonhoeffer might say to us today?
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Dr. Devine begins Bonhoeffer Speaks Today with a
thorough biography of the German theologian’s life. The following four chapters
cover various aspects of Bonhoeffer’s theology. Chapter two address the will of
God and how we know it. Dr. Devine uses the Bonhoeffer’s work to criticize the
contemporary elevation of personal experience to practically the same authority
of Scripture.
In Chapter Three, Dr. Devine expounds on Bonhoeffer’s
doctrine of community. He concludes that we must return to Christ as the center
of our communities, recognize its spiritual existence, and fulfill priesthood
toward one another through confession and brotherhood. In the fourth chapter,
issues of the Christian witness of relevance of the Gospel are addressed to the
point of defending the Gospel against liberal compromise to the culture.
Finally, Dr. Devine reflects on what Bonhoeffer can teach us about freedom,
suffering, and the eternal hope.
Having no previous experience with Bonhoeffer’s work,
I found Bonhoeffer Speaks Today to be an enlightening read. Mark Devine
sticks to issues that are relevant without watering anything down. Perhaps
because Bonhoeffer’s theology is so practical, the book is insightful without
being academically demanding. At no point, however, was there any real
disagreement with the German theologian. This leaves me wondering what might
have been left out of the book. Regardless, I learned much from this book and I
believe it will be useful to every person who picks it up.
Posted in Book Reviews, Main Page, Roger's Posts 1 Comment »
August 12, 2006 Posted by Roger OvertoncloseAuthor: Roger Overton
Name: Roger Overton
Email: rogeroverton@hotmail.com
Site: http://ateamblog.com
About: Roger Overton is currently pursuing a Masters degree at Talbot School of Theology. He has addressed various churches, schools and youth camps throughout the United States. Roger was co-editor of The New Media Frontier (Crossway, 2008) and God and Governing (Wipf & Stock, 2009).
Roger can be emailed at rogeroverton@hotmail.com.See Authors Posts (570)
Click here for the first post in this series
Chapter two looks at what roles Scripture states men
and women ought to perform in the church. This week, we’ll look at the
theoretical case now, and then next week we’ll look at the second half of the
chapter’s practical application. |
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The first point, as it ought be, is that the church should
recognize the equal value and dignity of men and women. “Both men and
women are in God’s image, and we share that status equally. We are equally
valuable to God and equally important to God’s work in the world and in the
church. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is poured out in a new kind of
fullness on both men and women.” (62) However, equal value does not mean equal
function.
With Scripture as our foundation, we should consider where
the lines in church practice should be drawn. “We should not make rules that
the Bible does not support, and we should not add restrictions to
ministry positions when the Bible does not justify these restrictions.
Where the Bible allows freedom, we should encourage ministries by women as well
as men.” (63)
1 Timothy 2:11-15
This
passage is discussing the role of women within the assembled church. When Paul
said he did not permit a woman to teach, he was referring to Bible teaching.
“The conclusion is that Paul did not allow women to do Bible teaching or have
governing authority over the assembled church.” (66)
Many have
claimed that this was Paul’s personal impression, or a temporary command for
the social situation. However, “Paul’s words do not at all give the appearance
of a temporary command for a specific situation, for he grounds his
instructions in the situation of Adam and Even before the Fall.” (66) This
command “applies to men and women as they were created by God at the beginning,
and it is not due to any distortion brought on by sin or the Fall.” (69)
The second reason Paul presented is
that “God gave men, in general, a disposition that is better suited to teaching
and governing in the church, a disposition that inclines more to the rational,
logical analysis of doctrine and a desire to protect the doctrinal purity of
the church, and God gave women, in general, a disposition that inclines more
toward a relational, nurturing emphasis that places a higher value on unity and
community in the church (v14)” (72)
In regards to “women being saved by
child-bearing:” “The point of 1 Timothy 2:15 is that women are not eternally
lost because of Eve’s sin, but they will be saved and will experience the
outworking of their salvation throughout their Christian lives if they follow
the roles God has given to them and continue in faith and obedience.” (74)
Acts 18:26
The Bible
shows us, though, that women can perform other sorts of teaching. Acts 18:26 is
an example of this. “This passage gives warrant for women and men to talk
together about the meaning of biblical passages and to ‘teach’ one another in
such settings.” (75) Grudem claims this also allows for the writing of books on
the Bible by women.
(For the sake of space I’m skipping a couple of passages
Grudem examines that makes points similar to others being made here.)
John 4:28-30 and Matthew 28:5-10
These
passages are examples of women involved in evangelism with the blessing of
Jesus. “In speaking to non-Christians, [women] are not having the kind of
teaching or governing authority over the church that Paul prohibits in 1
Timothy 2, because the unbelievers who hear the gospel message are not a
congregation of assembled believers.” (77). Grudem claims this also allows
women to give personal testimony, read Scripture, sing, act or whatever else
“goes on in the assembled church other than what is explicitly prohibited by
Scripture (Bible teaching and governing over the congregation of God’s people).”
(78)
1 Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6
Paul
taught in these verses that elders ought to be husbands of one wife. This
restricts elders to being male and restricts these males to having no more than
one wife. One the subject of elders, Paul also stated that for a man to be
eligible for the position of elder he must manage his household well. 1 Timothy
3:4-5 and 5:1-2 indicate, “male leadership in the home and in the church are
closely tied together, and that in today’s controversy, male leadership in the
home and in the church will likely stand or fall together.” (81)
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