Prevailing Winds "For the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom . . ." 2 Cor. 3:17, TNIV

November 19, 2009

A Comment Well Worth Highlighting

Filed under: Uncategorized — keelyem @ 2:32 am

My frequent critic “Ashwin” says, of “Heroes: I’ve Got A Quiverful!”

“You have identified a problem – men abusing their authority over women – and have named it “patriarchy”. The assumption is that if the “patriarchy” is demolished e.g. by women being more independent and assertive, the problem will go away.

I contend otherwise. The problem is well known – sin. Rebellion against God. If women became more assertive, the problem would remain and manifest in other ways. Perhaps in a sort of “matriarchy” for future generation of men to rail against.

The unkind men need to be confronted with the Holy One of Israel. Not with feminist propaganda.” (end of comment)

My response: First, Ashwin, once your initial comment is logged, I don’t know how to delete it. Please know, your gracious apology is accepted.

But I don’t want patriarchy to be demolished by “women being more independent and assertive”! That does NOTHING to confront the initial sin and leaves men behind in the redemption and renewal of all things. Positive social change is critical for the Church to embrace and embody, but not for the goal of social change. The offense of patriarchy is that it’s a sin against the Holy One and destroys what was created “very good” by the Word — and it’s manifested in this world by the evils of violence, bigotry, wrongful hierarchy and injustice of all kinds.

I want patriarchy demolished through men repenting from their practice of and benefit from that horrible upending of the Creation mandate; through women embracing the wisdom, strength, and beauty of their being fully created in the image of a God neither male nor female; and through the Church humbly exploring what went wrong in centuries of male domination and male-supremacy teaching — teaching birthed in sin and sustained by a hermeneutic so inconsistent and convoluted that even good men get drawn in.

And while it’s good for women and men to accept their self-worth and good for society to promote justice in every institution, true “social change” is an act of the Spirit. Fortunately, God’s Spirit works when men and women desire righteousness for the glory of God, and the Church can serve both God and humankind by leading the way.

THAT’S how patriarchy, and any other sinful belief and practice, gets demolished.

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