My initial thoughts on an embarrassing theological essay published in the Ordained Servant of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC). It is titled, In Defense of Union, Not Patriarchy.
There is little substance to work off of in this essay because it is a rapid-firing of buzzwords, with undefined terms, hidden assumptions and hasty conclusions, like a desperate man trying to rationalize a bad decision.
The unrelenting attack upon “patriarchy” (father-rule) leads readers to think full-blown egalitarian and feminism are being defended in the pages of our denominational journal. It is not until the end that the author throws us a crumb: “Authority is provisional, serving love until all things are made new”–whatever that may mean. And it means little because all the arguments drive readers to conclude a liberal Evangelical minister cobbled this piece together: “[Patriarchy] is a feature of the fallen world Christ overturns, not a structure he institutes.”
“Patriarchy appears nowhere in the pre-fall order.” “Scripture never presents patriarchy as the created or redeemed norm.” “His kingship serves His headship by bringing his people into shared life, not subordinate ranks.” Christ’s redemption is constantly pitted against hierarchy, rank, control and the like. If there are no subordinate ranks among God’s people, why do we have church officers? Questions like this pop out after every flimsy rationale. But one theme underlies the whole thing: the magic of misusing “redemptive-historic.” Redemption trumps creation. The key to his misunderstanding is a narrow view of Christ’s power. So moral truths and even history disappear. Thus, the curse (and moral restoration) of Eve in Genesis 3:16 is not about women and men but—you guessed it—the church and Christ: “The women’s desire and the man’s rule signify not subjection but the coming union between the Redeemer and his people.” Similar torturous reasoning is found everywhere. What is more shocking (if possible) is the loud omissions: nothing about Paul’s argument based on the creational order of Adam and Eve nor Peter’s commendation of Sarah in calling Abraham “Lord.”
It is a good thing we have social media to expose weaknesses in our denomination. After the other article (The Church’s [Not So] New Fundamentalism) was published last year, it seemed we were dealing with crypto-feminism. Now, I think the prefix may have to be dropped.
