QC and SG accountability (26/719)

We discussed two difficult passages today!
Just a note that we have previously discussed this briefly here and here

² Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. ³ But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, ⁵ but every wife^[c] who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. ⁶ For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. ⁷ For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. ¹⁰ That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; ¹² for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. ¹³ Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. ¹⁶ If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. (1 Cor 11:2-16)

Paul grounds his injunction for wives (not single ladies) to have long hair and to have wear head coverings on spiritual realities:

• As Christ submits to the Father, so also a man should submit to Christ and a wife submit to her husband. We understand from this that relationships of authority and submission do not mean that the one in authority is superior to the one submitting. This is a difference of role in marriage just as there is a difference of role in the Trinity.
• Man represents and shows the excellence of God; woman shows the excellence of man, since she was taken out of man and was made a helper for him in the beginning, not the other way round.
• Women shows the excellence of the man.
• Men and women are interdependent: woman was made from man, but men are born of women.

Therefore:

• The woman's hair is her glory, and is to be covered to show her glory being in submission to her husband/head.
• The man's hair, on the other hand, must be uncovered to show the glory of his head/Christ.
• Married women should bear an indication of their married state so as to show that they are under the authority of their husbands.(e.g. a wedding ring).
• There should be culturally appropriate differences in personal appearance and dress that make distinctions between genders.

Only a few Christian denominations today follow the practice of making the ladies in church wear veils or shawls in worship services. We have to be able to justify our own practice of exempting married women in our service from wearing head coverings, since the homosexual lobby often cites the issue of head coverings as an example of a culturally-bound practice that is no longer applicable in order to justify homosexual practice. We would respond by saying that this passage has non-negotiable patterns of practice based on truth as well as negotiable patterns based on culture.

 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; ⁹ likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, ¹⁰ but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. ¹¹ Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. ¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve; ¹⁴ and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. ¹⁵ Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. (1Ti 2:11-15)

As in all the churches of the saints, ³⁴ the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. ³⁵ If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Cor 14:34-36)

 

These passages touch on something even more controversial - the issue of women in leadership and teaching (involving ordination) in church.

Paul says this:

• Male-female submission-authority patterns should be evident in church worship. The headship of the man should not be subverted.
• Women should not teach or to exercise authority over men.

The reason for this is that:  
 - Adam was created before Eve  (the right of primogeniture - the firstborn)
 - Satan subverted the creation order by approaching Eve rather than Adam (I tend to buy this interpretation rather than the alternative that says that women are by nature more gullible and will then lead (?less gullible) men astray when they teach!)

Satan subverted the creation order by approaching Eve rather than Adam (I tend to buy this rationale rather than the alternative that says that women are by nature more gullible and will then lead (?less gullible) men astray when they teach!)





Since these reasons are grounded in spiritual truths and I do not see any cultural, educational or other contextual interpretation, I am persuaded that the difference of roles of men and women extend into the area of leadership and teaching in church. This is the so-called 'complementarian' position. Male and female together in their different, complementing roles show the fullness of the image of God (Gen 1:27) as well as the beauty of the relationship between Christ and the Church (Eph 5:22-33). But each one of us like the Bereans should be "examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so" (Acts 17:11) so that "each one should be fully convinced in his own mind" (Ro 14:5), because "each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Ro 14:12)