The stance of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to mutual submission in marriage is much more egalitarian than the stance of many evangelicals. Here are some interesting excerpts from the Vatican document on the “Dignity of Women” (Mulieris Dignitatem).
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In this post I argue against the idea that gentleness, or meekness, is an especially feminine virtue (cf. 1 Peter 3:4), a faulty idea I’ve heard too many times.
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Is there a better paradigm than male headship and female submission that more fully conveys NT principles for husbands and wives who are in Christ?
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Tertullian, famous for once describing women as “the devil’s gateway”, wrote some wonderful things about equality and mutuality in marriage. He did not regard the household code in Ephesians as either comprehensive or prescriptive.
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Churches which misunderstand Jesus’ teaching on divorce increase the suffering and scandal of divorced members. What is the context of Jesus’ teaching on divorce? Did Jesus teach that all second marriages, with a former spouse still living, are adulterous? I argue, from scripture, that he didn’t
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Do husbands have a particular responsibility for the spiritual growth of their wives? Will husbands one day present their wives to Jesus in much the same way as Jesus will present the church to himself? (Cf. Eph. 5:25-27)
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Why did Peter use the phrase “weaker vessel” in 1 Peter 3:7? This article takes into consideration how the word “weak” was used in papyrus legal documents by women seeking justice.
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In what way (or ways) is the relationship between Jesus and the church a model for marriage? What does Paul mean in Ephesians 5:22-33?
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In Ephesians 5:33 it says that a wife should “fear” (phobeō) her husband. Did Paul want wives to be afraid? What is the connection between fear and respect?
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When people think of the “masters” mentioned in the New Testament household codes, they tend to think of men. Many masters in NT times, however, were women. How does this realisation affect the notion of female submission?
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How are we to interpret “man was not created for woman, but woman for man”? Does 1 Corinthians 11:9 indicate that service or submission is the responsibility of women and not men?
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In this short post I look at what Paul meant by “A wife/husband does not have authority of her/his body” in 1 Corinthians 7:4, a verse that has been terribly misapplied.
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