Alternative Views of True Headship: Part II

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David Kotter
February 4, 2008

[ "The True Meaning of Headship" was a recent series in Genderblog (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) examining a key word of Ephesians 5:23 "The husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior." From this and other passages complementarians conclude that husbands, though sinful and imperfect, are called to humbly lead and sacrificially love their wives in a way that imitates Christ's relationship to the church. Such a marriage points to and glorifies Jesus Christ.

This is the second part in a series offering contrasting views which disagree with the complementarian view of a husband's role. The post below was taken in its entirety and without editing from the CBE Scroll, which is the blog for the egalitarian organization Christians for Biblical Equality. — David Kotter]

A Comparison of Husband and Wife to Christ and Church

I am amazed that the small part of Ephesians 5 which is translated "as Christ is head of the church" is extended and explained so that a husband is compared to Christ in so many ways.

What is a simple comparison of the type of care which a husband is encouraged to give becomes in some people's minds the open door to husband as leader, decision maker, initiator, final authority in the home, and the one who must give account of every family member's spiritual life. The extension of this is the expected response of a wife which presumably is the same as that of the church-submission in everything. If there is not submission "in everything," then the comparison breaks down at several points.

The church (bride) doesn't have a say in the decision making of Christ, whose ways are far above human understanding or reasoning.

Christ is not sometimes influenced by the church (bride) to consider that a decision or course of action may need to be reconsidered.

The church (bride) is not responsible for, or influential in, how Christ performs his "headship" role.

The church (bride) can be disobedient, disrespectful, and ungrateful to Christ without any of these attitudes affecting Christ's innate nature, which is always loving, just, holy, and perfect in every aspect.

The church (bride) is not "equal but different" to Christ. There is no comparison between the creator of the heavens and earth and the church (bride) which is made up of created humans.

These are just a few thoughts on how these comparisons are not consistent with all of Scripture and continue to prop up the view of what God requires of a husband or wife. There are many others related to just this one verse.

Are there any comments regarding these comparisons or further ones which I haven't outlined here?