Jessica

This is the first time I’ve read your blog. I appreciate your thoroughness and passion for seeking the truth. That being said, I do disagree with you.

For me, it isn’t so much that Eve usurped Adam’s authority, but she denied the goodness of God. The serpent taunted her with the fruit and insinuated that God was holding out on her in some way. Eve’s sin was that she believed Satan’s word rather than believing God’s and then she acted on it.

I am a firm believer that Adam shares full responsibility for “the curse.” The Scriptures are very clear that he was right there with Eve. At any point he could have stood up and said, “No Eve, this isn’t what’s best for us. God said we shouldn’t eat the fruit from this tree. He’s given us so many other trees to eat from. He must have good reason to forbid this one.” But he didn’t. He remained passive and ate with Eve. Together they sinned and denied that God is good and trustworthy. For me, I think that is the greatest sin and issue out of this passage.

Even though the Bible doesn’t explicitly say this, it’s almost as if Adam was having doubts of God’s goodness and also desired to eat from the tree. I mean, if he had no desire would he have done it in the first place?

I don’t know, as a complementarian, how this passage shows that Eve usurped Adam’s authority. Because she gave him the fruit? And I’ve never heard the argument (from the comp side) that Eve should not have talked to the serpent…which, I agree, would lead to the practical application of a woman having to defer to her husband on (practically) any conversation. I don’t think that’s correct.

The whole “speaking for God” confuses me a bit. If you’re saying that comp’s think only men can speak for/defend God I would strongly disagree (maybe some do…all views seem to have some radicalists). If only men can speak for/defend God then a woman would not be able to give her testimony, evangelize, or engage in apologetics–all of which I believe are biblical and commanded for both men and women.

While this post is under the heading of objections to women in ministry, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on headship (which was alluded to here). As well as, what do you think a woman can do in ministry and why (biblically)?

To be honest, even though we may not agree on certain issues of gender roles I appreciate honest and respectful discussion that helps me to understand more thoroughly what I believe, why, and its Scriptural base. But even as we disagree, the most important thing is “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).