Sue

In 1 Cor. 7 all authority is symmetric, but you deny that physical love – eros – is symmetric. You promote authority and submission, which mirrors the dominance and submission one finds in worldly culture.

And those who claim that submission is aways to authority deny the entry for hupotasso in BDAG, which clearly states that Clement interpreted Eph. 5:21 as being submission to a neighbour, (who has no authority.) In fact, this verse has been interpreted through the ages as a representation of mutual submission among Christians.

If as Christian brothers and sisters we are commanded to live a life of mutual submission, and in 1 Cor. 7 we are told that in the physical relationship husband and wife have symmetrical authority, then I do not understand how you defend your point of view. Perhaps you could recap, because I have read your blog and I still do not see any reconciliation of these opposing doctrines.

And, yes, this causes tremendous turmoil, because I do not feel that any person should have personal authority over another, due to the prevalence of sin. Being under the authority of a sinful person does mean that one suffers evil. This is the fate of many Christian sisters.

Even C.S. Lewis said that although authority and submission was an ideal, one must have democracy because of sin. Authority lead to abuse and therefore we have participatory government. He said about himself that he was not fit to rule a henhouse.

The hybris of men who do think that they are fit to rule their wives, will be dealt by God. He will judge and recompense suffering women. Men store up for themselves God’s judgement. In the meantime, how beautiful it is to dwell in the corner of a house, rather than with a contentious man.

May God give release to women who suffer under this doctrine. I cannot tell you how repellent it is. It repels because it represent sin, not because it represents the scripture.