TL

Craig 226,

No one has changed the meaning of kephale. We all agree that it means the head on ones shoulders. However, when any word is used as a metaphor, then we can only truly get the gist of the meaning by paying close attention to how it is used in context. We don’t want to pull it out of it’s metaphor. What is happening with that word is that the hierarchalists are attaching a modern English metaphor to the ancient Greek metaphor which has no backing in the Greek of the era in question.

Other than that, all words do have a range of meanings anyway which we need to pay attention to in context. However, what is happening with CBMW’s definitions of authority and leadership is that they are going outside the range of the words’ normal meanings and in effect beginning to change the meanings. They’ve already done that successfully with the meaning of complementing in the new term complementarian. Those who understand the meaning of the word according to Webster’s think they are talking about how two people’s differences can complete and support each other. This is hinted at by the phrase “equal but different”. But that isn’t how they are using it. In fact the phrase ‘equal but different’ is tweaked strangely also.

As a person who believes in Biblical equality I can say that I believe strongly that all people are equal but different, and of course men and women are equal but different. But I don’t mean it the way that CBMW promotes it. Also, I’d say that egals live the dictionary meaning of ‘complementarian’ better than many firm hierarchalists do.

This is what all the definition confusion is about.