Some Views on the Role of Man and Woman in the World and Church

Abstract

Pastor Johnson summarizes thus: “The writer believes that statements which apply to husbands and wives have been improperly applied to male-female relationships. He also believes that whatever “subordination” exists between humans in marriage, family, government, etc., came about because of sin and was not existent before the Fall. He believes that the “Order of Creation” is not Moral Law, nor should God’s “Orders” be looked upon as legalistic arrangements.

It does no good to refer to Pauline statements unless there is agreement on the matter of Creation and Law. Several questions have to be answered: 1) What is the “Order of Creation?” What is “Moral Law?” Is the “Order of Creation” a form of “Moral Law?” 2) Was woman “subordinate” to man in the state of perfection or was a “wife” commanded to be so after the Fall because of sin? 3) Can statements which deal with wife-husband relationships properly be applied to female-male relationships in general? Has this been done in discussions among Lutherans? 4) Is one justified in translating the Greek word for “woman” as “wife” because of contextual evidence?”