June 26, 2010

Hobgoblin Comp's vs. Hypocritical Egal's

Call me the idealist here, but egalitarians protesting that women should be accepted as clergy strike me a bit like 19th century Abolitionists demanding that African-Americans be accepted as plantation owners.  Can't a few black folks own slaves, too?  Seriously.  My problem with Egal-ism in theory is that 'equality' only applies in the abstract, but my problem with Egal-ism in practice is that egalitarians often aren't egalitarian.

Meanwhile - on the other side of this pendulum's terrible pit - authoritarian ministers who promote the subordination of women are shrewdly entrenching their own hierarchical power.  Co-opt the guys with complete domestic power and their little minds will demand they support the complete ecclesiastical power of their superiors.  In that much, at least Complimentarians are consistent.  But consistency, as they say...  well, you know.

Obviously, I'm generalizing.  I love to do that when blogging about gender issues, but I try never to do that when interacting with individuals I actually know.  If we all followed that rule, I suspect we'd neither be Comp's nor Egal's.  We'd just be whatever we are.  Of course, it's being ourselves TOGETHER that's always the challenge.

Ah, togetherness.  In a marriage, no matter who wears the pants, the key issue is sacrifice vs. abuse - are two people taking care of each other or vying for control?  Likewise, in Christian community, we face that same issue within a much more complicated arrangement.  What should churches really enact, to find corporate direction?  Hierarchicalism is a rook but Equality-ism is a sham.  We shouldn't rule over each other, but we don't share equal talents.  Again, what else might actually be done?

As I said above, maybe I'm the idealist here, but I wish every new church could get born to a small group of firm but nurturing parents.  Children need someone to train them up, urge them on, back the heck off, and yet stay close enough to offer more help when help's needed.  Jesus did that in Galilee & Judea.  Paul did that in lots of places.  But clergy, as clergy exists today, almost never does that.  At least, not to my knowledge.  (Enlighten me, if you disagree.)

Anyway, that's why I don't care for women who want to be* clergy OR for men who promote domineering authority.  I can't find either one anywhere in the New Testament.  I know.  Now I *am* the idealist!

Update: In case it's unclear, I love seeing women lead and exercise talent. My problem is the clergy-laity system as a whole.

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