January 30, 2013
“When Patriarchy Trumps Theology”
Carol Howard Merritt, in her Tribal Church blog for the Christian Century puzzles over the contradictory thinking of those Christians who claim to be strongly for life and yet object to stricter gun laws. “How can this be?” she asks, “If life is the most important thing in a political and theological belief system, why would you support the death penalty, support wars, and oppose gun violence prevention?” (italics hers). Read why she believes patriarchal beliefs about male headship might provide the clue to understanding the puzzle. Merritt says, “Because Evangelicalism was so closely tied to patriarchy, I left the Evangelical movement. Yet, I still identify as ‘born-again.’ Being ‘born again’ reminds me of a Holy Spirit Mother who gives birth. It reminds me of the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit broke the bonds of patriarchy, so that women and girls began to prophesy and see visions.”
