Concluding my interactions with Andrew Bartlett and his book “Men and Women in Christ”

I’ve decided that this is as good a place as any to conclude the debate/conversation I’ve been having with Andrew Bartlett.  It’s not a conversation that continue indefinitely and I am at a stage where I need to give my time to other matters that are more my priority here on Faithroots, specifically I’ve got… Continue reading Concluding my interactions with Andrew Bartlett and his book “Men and Women in Christ”

Headship and submission, sacrificial love and entrusting to

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A lot of the debate about complementarianism in marriage focuses on two questions. I have argued that yes, Ephesians 5:21 does describe mutual submission and that this flows into Paul’s instructions for marriage. So, my approach is that husbands and wives do submit to one an other in marriage, within the context of the husband’s… Continue reading Headship and submission, sacrificial love and entrusting to

Heads, submission and BDAG -my response

Andrew Bartlett has kindly responded with some comments on my most recent article in our conversation series.  As I noted then, I sent him an advanced draft copy and I made a couple of amendments prompted by his comments.  I left his response as is because I thought it still helped to prompt a few… Continue reading Heads, submission and BDAG -my response

Marriage at work in Ephesians

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In my detailed engagement with Andrew Bartlett’s book, “Men and Women in Christ, we’ve got to the bit where he engages with Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3.  You will probably have picked up that I think he should have made this his starting point   Now, you might think that maybe this reflects my own bias,… Continue reading Marriage at work in Ephesians

Theological debate is not always binary

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I’ve noticed a tendency in terms of contemporary hot potatoes to assume  that, or at least act as though,  the debate is binary. I’m thinking specifically of the complementarian/egalitarian, EFS and Concupiscence debates. What I mean is this.  Often a specific theological position is developed in response to a perceived error, this may not be… Continue reading Theological debate is not always binary

Some comments regarding Andrew Bartlett’s response to my article on hierarchies and headship

I don’t know about you but I’m enjoying the opportunity for back and forth conversation with Andrew Bartlett about his book, perhaps even more than the book itself. It’s not an opportunity that you get often, few authors would be so  willing to give their time to something like this.  I appreciate that this isn’t… Continue reading Some comments regarding Andrew Bartlett’s response to my article on hierarchies and headship

Heads, Hierarchies, submission and love

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Under this title, Andrew Bartlett looks at Colossians 3 and Ephesian 5 in his book. He suggests that in relation to these passages, we should address three questions, disputed by commentators. 1.Does Paul teach in these letters that marriage is a hierarchical relationship in which the husband is in a position of unilateral authority over… Continue reading Heads, Hierarchies, submission and love

Did I use strawmen arguments on 1 Corinthians 7?

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In his response to my article on 12 Corinthians 7 which engages with his book, Andrew Bartlett suggests that I have engaged in strawmen arguments.  I was a little surprised at this suggestion Here’s an online definition of what a strawman is. “A straw man argument is a logical fallacy that involves misrepresenting an opponent’s position… Continue reading Did I use strawmen arguments on 1 Corinthians 7?

1 Corinthians 7, marriage, sex, mutual submission and the complementarian/egalitarian debate

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In his book, Men and Women in Christ, Andrew Bartlett begins his Biblical assessment with 1 Corinthians 7.  He goes there before addressing the classic texts in the debate (Ephesians 5, 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 11 & 14 etc). He comments: “By far the longest and most detailed piece of writing in the New… Continue reading 1 Corinthians 7, marriage, sex, mutual submission and the complementarian/egalitarian debate

On handling “saviour language” in Paul’s teaching on marriage

There have been a couple of articles elsewhere on the interweb recently about the relationship between men and women in marriage, specifically on what Ephesians 5 has to say about headship and submission.  In this article, Andrew Bartlett has written a review of Kevin DeYoung’s book, Men and Women in the Church, a short, practical,… Continue reading On handling “saviour language” in Paul’s teaching on marriage