Harmony

The golden thread of harmony is woven into the tapestry of scripture. The paradigm of harmony derives from the Tri-Unity , and the creation of Humanity as Male and Female in the image of the Tri-Unity, to mirror the community that is the essence of the Godhead.. This Divine order was fractured when Eve succumbed to the temptation to disobey God and assert herself, an act that severed her relationship with God. Adam meekly followed her example. As a result harmony was shelved and a power struggle, predicted but not prescribed by God, was the result. Adam, physically stronger, won the struggle for domination.. Since male governance is not prescribed, women are appointed by God himself and therefore accepted as leaders in the Old Testament without censure or contention. Jesus redeems the fracture. He practiced and taught principles that confirm the original paradigm of harmony based in the creation story in Genesis chapter 1. His actions confirm that harmony was his viewpoint. The early church, mentored by Jesus, continued to implement harmony. In Acts, women prophets are accepted as natural without comment or censure. There are female deacons. There is credible evidence of a woman apostle in Romans 16. Paradigms define the key concepts of “head” and “headship”. The traditional paradigm assigns them meaning in the sense of “headmaster” meaning “authority in a chain of command”. The paradigm of harmony, explored in this book, interprets the key concepts in the sense of “headwaters”, meaning “the source of a new community”. Paul continued the practice of Jesus. All his teaching on women makes better, sometimes perfect sense as examined through the lens of harmony. 1 Corinthians 11 exhorts women to act responsibly in making wise choices themselves. Ephesians 5 bases marriage on mutual submission. 1 Timothy 2 condemns power grabbing, specifically by women who, in the Ephesian culture, dominated by the Temple of Diana, were radical feminists asserting themselves. Early in the history of the church, a reversion to the paradigm of hierarchy occurred. Constantine, Augustine and Aquinas, three influential figures that represent the overall point of view of their times, had enormous influence in this regard. Hierarchy became rooted as the scriptural interpretation and contrary texts were made to fit into their paradigms. These three are selected because of their influence on Western culture, their acceptance by Protestant and Roman theologians, and as representative of the pervasive culture of male superiority, sometimes leading to domination. Harmony expounds Gospel truth. This is consistent with Jesus being the headwater of a new community. Redemption The human psyche is fractured as Hermann Hesse puts it: “Every ego, so far from being a unity, is in the highest degree a manifold world, a constellated heaven, a chaos of forms, of states and stages, of inheritances and potentialities. . . . . Even the best of us shares the delusion.” Redemption means restoration. In his death Christ deals with the consequences of the fracture. This fracture impacts individuals and leaves philosophers, psychologists and sociologists bewildered. Adrift like icebergs calved from the same glacier in an Arctic Ocean they bump and grind away at each other. The answer lies in restoration. In Christ, sin is paid for, death is conquered, individuals and relationships are restored. In Christ gender relationships revert to the harmony of Genesis One and marriage is an exercise of mutual submission in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Maturity Is The Goal The clearly stated goal of Jesus is to fashion his disciples into his likeness (Luke 6:40). He goes against all convention by including the women in his band of disciples. He expounds principles that teach harmony and then he demonstrates all his teaching in real life situations. His gender relationships are astonishing. They reflect the situation before the fracture. Paul insists that Christlikeness is God’s intention. The letter to the Galatians is an invitation to develop into mature sonship. Contrary to this gospel priority, women were kept as legal minors under the old “your-husband-shall-rule-over-you” paradigm. The church, so dependent upon women, has at the same time circumscribed their influence. Legalism Replaced by Relationship Jesus scandalized the religious authorities by flaunting their man made, legalistic rules. Jesus healed people on the Sabbath); His disciples were accused of breaking the Sabbath law by picking grain heads to eat while traveling; He challenges the hand washing rituals; He touches and heals an “unclean” woman; He accepts an invitation to dinner with a despised tax-collector. Paul argues the death of legalism as the consequence of the gospel. He rebuked Peter to his face in a public forum over legalism. It is therefore impossible to interpret his use of “head” in a way that reintroduces legalism. Therefore, it is improbable Paul was delivering a lecture on women demonstrating their submission with petty rules? Consider how this contrasts with his explicit teaching: “Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. (Colosssians 2:20-23 NLT). The Apostle Paul, who withstood the Apostle Peter to the face over legalism, and who called his Galatian readers “mindless” for reverting to the law, is made out to be scrupulously legalistic. Head as source of a new community avoids all these requirements in a satisfying way and promotes communion with God rather than distraction through rules and regulations. Maturity in Christ The goal of Christianity is growth into maturity. It is inconceivable that women should be kept in permanent legal immaturity