Priscilla Papers | Academic Journal | Spring 2024
An interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed academic journal exploring Bible interpretation, theology, church history, and other disciplines as they address a biblical view of women’s equality and justice in the home, church, and world.
"Priscilla and Aquila instructed Apollos more perfectly in the way of the Lord." (Acts 18:26)
Academic JournalsThe opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CBE International or its members.
Spring 2024
Volume: 38 | Number: 2
Power Equations
Abusive and exploitative power relations between men and women result from thinking in hierarchies, and can be deconstructed through an understanding of humankind, male and female, as bearers of God’s image.
Contents
The spring issue of Priscilla Papers examines how abusive and exploitative power relations between women and men result from thinking in hierarchies, and can be deconstructed through an understanding of humankind, male and female, as bearers of God’s image.
Alan Myatt proposes that hierarchical thinking in Christian theology, especially as it endorses the superiority of the male over the female, reflects the Greek philosophical concept of The Great Chain of Being.
Ian Payne teases out the threads that constitute the equality of women and men, through the imago Dei, both at creation and in the reality of the new creation that Christ brings us into.
Dwayne Howell illustrates through the story of Bathsheba and David how social power structures result in exploitation, and questions the reading of Bathsheba—influenced by hierarchy—that seeks to blame the victim and absolve the perpetrator.
Aaron Husband explains, using the analogy of a male-female pair appointed as co-directors of a Christian event, how the complementarian hierarchical position is incompatible with the concept of humanity—male and female—as bearers of the divine image.
John McKinley proposes that Christlike humility such as was practiced by the NT church is the means by which abusive male-female power relations can be deconstructed.
The Struggle to Stay sheds light on why women are leaving evangelical churches through real stories and research.