‘The Glory of God is a Human Being Fully Alive’ (Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses 4.20.7)

Abstract

The church affirms that God created male and female in God’s image, but research across diverse church traditions suggests the theological and pastoral consequences of this fact are easily set aside. Too many lay ignore, condone, or openly allow the abuse of Christian wives by husbands, lay or ordained, though never the reverse. The situation is supported or exacerbated by inadequate or poor teaching (a kindly Mother’s Day sermon is not enough), by a church history in which the twin threads of misogyny and equity struggle for dominance, and by a crucial failure to clarify whether God or culture is worshipped. Based on anthropological investigations over twelve years and five continents, this paper summarises biblical, historical and theological aspects, giving voice to women and men across the world. It concludes that inaction is collusion in sin.