against women just takes that idea one step further and begins to treat
them as objects and as unworthy of dignity and respect.
The chart goes on to point out how “Male Dominance” would
work out in a religious system where all ministry is done by men and
women’s gifts are suppressed and squelched. This view would also
lead to things like the Crusades, the mistaken military expeditions in
the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries that were carried out to
regain control of the Holy Land from the Muslims by force. Within
sports, there would be excessive competition and losers would be
humiliated. Regarding crime, there would be a repressive government
with little freedom, and things like debtors’ prisons would dehuman-
ize the poor. Women would not be permitted to own property, and
boys would be given preferential treatment in schools.
The Complementarian Middle Column: Equality and Differences and
Unity All Maintained.In contrast to these errors in both directions, the
biblical picture is one that emphasizes equalityand differencesand unity
at the same time. Parallel to the equality and differences among the
members of the Trinity, in a complementarian view men and women
are equal in value but have different roles. Within marriage, a husband
will manifest loving, humble headship, and a wife will manifest intel-
ligent, joyful submission to her husband’s leadership. Children will
be loved and cared for and valued, and they will be raised with both
discipline and love. Children will respect the authority of their par-
ents, but their parents will respect the dignity of children as having
equal value because they are persons created in the image of God.
Within the family, there will be a division of responsibilities in which
the husband is primarily responsible to lead, provide for, and protect
his family. The wife, on the other hand, will be primarily responsible
to help her husband by managing the household and nurturing the
children, though both husband and wife will often participate will-
ingly in helping the other person with his or her area of primary
responsibility.
In the realm of sexuality, a complementarian view will result in
monogamous, lifelong marriage and in equally fulfilling experiences
of sex as the deepest expression of a great “mystery” created by God:
76 BUILDINGSTRONGFAMILIES