Marriage Churches
In the video below, Jocelyn Andersen challenges the complementarian concept that Christian marriages are “small churches” led by a husband. She argues that this structure is based on a misunderstanding of scripture and, in some cases, harmful traditions.
Key Points:
The Definition of “Church:” Andersen asserts that the word “church” does not exist in the original Greek. Instead, she points to the term ek-klesia, which she defines as a non-hierarchical, living organism of believers connected by the Holy Spirit, rather than a man-made, hierarchical organization (0:12-2:05).
Critique of Hierarchy: She argues that Jesus established leaders (such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) but did not create a ruling hierarchy among his followers. She maintains that nowhere in the Bible does marriage qualify someone for leadership within the ek-klesia (3:06-4:03).
Marriage and Gender Roles: Andersen describes the idea of the husband as the “head of the house” as a fabricated result of the Fall (Genesis 3:16), rather than a commandment. She emphasizes that while homes should be safe and loving places where the Word of God is taught by both parents, the concept of marriage as a microcosmic “church” structure is not biblically supported (4:03-4:57, 9:00-9:58).
Ruling hierarchy of Hebrews Chapter Thirteen: Andersen offers a re-parsing of Hebrews 13:7 and 13:17, arguing that these verses do not command Christians to “obey” leaders in a hierarchical sense, but rather to mimic their faith and yield to their godly examples (5:00-8:10).
Jocelyn Andersen challenges the status quo with an often non-traditional and out-of-the-box approach to biblical understanding. She writes and speaks on a variety of subjects including Bible Prophecy, God and Women, and Christian response to domestic violence. Her work has been featured in magazines, newspapers, radio, and television.
Connect with Jocelyn on Facebook, YouTube, and BookBub. Subscribe to her newsletter updates at Jocelyn’s Landing.
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