That's an idea I keep thinking about and enriching.
In our debates about gender roles, many progressive Christians advocate for egalitarianism on the basis of justice. And I'm not saying that is illegitimate.
But I'm wondering if the better argument is Christological. More specifically, what sort of marriage is best positioned to form us into the image of Jesus?
Ponder the very last thing Jesus does in the gospel of John. Jesus washes the disciples feet and says, "Do this." So if we take that as our Christological aim, the telos of all our spiritual formation projects, which model of gender roles--egalitarianism vs patriarchalism--gets us closer to the man on his knees washing feet?
If marriage is spiritual formation, which does a better job--egalitarianism vs patriarchalism--in forming us into the image of Jesus?
Phrased negatively, which model of gender roles--egalitarianism vs patriarchalism--creates the greatest temptations to pull us away from that man on his knees washing feet?
In my option, the answers are clear. If marriage is trying to form us into the image of Jesus, if marriage is spiritual formation, gender roles will practice "mutual submission."
Mutual submission is the model of marriage that forms you into the image Jesus, the one found in our midst as "the one who serves" (Luke 22.27).
