John MacArthur's View: Head Covering P/12

 

                                                      Read Part One HERE

In this post I will continue to discuss the subject of head covering since today there is a movement called the Head Covering Movement based on 1 Corinthians 11:5 and beyond

 And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head -  it is just as though her head were shaved....

In this post I will share the viewpoint of well known Reformed Pastor John MacArthur (1939 - )

John MacArthur: "In Colossians chapter 1 Paul says Christ is the Head of the Church in verse 18. And in Colossians chapter 2, he repeats it again - Christ is the Head of the Church. In Ephesians 1 he says it again - Christ is the Head of the Church. In Ephesians 4 he says it again - Christ is the Head of the Church. And in that very familiar portion in Ephesians 5:22 and 23 he says that Christ is the Head of the Church, again in reference to understanding that women are to submit to their husbands as the Church submits to its Head, who is Christ Jesus. Clearly it is foundational to the understanding of the Church that we recognise the Lordship of Christ in His Church, the dominance of Christ in His Church, the Headship of Christ."

 

My Comment

Jon MacArthur is correct when he states that Scripture mentions a number of times that Christ is the Head of the Church. However, he does not mention that Christ's function as Head of His Church is connected to His function as Saviour of the Church, which is a sacrificial function and not a rulership function. He, furthermore, writes of the "headship" of Christ, which is not a biblical term but a man-made term brought into the Church by early Roman Catholic Church Fathers who came out of a pagan culture where women were considered inferior. These men understood the term "headship"  to mean "authority". John MacArthur, likewise, understands it to mean "authority" since he connects it to "lordship". The latter term too is not in Scripture but is a man-made term. However, one of Christ's functions is that of Lord and as Lord He rules and in that function He does indeed have authority.        As for women submitting to their husbands, Scripture teaches in Ephesians 5:21-22 mutual submission. And husbands as "heads" of their wives are to love their wives sacrificially as Christ as Head of His Church loves his Church sacrificially.

I have taken you on a quick journey through Church history to show you that Theologians, Pastors and other Leaders today still hold to the traditional view on women as brought into the Church by Roman Catholic Church Fathers such as Tertullian, St John Chrysostom, who were influenced by the pagan culture they came out of which viewed women as inferior beings. That same pagan view on women was then taken on by Protestant Reformers such as Martin Luther, John Knox and John Calvin even though they corrected much of the false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. And even today, as you can see from the above post, that same pagan view on women is still popular. It is quite remarkable for Pastor John MacArthur is very clear on his opposition to Roman Catholic teachings, yet, at the same time, he is willing to bring into his Reformed Church pagan teaching on women. 

I would like to close this section with part  of a chapter from the influential book edited by Professor Wayne A. Grudem "Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood" titled "Women In The History Of The Church" written by Lutheran Pastor William Weinrich which proves my point. "We have emphasized the practice and the argument of the patristic and medieval periods of the church's history. It was during these centuries that patterns of conduct and ecclesial behaviour were developed and solidified. The evidence shows that the Pauline statements against women speaking in the church were consistently upheld... The practice of the early and medieval church was followed without question by the churches of the Reformation."                                                    Sadly, the practice of the early and medieval church is still being followed today without question in the Reformed world as we know from Pastor John MacArthur's teaching on the role of women.

P.S. In my next post I will begin to focus on the Head Covering Movement itself, which will prove that this traditional pagan view is alive and well in that part of the Church.

Read Part Thirteen HERE