However, there was Roman legislation covering this issue, stating that ”a woman should attempt nothing, either in public or private, that belongs to man as his peculiar function”.10 Another Roman law stated, ”In our laws the condition of women is, in many respects, lesser than that of men. Women are precluded from all public offices; therefore, they cannot be judges, nor execute the function of magistrates; they cannot sue, plead, nor act, in any case, as proxies.”11 It was therefore illegal under Roman law for women to speak in public assemblies, ask questions, or interrupt a speaker in public—however men were legally entitled to do so. Paul’s writings here are thus addressing the political position of the church in the Roman empire, encouraging Christians to follow the laws of the land to not arouse persecution. Note, however, that Paul tells the women in this passage that if they do have questions, they should ask their questions! He encourages women to learn as much as they can in spheres where they are safely able to pursue knowledge. They are not to be submissive in a manner which inhibits independent thought but are to ask questions and learn from their husbands as independent agents. As Ellen White wrote, “Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him.” Never was there an intent in Scripture to oppress women as forced dependants, but to recognise men and women as equals. Another passage which is often used by abusers is that of Ephesians 5:22,23, which reads, ”Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour.” Male perpetrators of domestic abuse in churches have long used this passage to defend their actions, claiming their right to ”discipline” their wives if they do not act in ways deemed submissive to the husband. These abusers, however, completely disregard the verse immediately preceding it, which reads, ”Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” as well as the verses immediately following it. What abusers fail to recognise is that just as Christ came to serve sacrificially, so men are instructed here to love and serve their wives. And wives are instructed to love and respect their husbands as the church loves and respects Christ. Language of leadership is never used in the New Testament to imply dominance, but rather to lead through service and self-sacrifice.12 Instead, language of love and respect for one another, and submitting to one another in unity is used. This is clear in the following verses in Ephesians 5:25-29: ”Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no-one ever hates his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.” Husbands are to treasure, protect and nurture their wives as Jesus Christ does for the church. And Jesus is the fulfilment and focus of Scripture—a Man whose life was dedicated to selfless sacrifice through unfailing love. The very concept of marriage was designed after God’s love for humanity, reflecting the intimacy and giving-away of self to one another in vulnerability and mutual submission. These principles of love and respect underpin a true understanding of Scripture, leaving no door open to entertain justifications of abuse. So why does this problem exist within our churches? To ask that question is to ask why sin remains in the lives of Christians—and that is a big question! But essentially, this problem arises out of a sinful heart, a heart unconverted and untouched by the tender mercy of Jesus. The solution? There is no easy answer. . . On the one hand, perpetrators must ask God to create within them a new heart and place a new spirit within them (Ezekiel 36:26,27). But when my placement at the family law centre ended, it broke my heart to realise the harsh truth that sometimes the only viable solution for many of these domestic violence situations was separation, divorce or even AVOs (Apprehended Violence Orders) being put in place for the safety of those abused. As a Church, our communities should strive to be a model of respectful relationships to the rest of the world, reflecting the self-sacrificing love of Jesus by treating one another with respect, dignity and love. May we not be responsible for contributing to these statistics of domestic violence and abuse, but instead may we be the first to call out domestic abuse and provide meaningful healing to those it impacts. 1. . 2. . 3. . 4. . 5. . 6. . 7. . 8. Haley Horton, ”The unavoidable link between patriarchal theology and spiritual abuse” CBE International (January 2021) . 9. Michelle L PonTell, ”Sacred silence: Domestic abuse in conservative Christian communities” (2011). Theses Digitization Project. 3936. . 10. l. 9, PAB. LIB. 31, QUAEST. 11. l. 2, de Reg. Juris. ULP. LIB. i. AD SAB.-Vid. POTH. Pand. Justin., vol 1, p13. 12. Jon Paulien, ”What about Headship Theology?” Accessed at . Olivia Fairfax editorial assistant, Adventist Record. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has zero tolerance for abuse. If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, we would urge you to report it to the police. If you need assistance in doing so, staff at Adsafe are ready and willing to help. Adsafe is an independent agency of the Church providing support for victims and their families. For more details: . June 15, 2024 | Adventist Record 17