Fishers of men αλιεις ανθρωπων

Transforming culture

Since none of the biblical texts were written in a cultural vacuum, only the most naïve would argue that the cultural context had no influence on the inspired texts.   Both the Old Testament and New Testament texts arose in a largely patriarchal culture.  In spite of this, we find significant argument in some of the texts that would elevate the position of women above much of the surrounding culture.  Divine revelation occurs in and through people bound to a culture, but there is a transforming nature about the revelation.  If it were not so it would be worthless revelation.   While the haustafeln of Paul and Peter is a cultural contextualization of the liberating Good News, it maintains the transforming ethic they heard from the radical teachings of Jesus.  Although, the historical church has failed often to see and act according to this transforming ethic, this ethic is why finally, the church as rejected the institution of slavery.  I have a friend that does development work among some tribes in the highlands of central and south Vietnam.  These tribes are traditionally matriarchal or matrilineal.   Earlier missionaries were successful in converting many to Christianity.  The missionaries taught  against their matriarchal traditions, as they believed the Christian revelation was to bring these men and women to repentance and transform their society to a Biblical patriarchal model.   The result, my friend tells me, is a dysfunctional society, in which women who were traditionally decision makers and leaders, have been forced to submit to men who do not have the tradition to lead and reside in this leadership largely inactive.