Journal: Priscilla Papers
Volume: PP 13:4 (Fall 1999)
Article: Baal In Your Home
Author: Kuruvilla Chandy

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PP 13:4 (Fall 1999) p. 7

Baal In Your Home

Kuruvilla Chandy

In addition to pastoring Grace Bible Church in Lucknow, India, the Reverend Kuruvilla Chandy also speaks at conferences and writes. This article is adapted from Light of Life (Nov 95) with permission.

If you are a conservative Christian, you may be worshipping at the altar of Baal. A conservative is anyone who wants to preserve the existing social order. While a conservative Christian may identify himself or herself as one who safeguards the orthodoxy of Christian doctrine, often there is also blind allegiance to customs having no divine sanction.

When Pharisees taught their disciples to practice “corban,” they did not imagine they were departing from God’s Word. They thought they had graduated to super-spirituality by dedicating to God the material support normally given to one’s parents. They prided themselves in the fact that their new teaching had given God priority over parents. But Jesus said that this was not acceptable because specific commandments given by God had been set aside. It was foolishness to think that God would be pleased with disobedience disguised as dedication (Mt 15:3-9).

Traditions And Customs

In a similar way, Christians have developed traditions and customs that have very subtly diverted them from the teaching of Scripture. The “headship” of husbands is one such tradition. It is often suggested that most family trouble is caused by the failure of male leadership in the home, either because husbands abdicate their responsibility or because wives are bossy. Assertive authority by the husband is regarded almost as a talisman for marital bliss. Male headship has been emphasized by many evangelicals without considering biblical context.

The hard fact is that male domination leads to the hurt and abuse of women and children. Dominance need not be taught to those who are physically stronger and older in years. It comes naturally to them. Traditionally, men have automatically assumed the dominant role in most marriages, while most wives have accepted its Tightness. References are often made to hen-pecked husbands. The fact that there are no references to rooster-pecked wives is indicative of male domination as normative.

Partners In God’s Image

Many arguments about male superiority are based on misunderstanding the creation narrative. Male and female are equally created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) and are charged to rule creation as equals (vv. 26-31). They even shared the name “Adam” (5:2).

Some have argued that since wo...

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