An appeal to theologians concerning rightful authority and submission and the doctrine of the Trinity
(second in a series of posts regarding the Trinity)
Christians have historically agreed that authority and submission exist within the Trinity. The clearest example of this is the incarnation, in which Jesus submits to the authority of his heavenly Father. The three persons of the Trinity play different roles in their shared work of creation, redemption, and sanctification.
According to subordinationists, however, these different roles entail eternal differences in rank within the Trinity. Though they believe the members of the Trinity are equal in essence, they also hold that the Father has inherent and eternal authority over the Son. Subordinationists apply this view of automatic authority to the relationship between men and women. Just as the Father has inherent and eternal authority over the Son, in their view men have inherent and permanent authority over women.
Authority that is earned (i.e., based on experience, skills, character traits, spiritual gifts, etc.) is much less likely to be abused than authority that is assumed automatically (i.e., based on financial or biological inheritance, genetics, etc.). Accountability is undermined when the basis for authority is something inherent and permanent such as gender or ethnicity. Equality is also undermined when groups of people, such as men or white people or aristocrats, assume inherent and permanent authority over other groups of people. The Spirit’s work in gifting and empowering people for leadership is also neglected in this view.
At the 2006 Evangelical Theological Society, the traditional view of the Trinity was defended primarily by egalitarians, but all Christians should be concerned about subordinationism. The subordinationist view of the Trinity could be used to justify other claims to inherent and permanent authority over groups of people. The model of authority it advocates discourages accountability and equal opportunity since authority is categorically assumed rather than earned.
Given recent evangelical leadership crises, we need theologians who can develop models of rightful authority and submission that value experience, skills, character traits, and spiritual gifts. We need theologians to help us use discernment when submitting to others and wisdom when exercising our own authority. We need theologians to consider the Spirit’s role in raising up leaders. Instead, the subordinationist view seems like an attempt to revise the doctrine of God in order to cling to old models of assumed rather than earned authority.
