Why "Under Authority" - II

As some of you know, I’m interested in fundamental structures. I want to understand how everything relates to everything else.

As a Christian, I ground that understanding to a large degree in the first few chapters of Genesis. Among the key anthropological structures found there are: (a) man in the image of God, (b) woman created from man, (c) man given stewardship/authority over the rest of creation, and (d) man under God’s authority ("don’t eat of the tree”).

The key incident of course is the Fall, with its introduction of rebellion against God. This theme echoes throughout history, especially in Christ’s healing sacrifice.

If God’s goal is to have a loving relationship with us, and that relationship is contingent upon an existence (in this life and beyond) that is completely aligned with what God created us to be (i.e., holy in accordance with the Word that spoke us into existence), then it seems to me that an understanding of the created authority structures is fundamental to understanding everything else.

My understanding is that at least four such created structures are seen:

• Creation - God over the individual, family, church, and government
• Family - husband over the wife over the children
• Church - elders over the congregation
• Government - government over the governed

Even in a fallen world, it would seem that these structures are visible in general revelation; although they’re often grossly distorted. Criticisms of these structures often infer (incorrectly) that an authority structure is invalid if an individual in authority is imperfect in the exercise of that authority.

What is the created nature of these structures, and how have they been distorted? I’ll begin to address that question in the next post.