Image and Glory of God

<p>This hermeneutical case-study illustrates the complexities of using biblical materials to shed light upon present-day concerns. The specific situation addressed is the recent evangelical controversy regarding gender roles. A significant strand of this debate concerns the relationship between gender and the doctrine of God. This proposition is derived from 1 Corinthians 11. <p/>Whilst aspects of this argument are criticized Lakey also argues that questions of God and gender are related. 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 articulates sexual difference using the metaphysical language of antiquity thereby situating the sexes vis-à-vis each other as microcosms of God and Christ vis-à-vis the cosmos. For Paul the Church circumscribes that part of the cosmos able to express its creaturely relationship to God. <p/>However modern interpreters arguably cannot share Paul's cosmological and anthropological assumptions. Lakey points us towards forging a solution for how to interpret as Christian Scripture a text that invites its readers to assume a stance that is now problematic for many modern Christians.</p>