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ReadsTooMuchPraysTooLittle's avatar

What does this look like practically? Who writes the meal plan and grocery list? Who shops to make sure the list was followed correctly? Who decides if off-brand is acceptable or not? Who decides which way the toilet paper hangs or if the new car should be red or blue? Are certain tasks delegated by the ruler to the helper, and how are those decisions made? If the helper mishandles the delegated tasks, what are the consequences? Are children to obey the ruler or the helper?

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Ben Inglis's avatar

Thanks for stopping by ReadsToo Much!

It's important not to lose sight of the forest for the trees in all of this. Practically, the husband should be setting the tone and priorities of the household -- offering general spiritual/educational/disciplinary oversight to the goings-on of the home -- obviously not without constant communication and conversation with his wife. If it comes to a point where the husband is micromanaging every aspect of the household (i.e., which way the toilet paper hangs) we've moved outside of the sphere of leadership and into the sphere of tyranny. Or perhaps signs of an obsessive compulsive disorder . . .

In sum, the Scriptures don't present us with a wrote prescriptive list of what particular duties fall to the leader vs. the helper. These practical outworkings will require wisdom and prayerful consideration -- but consideration within the ruler/helper dynamic which the Scriptures lay out.

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Von's avatar

Yeah, the right word is 'patriarch'. "Complementarian" is a half way house.

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