Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence

The Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA) wants to reduce the incidence and effects of domestic and family violence in our church.

Too often past practices in church communities were built on false myths of male domination and control. And too often this meant that men were excused for their violent and abusive behaviour, and women were blamed and/or forced to return to very unsafe relationships. It is therefore imperative that we re-examine the ways in which we provide support to victims of abuse, and challenge the values and behaviours of those who perpetrate it.

What better way to begin our re-examination of male attitudes to women than by considering Jesus’ relationship with women.

In his ‘Heartland’ eNews (November 2016), LCA Bishop John Henderson wrote:

In a society and time when women were regarded as the property of men Jesus numbered them among his disciples; when women were not allowed to speak with men in public Jesus spoke freely with them; when women were not allowed to be educated Jesus let them sit at his feet and learn. In his kingdom women are equal citizens: 'Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother' (Mark 3:35).

As Jesus fully accepted women into his kingdom, so now Christian men will seek to give all women and girls that same acceptance, respect, dignity and love, beginning with those women and girls who are members of our families, our partners, or members of our church, work and social communities.

One of the New Testament texts that has often been used to support male headship and, therefore male dominance, in marriage is Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 5:21–25:

Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour. Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

The explanation of the LCA tagline, where love comes to life, says in part:

'Life in the church is a preparation and empowerment for a life of love in the world. Our families and our communities, our workplaces and cultural settings might well experience through us something of God’s love as it comes to life again in us.'

We must be mindful of how we reflect how God’s love comes to life for those who have been abused, or have perpetrated abuse and have come to us for support, healing, and confession.