July 23, 2009

Former president Jimmy Carter has decided to leave the Southern Baptist church. Theologically he left it a long time ago, even supporting abortion and same-sex marriage.

Carter says the reason he’s leaving is that the Southern Baptists teach “subjugation” of women to men. It teaches no such thing. What that denomination teaches is submission and it teaches, as did Paul, mutual submission. Is there an order? Yes, but the man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. That’s a bigger order than the wife submitting.

This isn’t about social fads. It’s about what God’s word teaches. Do some men abuse submission? Of course, but that doesn’t nullify the principle. It only subjects such a man to the disapproval and judgment of God.

I once was in a Sunday school class with Carter and occasionally heard him teach. He was good. His anger and bitterness have affected every area of his life, as his faith once did. He is, frankly, pathetic. Maybe he should join the Episcopal church. They’ll take anybody, except those who believe in God’s Word.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.