The Creator’s Tapestry
Scriptural Perspectives on Man-Woman Relationships in
Marriage and the Church
A report of the Commission on Theology and Church Relations
(CTCR)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
December 2009
58 pages
In contemporary America marriage, and the very idea of a
sexual identity, have become extremely politicized. This means it is hard to
find material that is not polemic. In this charged atmosphere, misunderstanding
is rife and the clear teachings of Scripture are most often obscured by
slogans. If your understanding of what God teaches concerning marriage can
be boiled down to a slogan, you don’t understand those teachings.
This report from the CTCR focuses on what God has
established for us in our human relationships, as opposed to spending a lot of
time on how we have abandoned God’s ways (divorce, non-marital sex, homosexual
sex, abusiveness, etc.) As such, it is very uplifting and encouraging. Sure,
abuses are touched on, but they are a minor consideration. The focus is on what
God desires much more than how we fall short.
Using the metaphor of a tapestry, the CTCR illustrates the
relationship between men and women. Women are one thread and men are another.
Together they create (or are intended to create) a beautiful tapestry. The
threads are different in some ways, and the same in some ways.
All the passages, that are most often taken out of context
and distorted in the contemporary debate, are treated in a Christocentric fashion.
This report is not so much the final word on the topic as it is a solid
foundation. I can certainly recommend The Creator's Tapestry.
Pastor John Rickert
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