Federal Husband
Overview
Federal thinking is foreign to the modern mind. “Federal” has come to mean nothing more than centralized or big. Because our federal government has become so uncovenantal, it is not surprising that the original meaning of the word is lost. But federal thinking is the backbone of historic Protestant theology, and the Church needs to recover the covenantal understanding of federal headship. Husbands are to lead their families, taking responsibility for them as covenant heads—as federal husbands.
Reforming Marriage, by Douglas Wilson, began the discussion of covenant headship. This collection of essays, the Federal Husband, continues that discussion in greater depth, dealing with more specifics of federal husbandry.
Top Highlights
“This means that our theology of Christ’s love will be determinative of how a Christian wife is loved. How a man understands ultimate covenantal loving will settle how he sets about covenantal loving. How he understands the thing to be imitated will determine how and what he imitates. If his theology is biblical (and thereby federal or covenantal), then his wife will be loved as Christ really did love the Church. If the theology is either sub-federal or anti-covenantal, then a woman, when she is loved at all, will be loved sentimentally, not for very long, or in fits and starts.” (Pages 10–11)
“a covenant is a solemn bond, sovereignly administered, with attendant blessings and curses.” (Page 13)
“But a federal husband marries a beautiful woman and vows before God and witnesses that he will nourish and cherish her in such a way that she flourishes in that beauty. Christ bestowed loveliness on His Church through His love. A Christian man is called to do the same. Covenant loving bestows loveliness. Federal commitment imparts beauty.” (Page 22)
“At the heart of this covenantal relationship is the issue of responsibility. Whenever there is genuine federal headship, the head as representative assumes responsibility for the spiritual condition of the members of the covenant body, and the organic connection applies in both directions.” (Page 11)
“He was appalled at the prospect of abandonment by His Father. He knew that He was to be sin on the cross for us. He was never a sinner, but He did become covenantally sinful and consequently came under the judgment of God—‘For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (2 Cor. 5:21). This is why Christ called out in despair—‘And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is translated, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ’ (Mk. 15:34). In the atonement, Christ was smitten by God and afflicted.” (Page 20)
Product Details
- Title: Federal Husband
- Author: Douglas Wilson
- Publisher: Canon
- Publication Date: 1999
- Pages: 112
Douglas Wilson (1953– ), a prolific author and speaker, has been the pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho for over 30 years. He is a senior fellow of theology, a permanent member of the Board of Trustees, and a professional in residence at New Saint Andrews College. Wilson graduated from the University of Idaho with a BA in classical studies and a BA and an MA in philosophy.
He is the editor of Credenda/Agenda magazine and has authored numerous books, including The Paideia of God: And Other Essays on Education, Standing On the Promises: A Handbook of Biblical Childrearing, Reforming Marriage, and Reformed Is Not Enough: Recovering the Objectivity of the Covenant, which can all be found in the Douglas Wilson Collection (17 vols.).
