But I happen to believe they are wrong, on both counts. We believe that the Bible is a record of God's interaction with humanity through the Jews and through Jesus of Nazareth. We believe in the truth of the Bible, including the miracles recorded therein. We believe in the reality of the resurrection. But our church does not require belief in the inerrancy of the Bible.
Inerrancy makes the Bible an instrument of control.
Well, if an inerrant Bible requires that wives submit to their husbands in all things, then we should never have done away with slavery, for the same Bible requires that slaves obey their masters. As for me, I choose to believe that the error is not in the Bible, but in our understanding and interpretation of it. I choose to believe that we should read the Bible in the context of God's law of love, and be wary of anything not in accordance with it. And I choose to believe that the submission of my wife to my wishes is something to be earned by respect and trust and love, not something to be demanded as a right. Let us pray, Lord, we thank you for revealing yourself through the Bible.