Patriarchy as the form of familial and political organization.
Revelation about patriarchy is needed because of men and women's weaknesses and sin - natural inclinations and the rational reflection upon those inclinations, culminating in precepts of natural law, are not enough. Doubt, lack of initiative, laziness - these can lead men to rationalize their own weaknesses or failures to lead. Instead of the Hahn thesis that Adam's sin was failure to protect Eve (or something like that), could it not be said that Adam abdicated his role, denying his own responsibility not only in his sin but in his failure to respond to Eve properly? With security and confidence in divine revelation, men can build confidence, remove reservations and fearfulness, while acknowledging that they are answerable to God.
Many men seem to cower in the face of angry women and their shaming language, their responses to men daring to speak the truth, for defending patriarchy. The "nice guy" dies hard, especially if they have been given a guilt trip by their mothers for being men. (Supposedly a problem in Japan, where development had been dominated by the mother while the father has been largely absent due to their work as salarymen.)
Stratford Caldecott recently posited that the authority of the husband is a consequence of the fall and not "natural" - what are to make of this claim? Were Adam and Eve meant to live in a egalitarian, "companionate" marriage?
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