If this is your first time thinking about gender roles between men and women in the church and family, this is a good place to start. Accessibly writtIf this is your first time thinking about gender roles between men and women in the church and family, this is a good place to start. Accessibly written, casts a positive vision for men and women working together rather than a prescription for masculinity and femininity. ...more
Really good book for Christian women who grew up in the church and got a lot of their sex ed in youth group. Started with an analysis of the most popuReally good book for Christian women who grew up in the church and got a lot of their sex ed in youth group. Started with an analysis of the most popular Christian sex and marriage books, and really breaks down some of the untrue messages they convey.
One star short because I would only recommend it to Christian men who don’t have much reactivity to sex and the church. It can be a bit harsh toward men, and it would take a fairly non-reactive one to be able to see through to the spirit of the writing. ...more
This was a book I didn’t know I needed. I have read so much on women in the church, home, and leadership in the past few years, but I didn’t realize tThis was a book I didn’t know I needed. I have read so much on women in the church, home, and leadership in the past few years, but I didn’t realize that I still had some nagging questions about whether the desire to work, in and of itself, was good or selfish.
Beaty gives an unapologetic apologetic for the goodness of work—and the goodness of women working. She points out the primacy of work in the lives of women in Scripture, rooting everything in the creation command given to man and woman to fill the earth and subdue it. Work is for everyone, and work is good.
Beaty writes to and for all women. Her words and kind and affirming to women who desire that their primary work be in the home, raising children, and to women who desire to do other kinds of work. I really appreciated her affirmation that part of the purpose of work is to bless all people, not just those closest to us. She also points out that child rearing was only in the last century or so considered to be a full time job and primarily the responsibility of mothers. This perspective is really helpful in readjusting what we think is normal and helping us remove the cultural glasses through which we tend to read Scripture.
I didn’t agree with everything in the book, primarily the encouragement of ambition. Ambition is generally used in a negative context, implying a desire for position and ladder-climbing. I don’t think ambition is something we should aspire to, since it generally opposes everything Jesus taught us about leading—which is, that leading is serving. Another word that may better communicate what Beaty was getting at us aspirations—it generally has a positive connotation and is less about achievement than about goals.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. I think that stay-at-home moms, working moms, and non-moms will find encouragement here....more
I read a book by a complementarian once who argued that leadership was solely a male role and gifting. Since then I’ve been trying really hard to takeI read a book by a complementarian once who argued that leadership was solely a male role and gifting. Since then I’ve been trying really hard to take a good biblical look at leadership. This book is so unique in that it provides a look at women in leadership that can be used by BOTH complementarians and egalitarians. How, you might ask? The very first step that she recommends is clarifying and communicating your theology. Theology is the rightful starting place, and what we believe then impacts how we apply the rest of the book.
This book is written specifically for male leaders to provide a starting point for the conversation about the equipping of women in the church, specifically those with leadership gifts. It resonated with me as I realized that I have had godly men notice and cultivate these qualities in me. I am so grateful for the men in my life who have tried to empower me to use the spiritual gifts God has given me. I hope that every male leader I know will read this book. ...more
It’s not what you think. The position presented here could fit into either a complementarian or egalitarian schematic.
Summary: Dickson, through exegeIt’s not what you think. The position presented here could fit into either a complementarian or egalitarian schematic.
Summary: Dickson, through exegesis and historical context, defines “teaching” as Paul uses it in the pastoral epistles (including 1 Timothy 2) as the laying down and preserving intact of Jesus teaching through an oral tradition. With the canonization of the New Testament, this kind of authoritative preservation is done by the written Word, not Pauline “teachers,” as all preaching and teaching should be judged by Scripture itself. Exposition of a specific passage of Scripture, Dickson says, is closer to exhortation or prophecy: two activities we see women doing regularly in Scripture.
Evaluation: Steve and I talked about the premise of this book, he said he would need to see extensive word studies and historical background/extrabiblical research for that specific definition of “teaching,” and I think the book really provides a solid foundation in each of these areas. It will be interesting to see how further research either supports or disproves this position.
Who should read it: Definitely worth a read for evangelical complementarians. I think it always helps to read good, unreactive arguments that we disagree with to help us sharpen where we actually stand. I’ve seen a tendency to lump all leadership and many serving roles into the role of pastor/elder and then exclude women from these roles in real desire to be faithful to scripture. Often though, this “lumping” puts barriers in front of women’s ability to legitimately exercise spiritual gifts in serving the church. I think complementarian men, especially those who might consider leadership a particularly male role, have a great responsibility to exercise in making sure that women are listened to as spiritual mothers and sisters and enabled to serve the church....more
David Bennett’s testimony is that experiencing God’s love changed him forever. It did not remove his homosexuality. Here he chronicles his journey of David Bennett’s testimony is that experiencing God’s love changed him forever. It did not remove his homosexuality. Here he chronicles his journey of experiencing God, which led to his wrestling with God (and the church) over his sexuality.
David’s conclusion is that God demands full surrender of our competing loves—a needed cry for all believers. Another strength of this book is David’s compelling arguments for the way he identifies himself and his struggle, which gives him unique access to the LGBTQ community. Pastors and church leaders should definitely read this book. David presents a perspective that is needed if we are to love our gay neighbor as ourselves. ...more
This book is out of the Wesleyan/holiness tradition. The author contributes a solid argument that for women to be empowered to serve according to theiThis book is out of the Wesleyan/holiness tradition. The author contributes a solid argument that for women to be empowered to serve according to their gifting, men in authority must seek out and recognize women’s gifts and put them in positions where they can exercise those in service of the church.
Cowles labels complementarianism in the church as discrimination, and seems to interpret scripture through that lens. His arguments are all presented in a less slanted way by Alice Mathews in Gender Roles and the People of God; I’d recommend her book over this one....more
This is a short read and avoids the pitfall of overstated arguments that plague many complementarian books. I appreciated hearing from a woman who minThis is a short read and avoids the pitfall of overstated arguments that plague many complementarian books. I appreciated hearing from a woman who ministers in a liberal setting where the idea of some roles in the church being reserved for women is a horrible offense. She takes a frank but compassionate approach to the subject.
Keller believes women are forbidden “authoritative teaching” roles in the church, which she seems to practically define as pulpit teaching and exercising church discipline. She interprets the 1 Tim and 1 Cor passages forbid women from making judgments about what is gospel and what is heresy, though, and I have trouble understanding how that fits under preaching and pastoring. At one point she seems to imply that non-authoritative teaching means that if you think it’s bad, you can just ignore it.
I have found that gender roles tend to be presented as “men are leaders; women are submitters” or as “women’s primary place of ministry is the home; men’s primary place is......idk something else.” Keller emphasized men as leaders in the church and though she said that women can and should exercise leadership and teaching in non-authoritative ways, I wish she would have included more examples. ...more
Jackie’s testimony is powerful. Also, if you replace “gay” in the title with whatever your personal idol is, really good book about worshipping God inJackie’s testimony is powerful. Also, if you replace “gay” in the title with whatever your personal idol is, really good book about worshipping God instead of gods. Convicting book, no matter your particular struggle....more
I read this book because I wanted something from a complementarian perspective that was less frantic than Grudem. I had high hopes when I saw that theI read this book because I wanted something from a complementarian perspective that was less frantic than Grudem. I had high hopes when I saw that the recommendations, but Kostenberger’s book only gets two stars from me because of many points that seem unnecessarily contrived and isogeted.
I appreciate their thoughts on male headship, but the arguments for gender norms of men as leaders and women as submitters were weak and demonstrate isogesis. The Ks strongly believe that women have a primary responsibility to the domestic sphere but never really spell out what men’s sphere is except “leading.” He also used eternal subordination to support his position, which I find unnecessary.
Overall, I am still looking for a complementarian book that treats the text well and takes seriously the examples of women church leaders in the New Testament....more
Really great resource for both the same-sex attracted and pastors who want to minister well to this group. Ed’s grasp of Scripture is excellent, and hReally great resource for both the same-sex attracted and pastors who want to minister well to this group. Ed’s grasp of Scripture is excellent, and his arguments engage the cultural narrative of same-sex attraction on its own terms. I would even share this book with someone who wondered why the SBC rejects homosexuality as a sin. ...more
As the subtitle suggests, Grudem sees egalitarianism as the first step down the slope to theological liberalism. He defines theological liberalism as As the subtitle suggests, Grudem sees egalitarianism as the first step down the slope to theological liberalism. He defines theological liberalism as a rejection of the authority of scripture, and argues that evangelical egalitarians must either reject or redefine Scripture to defend their positions. Grudem believes that egalitarians start with feminism and reinterpret Scripture in light of the rampant feminism in today’s culture.
If egalitarianism inevitably leads to theological liberalism, then Grudem’s version of inerrancy seems to lead to fundamentalism. And if you find the latter to be an unfair assumption, then maybe the former is as well. He leaves little room for other interpretations of scripture, and defines theological liberalism so broadly that he includes belief in Genesis 1 as a literary device as an equal offense to rejection of Jesus as the only way to God. I find lumping so many doctrines into one demonized category to be unfair.
I thought part 3 was the best part of the book—a look at scripture and interpretations of the difficult passages. Grudem acknowledges that Priscilla helped instruct Apollos, but I was disappointed that he did not explain whether or not she was in line with 1 Timothy 2:12. His reliance on the eternal functional subordination of the Son is troubling, and he doesn’t adequately acknowledge that his appeal to this idea is not shared by a majority of his complementarian companions.
Overall, I found Grudem to be a little frantic over liberalism. I would like to read something complementarian that has more of an emphasis on scriptural interpretation and less propaganda against liberalism. I believe he wrote another book focused that way, and I may check it out. ...more
Great little book on the issue of women in ministry. Easy read, clear thoughts on the exegesis of difficult passages and the overall narrative of womeGreat little book on the issue of women in ministry. Easy read, clear thoughts on the exegesis of difficult passages and the overall narrative of women in the New Testament Church. ...more
Loved how Lee-Barnewall talked about gender through the lens of the kingdom theme of “reversal.” She doesn’t give direction on what gender roles are aLoved how Lee-Barnewall talked about gender through the lens of the kingdom theme of “reversal.” She doesn’t give direction on what gender roles are appropriate. Instead, she asserts that maybe we are asking the wrong questions. Instead of asking, “Who has authority?” and “What are women allowed to do in church?”, that perhaps we should be asking questions like, “How does the idea of ‘reversal’ in God’s kingdom impact how we view headship?”
A refreshing perspective that allows you to come outside of our narrow cultural viewpoint. She also spends a lot of time on the development of our current cultural viewpoint, emphasizing that the questions we ask emerge out of our culture, rather than from Scripture itself. ...more
Wow, Alice. Alice is an 86-year-old lady professor woman of God. Here, she sets forth the idea that a gendered hierarchy of roles is part of the conseWow, Alice. Alice is an 86-year-old lady professor woman of God. Here, she sets forth the idea that a gendered hierarchy of roles is part of the consequences of the fall in Genesis 3. She proposes that God’s vision in Genesis 1-2 was for male and female working together to fill the earth and subdue it.
She is first and foremost concerned with what Scripture teaches and carefully exegetes the passages used to identify gendered roles in the church and the family. Her hermeneutic is careful and consistent, lining up Pauline texts with the whole narrative of Scripture.
Her history of women and their treatment by church fathers shows how far we’ve come and how far we have to go. Coming from a denomination of complementarians, I really enjoyed reading this careful approach from a different perspective....more
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