Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions
In recent years Christians have become increasingly polarized around the question of what and how women should serve in the church and in the world, with rival organizations, conferences, books and articles all catching the public eye. Competing explanations of scripture, of history, and of human nature all vie for attention, while on the ground, churches and Christian ministries find themselves in tension between members who not only disagree, but question the fidelity of those with whom they differ. Linda Belleville has served us well with a book that moves sure-footedly through the issues: she gathers and concisely presents evidence for the actual roles women played in New Testament times, sets well the context for understanding Biblical statements, and judiciously presents and weighs differing interpretations of crucial texts about women and about leadership in the church. This is a book to move the discussion forward, eliminating some points of contention, and clarifying what's at issue in others. --By James L Paternoster (Ann Arbor, MI USA)