Good News for Women: A Biblical Picture of Gender Equality [Paperback]

Rebecca Groothuis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1996

A follow-up report to Women Caught in the Conflict reasons through biblical evidence regarding church authority structures on behalf of evangelical feminism.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Groothuis, a former staff member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, addresses here the issue of women and Christian ministry from an evangelical feminist point of view, with particular attention to biblical texts that evangelicals have misused to bar women from the ministry and enforce women's functional subordination both in general and especially in marriage. The author defends human equality as the basic, inherent, and universally applicable biblical teaching; she addresses traditionalist proof texts, showing that mistranslation, cultural bias, or local situation account for their seeming deviation from biblical principle. Finally, she explicitly addresses women's place not only in the ministry but also in marriage, finding mutual authority and mutual submission the best model to support Christian family and ministry. Highly recommended for public and seminary libraries.?Carolyn M. Craft, Longwood Coll., Farmville, Va.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis is a researcher, a writer, and a former staff-member of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801057205
• ISBN-13: 978-0801057205
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It was a 5 until the last chapter., June 5, 2003

By 

Lara McClintock (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Good News for Women: A Biblical Picture of Gender Equality (Paperback)

I hate not to give it a five; but the last chapter brought up a second heavily controversial topic, and traditionalists would use that to discredit the book and the author even though the rest of the book is doctrinally solid. More about that shortly.

The rest of the book gave a lot of solid defense of core Christian doctrines as it defended women. Groothuis pays a lot of attention to historical and cultural details that we 21st century readers wouldn't have known. She got deep into topics without being too difficult to read. In some cases, she presents multiple theories about difficult Bible passages and lets the readers draw their own conclusions. I loved reading the book; and if I hadn't had to do things like work or sleep, I would have been finished with it much sooner because I didn't want to put it down. Oh yeah, her demolition of hierarchist logic by using the core doctrines of Scripture wasn't bad, either.

The big weakness: I loved seeing how Groothuis was able to defend equality in the Creation account and link the beginning of gender hierarchy to the Fall. Unfortunately, in the last chapter she gave props to progressive creationism. Many traditionalists, especially the ones I deal with, are also six-day creationists who see progressive creationism as just another way to undermine the authority of Scripture. All of her arguments up to that last chapter were perfect to use with six-day creationists because they fit exactly with a literal creation framework and did not diminish it in any way. The section mentioning progressive creation could have been left out without interrupting the flow of the book, and would have made the book useful for a much wider audience. The rest of the book is great, but that one section undermines its effectiveness for many of the people who need it most.

32 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Logical and exegetical discussion of women in God's kingdom., October 31, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Good News for Women: A Biblical Picture of Gender Equality (Paperback)

This book presents the most logical and exegetical discussion of the role of women in the kingdom of God. Chapter 2, which defines functional equality, is a must read for anyone who wants to take part in the discussion on the street or in the church. Rebecca Merrill Groothuis is a very thorough Christian, thinker, and writer. Do not dismiss this book as the influence of society, rather give it a thorough reading before coming to a conclusion. Sulia

32 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A well-reasoned and deeply biblical argument., December 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Good News for Women: A Biblical Picture of Gender Equality (Paperback)

This well-written and fully-documented book patiently addresses and analyzes all the pertinent biblical arguments regarding the role of women in the church and the home. It is marked by careful attention to and deep respect for Scripture as God's holy and fully authoritative word (another reviewer on Amazon to the contrary).

It is unique in its exploration of the philosophical consequences and assumptions of Traditionalism (sometimes euphemistically called Complementarianism). This view claims that God has forever ordained men to rule in the church and the home; women are subordinate by nature and design. Rebecca Merrill Groothuis bends over backwards to understand the arguments of Traditionalists and to respond to them fairly, biblically, and logically. Her arguments against traditionalism given in chapter two have never been refuted, let alone fairly addressed in any of literature I have seen. She convincingly argues that women are not to be subjugated to male rule by divine decree.

The crux is this: Jesus Christ calls women and men to follow him as equals. He does not place men over women or women over men. Rather, both are equally sinful, equally redeemable through the work of the Divine Mediator, and equally equipped for ministry in the church and responsibility in the home as they submit to the light of the Holy Scriptures and to the life of the Holy Spirit.

This a charter for freedom, authority, and effectiveness in the Christian life.

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis has also authored Women Caught in the Conflict: The Culture War Between Traditionalism and Feminism (Wipf and Stock, 1997). She has published articles in Christianity Today, Christian Scholars Review, Priscilla Papers, Eternity, The Denver Post, The Rocky Mountain News, and other periodicals.