Customer Reviews

What Paul Really Said About Women: The Apostle's Liberating Views on Equality in Marriage, Leadership, and Love

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One of the negative aspects of my culture, the Jesus Movement, was it's treatment of women. I took in these ideas, and looking through the scriptures, came to the only conclusion one could from the text in front of us: women should obey their husbands, and should not lead or teach over men. At least, coming from the background I do believing that one should follow the scriptures.

I then joined up with InterVarsity at Occidental College, at the time, one of only two IV chapters in the US with it's staff headed by a woman. Now suddenly I had to deal with these issues- there really wasn't another option for a strong Christian group on our small campus. Was it OK for me to attend these services? What if I listened and didn't apply what the pastor said? Well, of course, much of what she said was good and helpful. Perhaps it was OK to listen, but it was not me sinning, but her? After all, God speaks through non-believers- how much more could he instruct me through a woman?

I wanted to believe that women could teach and lead just as easily as men, at the same level as men; that they were more than just "spiritually equal"; that they didn't have to obey their husbands. It all sounded really nice. But unfortunately, it was not what the Bible said- and we can't simply follow truths we would like and ignore parts of the Bible we don't like.

Then I came across this book. I have not personally had a conversion experience, having grown up in the church, coming to Christ more in a Markian manner than Johanian. But this book initiated my conversion experience, at least as in regards to issues of women. At the time, cultural arguments had little weight with me- after all, how could we have any degree of certainty as to what the original culture was like? Even if so, how could we know that the same issues in that original culture, and subsequent directives, did not also apply to us?

Bristow lays out his argument looking at the original Greek, which was exactly what I needed to hear. And I think what a lot of other people in my situation need to hear. Sure, he also puts out cultural reasons as to why Paul said what he did, in different ways, to the churches in Corinth, Ephesus, et. al. But he also shows quite convincingly and clearly how in the original Greek Paul was actually arguing for something more liberal than the liberal feminist movement of today, but his words got radically misinterpreted through the misogynist eyes of the early Church Fathers. This is not to detract from those Fathers or impute to them some sort of overt attempt at distortion- they were people of their time, and read what they read through the lenses of everything they knew- they could not do otherwise.

But Bristow shows how Paul was freed by the Holy Spirit to see something greater than that which he grew up with. The Feminist Movement comes up short- it argues only for freedom for women. A good thing, but a sadly pitiful thing in comparison to what could be. For Paul advocates that men and women should be in *mutual* submission to each other, mutually loving and giving up their lives to each other. When one thinks about it, kind of makes sense, with the example that Christ already laid out.

Bristow goes further to demonstrate how, with all these other women running around in leadership mentioned in Acts and at the end of Romans and other Pauline letters, whom Paul clearly supports, it would be quite incongruous for Paul to then advocate that women should not be in leadership. And when there is no clear directive for a woman to obey in all of the Old Testament, why then does Paul suddenly advocate a greater restriction under Christ- this, from the great preacher of Freedom under Christ. Bristow answers this by looking at the culture and the Greek text, to demonstrate that, in fact, Paul does *not* advocate greater restrictions for women, or that they should not be in leadership. Rather, he calls for the opposite approach, and emancipation for women.

The one caveat I would have in regards to this book would be credentials- I would love to know what Bristow's background and credentials are, and they are listed nowhere in the book.

After reading this book, I came to understand that, while women are trapped in a sphere of influence under traditional interpretations of women's roles, so are men. I had been trapped into a belief that I had to be in authority in regards to women, and that I could not learn from them. And that sphere, while appearing to be freedom, is just as tight. This book was the first step in leading me to a heart's desire that men and women, brothers and sisters, might know the true gender reconciliation that Christ has to offer through redemption, and not revocation, of the curse.

Being a couch scholar and a lay minister, I've often pondered the confusing words of Paul about women and their role in the family, the Church, and society. The night I purchased this book, I started into it with a healthy skepticism - after all, there is alot of "fluff" out there trying to redefine biblical principles to "tell them what their itching ears want to hear." After carefully going through the book, with my other hand flipping furiously through my Strongs concordance/lexicon, I was overjoyed to find that this book opened up Paul's heart in a completely new way to me. It enriched my faith, changed my personal views on women, and made me more prepared for future life as a husband. Definitely worth the $ if you, like me, get stuck every time Paul mentions submission, headship, and not talking in church. Study to show yourself approved...

I admit, Paul was not a particular favorite of mine when I first read his words about women. I've believed in equality between the sexes for a long time now, but it was not until I came across this book that I discovered that Paul may actually have agreed with me on several important points. Bristow, God bless him, is a pastor who dared to look beyond the degrading shroud several churches still throw on women and seek the truth that contradicted all he had been taught. This book wonderfully presents not only Paul's words in their original meaning (before all the mistranslations) but examines several sexist viewpoints on women that have been around for a long time and are revealed to actually be contradictory of each other. I cannot thank Bristow enough for his wonderfully refreshing and freeing book, which offers knowledge and evidence about equality ordained by God and will challenge any who still insist on keeping women under men. There are, sadly, still such people around; one person who claimed this book is false recommended almost every garbage book encouraging female spiritual bondage that I can think of and said that "obey still means obey" and "submit still means submit". Sure, unless "obey" was used only in mistranslation and never really applied to women in the first place. Also, Christ talks about MUTUAL submission between the sexes, so the argument that it's only for women falls flat on its face even without this book. I recommend this treasure to everyone! If you have never known how to accept Christ's gift of freedom and equality, this book can help you. Oh, and Paul...my apologies :)

As an ordained minister I have seen much of the pain that both men and women suffer because of misunderstandings of Paul's writings in the New Testament. One question confronts all Christians: if the New Testament says that women are not to teach and are to remain silent in the church, then how can women be ordained or serve in positions of congregational authority? John Bristow's book explains with responsible scholarship and Christian integrity what Paul really said about this and many other gender issues-- not what Paul's letters interpreted through a Greek philosophical mindset were misconstrued to mean. This book will answer questions you have wondered about all your life.

Bristow has made some excellent points about male-female roles in Scripture. He's exposed the bankruptcy of the image of male leadership in the home as that of ruler to subject, and he introduces the idea of organic leadership well. Bristow's description of Scripture's use of the term "head" (and not "ruler") for the husband's role is quite convincing. It also gives us a glimpse of the nature of Christianity as a relational religion in the First Century.

However, many of his arguments do not permit the reader to reject other views, but simply propose an alternate (with some force, but not without some caveats). That's important to remember when you get into discussions: Bristow introduces a different view of Paul, without necessarily rejecting other views.

Finally, a couple of the arguments in the book fall apart when examined closely. Bristow's examination of the headship argument in 1 Co 11 includes some information about a Greek preposition ("on"), which doesn't really work out when you examine the way Greek prepositions are used in the passage. It's an obscure issue, but it does overturn this argument.

In all, it's a great book with some positively explosive points about Paul, but a few weaknesses.

This is not a long book, but a refreshing view on something that has been held to be the truth for a long time. I like how he is not "stuck" on being right, and isnt full of himself insisting it to be so. He has one view of the word "kephale" that is an interesting read. One thing that needs to be done though, is not to get stuck on those verses that we all get stuck on. like the "have authority over a man" verse. There are other verses in the Bible that are not often discussed or pointed out that also wieghs on the side of equality for women. Like Junia being an Apostle. Does that not by default mean that she taught men? The Bible has been mostly translated until recently by those that assume that women are inferior to men, you can't exactly take those lenses off when doing your work. No matter what lenses you wear. I think that this book is a good starting point to those that want to study this issue extensively. Its a basic read and an easy one. If you want to get into it more, then try a new one called "Discovering Biblical Equality". And to be fair, the other side of the coin is "Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood." The truth is our experiences are subjective and both sides are convinced we are in the right. You must live with what you know. If you can live with and truly believe that women are not to teach men and are not equals and you are happy with that in your marriage and church... well more power to you. If you are not happy with the status quo, and its never felt right with your spirit, then exploring with an open mind is always a good thing.

I spent many years in a destructive Bible Based Cult which suppressed women in a bad way. After leaving this cult and finding freedom in Christ, I still ran into this kind of belief system everywhere I turned. I saw the freedom in Christ in the scriptures, then there would be those "conflicting" ones like: "I suffer not a woman to teach nor usurp authority over the man." "A woman should be silent in the church" "A woman can be saved by childbearing????" I was ready to throw my Bible away because it these seeming inconsistancies did not add up to what I knew in my heart and spirit. But I believe God allowed me to find this book and others which helped me understand what Paul was really saying and the history that lay behind "WHY" he made these statements and how untterly twisted they had been made by religion. This is a must read for every woman and any men in her life who feel that women must be subservient to men.

This book presents a researched view of certain biblical passages that are used to support the opinion that women are made to submit to men. Although Bristow presents the evidence along with his opinion and personal stories, he does not go so far as to proclaim that his book offers the only possible answer. Since this book discusses theology, which is opinion of the bible, that is to his credit. The case he builds is a strong one. This book is NOT revising scripture any more than a more traditional view did before it became popular enough to be considered truth.

Although I enjoyed reading this book and agree with the basic ideas, I think it is important to read this book along with other books. It is after all best to develop informed opinions instead of assuming you are right:)

At the time that I read the book, I was just about ready to throw the Bible away! I just could not justify my genuine belief that Christ "lived in me" and "In Christ there is neither male nor female" with the other things that were said in the Bible. I had been in an abusive church for many years that taught heavily on the scriptures of women's sub-servience to men and when I read this book, I cried and thanked God for the author that took the time to write it.

I recommend it to anyone, especially pastors and other men who feel that they are superior to women. And also to women who have been beaten down with the scriptures into feeling like they are second class citizens. Sincerely, Free At Last!

Although I consider the Bible the inspired word of God, I have never been one to surrender my own thought processes and accept without question the interpretations of others, nor do I buy the dogma of translational inerrancy.

Many fundamental Protestants have used the study of the Bible in the context of its history to demonstrate fallacies or heresies in Roman Catholic doctrine and the Vulgate used to support them, yet they refuse to analyze the KJV in that same critical light. Bristow, a Disciples of Christ minister, accomplishes this by several means, including identifying Aristotelian philosophies that concur with the unChristian attitudes toward women, while at the same time examining the fine distinctions among Koinę words whose coarse English translations coincide, due to the relative sparsity of the latter language, particularly with respect to the word "love."

He also lays to rest the passage about women remaining silent by placing it in the context of the Corinthian church, where women previously unaccustomed to being permitted to worship among men were unaccustomed to the solemnity and used to chatter amongst each other. I've read a number of other reviews, and I can easily detect the stubbornness of those who see, yet still will not believe a more rational explanation.