Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions [Paperback]

Linda L. Belleville (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2000 | Series: Three Crucial Questions

This refreshingly balanced treatment compares women's roles in contemporary society and church to womens roles in ancient Jewish, Greek and Roman societies and the early church.

Editorial Reviews

Review

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)

About the Author

Linda L. Belleville is professor of New Testament at Bethel College in Mishawaka IN and the author of commentaries on 2 Corinthians and 1 Timothy and of Two Views of Women in Ministry (Zondervan Academic).

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic; 2000 edition (March 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080105351X
• ISBN-13: 978-0801053511
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,372,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Linda Belleville
Phone Number: 574 217-7288
Send an Email: [e-mail]

Dr. Linda Belleville is a Ph.D professor of biblical studies. She received a B.M. in piano performance from Eastman School of Music, the Univerisity of Rochester, a M.A. in NT from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a PhD in NT (with specialties in John, Paul, the early church fathers, and the Septuagint) from the University of St. Michael's College, University of Toronto. She grew up in Cleveland Ohio, where she served on staff with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and taught piano at the Cleveland Music Settlement. Prior to coming to Bethel College, she was a full, tenured professor at North Park College and Theological Seminary. As an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, she taught in the Young Life Institute and for InterVarsity's National Institute for Seminary Education. She is also an adjunct professor of NT at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.

Linda is a translator for Tyndale House's The New Living Translation and recently published a theological commentary on 1 Timothy for Tyndale's Cornerstone Commentary series and Sex, Lies and the Truth: Developing a Christian Ethic in a Post-Christian Society (Wipf and Stock). She has authored four other books, two monographs and some thirty-five articles and essays.

Linda has a passion for the local church and has been active in leading small group ministries, college and career groups, and Sunday school classes. She speaks at InterVarsity student and staff conferences, church retreats, college and university chapels and workshops, and local area churches.

Linda and her husband Brian have been married for 33 years. They have 2 college-age children, Katie and Paul, a cairn terrier named "Chaira" (Greek "joyful") and a feline Katrina victim named Darlene. Linda is a die-hard Cleveland Indians, Browns, and Cavaliers fan. She enjoys reading mystery novels, jogging, playing board and card games and hanging with her kids.

Memberships include:
* Society of New Testament Studies
* Evangelical Theological Society
* Society of Biblical Literature
* Institute for Biblical Research

Selected Publications

*Sex, Lies and the Truth: Developing a Christian Ethic in a Post-Christian Society. Wipf and Stock, 2010.
*1 Timothy. Cornerstone Theological Commentary Series. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers. Tyndale, 2009.
*Two Views on Women in Ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, Revised edition, 2005.
*Keeping in Step With the Spirit. Chicago, IL: Covenant Women Ministries, 2001.
*Women Leaders & the Church: 3 Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 2000.
*A Biblical Perspective on Sexuality. (Occasional Paper nos. 6) Chicago, IL: Covenant Publications, 1998.
*2 Corinthians. (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series) Vol 8. Downer's Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
*"1-2 Corinthians." In The New Living Translation. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996.
*Reflections of Glory. Paul's Polemical Use of the Moses-Doxa Tradition in 2 Corinthians 3.1-18, JSNTS 52, Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1991.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical and exegetical work, July 13, 2000

By 

James L Paternoster - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions (Paperback)

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.