Customer Reviews

Women in Ministry: Four Views (Spectrum Multiview Book Series Spectrum Multiview Book Serie)

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This is an excellent introduction to the theological question of a woman's role in the church. This unique book allows evangelical Christian authors, each of whom grounds their opinion in Biblical text, to speak for their position. It presents selections from the spectrum of opinions. This unusual feature allows the reader to evaluate the Biblical options for themselves. While no conclusion can ultimately be reached from this book alone, it permits one to begin to address the question in a Biblical manner.

This is a Good Book but it is basically from a functionally egalitarian perspective. Even the complementarians are not truely complementarians..courage and a strong biblical stance seems to be lacking in this treatment of such a vital issue.

I liked the book for what it is-which is a book in favor of some degree of egalitarianism. I found the book helpful in seeing the progression of error in relation to the issue of "Women in Minsitry" but I would not suggest this book for someone who thinks that they are going to get a true picture of biblical complementarianism even though there are several sound principles that can be gleaned from the text by a discerning reader.

No matter what your view is on this subject, you will enjoy seeing this issue from all sides. Each of the four commonly held views of women in ministry are represented, from very conservative to very egalitarian. The facts are laid out for each view, and then other scholars react and respond to each view. It works and is easy reading. This book provides valuable insight on this topic and is worth reading. B

JV Dworak

As one who is trying to understand the different perspectives I was frustrated by Dr. Culver's sections. He tended to rely on tradition or "75 generations" instead of exegesis. His arguments were not convincing and at times illogical (i.e., hard to follow). In some of his responses to the other perspectives I found his comments sarcastic (e.g., "Presumably Eusebius and Schaff, both eminent church historians, were 'conditioned' by theology to assume that women had no important leadership roles in the church"). I also thought that he failed to match his fellow writers' knowledge of the Greek language and Biblical exegesis. I noticed a difference between his professional "tone" and the other three scholars. Admittedly, I do not espouse the traditional perspective and this book further connfirmed my beliefs. I guess I was hoping for a well-written, scholarly essay (a fair fight, so to speak). I am left wondering if I disagree so whole-heartedly because of the actual traditional position or am I just really frustrated by Dr. Culver's presentation. I am assuming it is probably both. But,I am reading other books and articles so I will have other opportunities to test what I believe.

Women in ministry is one of those topics that few like to talk about in the church and, when it is talked about, brings with it extreme opinions or views. Though the book "Women in Ministry" presents four views on the topic and their respective responses, I found that, at the end, one cannot truly comes to terms that the four views presented, answered the question whether women can be in the ministry or not.

People naturally follow their opinions or views even when there is strong and convincing evidence that they could be wrong. When one is convinced about a certain doctrine they learned, they seem to look for verses in the Bible that could, even remotely, prove their points at any cost. I am not referring to the amount of verses, but to the quality or content of the evidence. Christians must come to terms that there are things in the Bible hard to understand and that may never be fully understood. That is why it is imperative that Bible students get closer to the meaning of texts, their relevancy, and their principles, while at the same time leave their personal bias, opinions, and preconceive ideas aside. Instead of asking themselves what the Bible is stating or teaching them, they have to be careful not to impose on the passages what they want the passages to state that eventually contradicts the whole message of redemption. Though it is easier said than done, it is possible.

The disagreement whether women can be in a position of authority does not come from the lack of evidence but from the lack of accepting the evidence that they can be in the ministry, too. If women are co-partakers of the same grace God showed to men, what or who disqualifies them from serving where God so desires? Jesus died for all humanity, male and female. If there is only one body of Jesus Christ (His church) and all (male and female) are members of this body, how can a body function properly when some members are rejected or disqualified from serving under the same head (Christ Jesus)?

How is a proponent against women in the ministry able to reconcile their views of forbidding women in the ministry with the statement that "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus"? How can a person be able to practice the Golden Rule with others when they discriminate on fellow believers such as women?

Many Christians accept that women were subject to men because of the fall and that, in the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed a relationship that was alien to chain of command or hierarchy. But though they accept Eve to be equal with Adam in responsibilities of replenishing the earth and subduing it, they somehow forget, conveniently, that Jesus came to restore all things (seek and to save that which was lot ), including placing women to their pre-fall state: side by side with men. But for so long now, many Christians, have debated, and continue to debate, the indispensable role women have in Christian ministry. Some men and women of God conveniently ignore that God is no respecter of persons, that He is sovereign, and that He does as He wills. Being subject to man ordination as a result, comes from the lack of knowledge of the circumstances or situations at the time that some of the Scriptures were written under. Are not all Christians called to the ministry of reconciliation?

What the book did for me was to deepen my past limited knowledge about the different views some people hold about women in ministry. I feel like Mel Gibson's character (Rev. Graham Hess) in the movie "Signs": he went back to his faith which was the very thing he had denied at the beginning of the movie. Though more information was added to my brain about this topic, I am back to the place I was before reading the book: I believe God can use women in any type of leadership role just as He uses men. For me, some of the views, both for it and against it, re-enforced my belief that women are gifted, authorized, and permitted by God to exercise their spiritual gifts in any position the Holy Spirit desires for them to be. I also believe that the limits or restrictions imposed on women are usually born out male supremacy. What one has to look is at the results women produce when they are in the ministry. As student Lawrence Morgan stated (emphasis mine), "God used women throughout the Bible, in the Old and New Testaments. There have been many fine women teachers that have had an impact on my Christian walk. Granted this should not be based on feelings or experiences, but they serve as a witness to what the Bible shows."

I see God as a limitless One and that He is not limited by gender. Having stated that, it is important to find out what the Holy Scriptures say about this subject which, by the way, has caused many churches to split. But at the same time, we must be able to recognize that we don't understand everything that God does.