Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Estuary

Home
Evangelical
Women in Religion
One-Year Bookiversary for ’40 Questions’

One-Year Bookiversary for ’40 Questions’

Last updated on: January 17, 2024 at 11:02 am by Kelley Mathews

0 Comments

One-Year Bookiversary for ’40 Questions’ 2024-01-17T11:02:40-05:00 Kelley Mathews

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

book cover image One year ago today, Sue Edwards and I celebrated the release of 40 Questions about Women in Ministry, a Kregel Academic addition to their 40 Questions series. In our book, we address the controversy surrounding the Bible’s teaching about women—their worth, their relationship to God, their gifts, and their place in church, home, and society.

If you attend church regularly, you’ve likely run across some facet of the conversation. In the American South, where Sue and I live among evangelical Christians, the topic is fraught with tension and disagreement. How can so many Bible-believing Christians disagree on what the Bible says and how to apply it? Many people in the pew (or chairs) do not know how to study the issue for themselves. Enter 40 Questions.

What the Book Does

The forty questions we address dive deep into particular passages of Scripture, look at the history of women in the church, analyze interpretive methods, and discuss how churches can apply the Bible’s teaching. For each question, we offer a summary of scholars’ arguments on both sides—those who believe the Bible limits women’s participation and those who believe the Bible grants women and men the same (or equitable) opportunities to serve. Typically we conclude with discussion questions to further readers’ understanding.

What we do NOT do is tell you which argument is better. The goal of the book is to show both sides and offer readers a path to exploring the issue themselves. Knowing the key theologians and their writings, you can now investigate further on your own—and come to your own conclusions based on solid research.

One Year Later

We spent the first few months of 2023 sharing the book with various podcast audiences. If you missed them or want to hear from Sue and me what we hope the book will accomplish, listen in to any of these:

The Alabaster Jar, with Lynn Cohick

Honestly, Though, with Rebecca Carrell and Nika Spaulding

At the Table, with Jacki C. King

Beyond Ordinary Women, with Kelly Arabie

The Holy Shift Show, with Christine Chandler Prater

The Bearing Life Podcast, with Julie Shannon

Graced Though, with Christian Williams

Would you rather read about it? Consider these articles and interviews found online:

Reading Acts, a review

The Denison Forum

Sandra Glahn’s Recommended Reading List

An Excerpt

My own posts on this blog: You’ve Got Questions. Table of Contents. What the Ideal Man Has to Say about Women.

Readers’ Responses

My favorite feedback this year came not in the positive reviews or encouraging comments. We did get plenty of those! It wasn’t in the 5-star ratings, though we appreciate them immeasurably. No, the most heartwarming response to 40 Questions came from pastors who used the book as a resource for a group of their church leaders as they explored their stance on women in ministry. I believe its evenhanded approach makes it an ideal resource for pastors exploring the validity of inherited perspectives. It has helped leaders know how to evaluate their church’s theology of women. It has given individual women a sense of hope and encouragement. It has brought clarity to the overall discussion surrounding women in leadership.

In some parts of the church, the controversy over women in leadership continues to rage (and gives no indication it will ever be solved). If you encounter the discussion, I hope you’ll take a look at 40 Questions about Women in Ministry to help you navigate the minefield. Feel free to contact Sue or myself for further help or consultation.

Previous Post

January 10, 2024

Review: The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory by Tim Alberta

Next Post

February 11, 2024 An Evangelical's Guide to Lent

Who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Judas Saul James