Product Description

Stanley J. Grenz takes the debate over women and the ordained ministry to a new level with this in-depth theological and historical study.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #202479 in Books
• Published on: 1995-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 284 pages

Review
In Women In The Church: A Biblical Theology Of Women In Ministry, Stanley Grenz and Denise Kjesbo offer an in-depth, comprehensive theological study of this controversial and often bitterly contested issue. Carefully considering the entire spectrum of concerns surrounding women and the ordained ministry, Women In The Church will enlighten people on all sides of the issue, and concludes that "Historical, biblical and theological considerations converge not only in allowing, but also in insisting, that women serve as full partners with men. " Thorough and irenic, Women In The Church takes an intense discussion in a fresh, and possible more fruitful, direction. Women In The Church is a much needed addition to all theology, biblical studies, and women's issues reference libraries. -- Midwest Book Review

Customer Reviews

A Respectful, Convincing Treatment of the Subject
"Historical, biblical, and theological considerations", writes Stanley J. Grenz "converge not only in allowing, but also in insisting, that women serve as full partners with men" in the work of the Christian church. His book (coauthored with Denise Muir Kjesbo), Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry is one of the best- perhaps THE best treatment I've ever read on the subject of women's roles in churches, marriage, and family.

Grenz and Kjesbo are always respectful toward those who espouse a hierarchy for church and family based on gender roles, but their case for an egalitarian theology of women's roles is extremely thorough and compelling.

While I recommend Grenz and Kjesbo's Women in the Church as perhaps the best example of the superior scholarship being performed today by egalitarian theologians and expositors, two other treatments deserve mention. Gretchen Gaebelein Hull's Equal to Serve (1987) and Rebecca Merrill Groothuis's Good News for Women (1997) treat the subject admirably.

An exegetically solid book
I read this book as part of a Bible study and found it to be a very helpful resource. Grenz and Kjesbo go into thorough detail looking at the "problem texts" facing women in ministry today, keeping a very solid, honest exegesis of the Word of God. Even as both authors are unapologetic about subscribing to an egalitarian view of women in ministry (believing that women should be allowed to participate in ministry without imposing constraints beyond what is expected of their male co-laborers), both the egalitarian and complementarian views receive a fair and respectful assessment based on an honest reading of scripture.

I would recommend this book for anyone seriously interested in studying out the issue of women in ministry. Because of the thoroughness of the book--investigations into the original languages, outlining of various stances and debates, and the citing of numerous outside sources--it is an extremely helpful study resource, although it would not serve as well for a casual read. Even so, the tone of the book is such that the reader does not need to be a theologian in order to appreciate it. This book sets a good scriptural foundation for a study of women in ministry, and I believe men and women alike will benefit from reading it.

The Best Book Written on this Issue
This is easily the best work written supporting biblical equality. It is thorough, touching on a variety of issues of men's and women's roles. It addresses complimentarian concerns carefully and thoughtfully, but explains clearly why the Bible teaches equality in gender issues. It does not take on a more liberal hermaneutic, but stays within an evangelical framework.

I recommend this book highly.