What do you think?
Rate this book
God's Good Design: What the Bible Really Says About Men and Women
Although Claire Smith was a young adult when she came to know Jesus, it wasn't until she went to theological college that she noticed parts of the Bible that challenged her feminist views. Studying these passages led to radical changes in her life.
Too often we put these same passages in the 'too hard basket', or we make up our minds without taking a close look at them for ourselves. But we must let God's word determine these issues, and not the culture in which we live.
Claire takes us through the same process she went through herself, looking closely at seven key Bible passages about men and women and how they should relate together in God's purposes. Along the way she deals with many common objections, and applies the teaching of the Bible simply and practically to our relationships at home and in church.
The warmth and simplicity of the book means it will benefit every Christian—whether you have looked at these passages a thousand times, or you've never thought about them in your life.
About the author...
After working for some years as a nurse, Claire Smith spent many years at Moore College closely studying the Bible, completing a BTh, MA (Theology), and a PhD in New Testament. These days she spends her time writing and speaking at conferences. To relax, she writes letters to the paper and talks theology with the two men in her life--her husband, Rob, and their son, Nathanael (both avid musicians). She will also happily watch any sport on TV (although her favourite is rugby).
Too often we put these same passages in the 'too hard basket', or we make up our minds without taking a close look at them for ourselves. But we must let God's word determine these issues, and not the culture in which we live.
Claire takes us through the same process she went through herself, looking closely at seven key Bible passages about men and women and how they should relate together in God's purposes. Along the way she deals with many common objections, and applies the teaching of the Bible simply and practically to our relationships at home and in church.
The warmth and simplicity of the book means it will benefit every Christian—whether you have looked at these passages a thousand times, or you've never thought about them in your life.
About the author...
After working for some years as a nurse, Claire Smith spent many years at Moore College closely studying the Bible, completing a BTh, MA (Theology), and a PhD in New Testament. These days she spends her time writing and speaking at conferences. To relax, she writes letters to the paper and talks theology with the two men in her life--her husband, Rob, and their son, Nathanael (both avid musicians). She will also happily watch any sport on TV (although her favourite is rugby).
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
68 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
Claire Smith
5 books9 followersAfter working for some years as a nurse, Claire Smith spent many years at Moore College closely studying the Bible, completing a BTh, MA (Theology), and a PhD in New Testament. These days she spends her time writing and speaking at conferences. To relax, she writes letters to the paper and talks theology with the two men in her life--her husband, Rob, and their son, Nathanael (both avid musicians). She will also happily watch any sport on TV (although her favourite is rugby).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 10, 2024
This book is a complementarian view that covers the significant passages in the Bible regarding women. The book is organized with part 1 covering the passages the author attributes to dealing with women in the church (1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 14) and those which deal with women in the home (Ephesians 5, 1 Peter 3, Genesis 1-3, Proverbs 31). Smith does dedicate a chapter to abuse and addresses the misuse of this theology that leads to abuse. While I am glad she does address this fact, the chapter is not as abuse/trauma-informed as I would like. She comes across as naive when she says "the tragic fact is that there are some men - not many, but a few - who (mis) use the Bible texts we have been examining". While the first edition was published in 2012 before #metoo, #churchtoo, and the various abuse scandals that have come to light, it is difficult to reconcile "not many" with the number of abuse cases that have come out of complementarian circles. However, to her credit, Smith acknowledges in that chapter that she does not have the credentials to discuss abuse as she does to discuss the theology of the rest of the book. Within the rest of the book, where her credentials qualify her, I have multiple concerns with how she addresses the various passages.
In the first chapter, she addresses the reality that we all come to scripture with various lenses and that identifying our biases is essential before we embark on exegesis. She spends much of the chapter discussing feminism and its influence on the church. She states that the more she studies, "the more convinced I am that the historical understanding is right." However, she does not address the biases that the historical understanding also brings to these passages. There is no acknowledgment of the various ways women contributed significantly to the early and medieval churches, nor is there an acknowledgment that many of the influential historical authors (ie Augustine, Knox) have a view of women that is not one of equality and, in some cases, is very demeaning. If feminism is a lens we can come to the text with (and I would agree with her that it is), then patriarchy is equally a lens we can come with. Ironically, while saying that she believes the historical understanding is correct, in her chapter on Genesis, she disagrees that the woman's desire of 3:16 is sexual, even though this has been a historical position of Jews and Christians and the view of a woman wanting to dominate a man is a relatively modern interpretation of that verse.
Her exegesis leaves something to be desired within her argument of specific passages. Her chapter on 1 Timothy 2 emphasizes a plain reading of the text. However, her "plain reading" only addresses the English and hardly acknowledges the difficulties of the original Greek. For example, she only has one sentence addressing the hapax legomena in verse 12. While I appreciate that this book is written at the popular level, it is disingenuous to claim the reading of a passage is "plain" while not addressing the fact that scholars struggle with the meaning of these verses - which implies that perhaps they are not as "plain" as we desire. While advocating a "plain reading" of 1 Timothy 2, she acknowledges that there "are cultural factors in the 1 Corinthians (11) text". While I agree with her that cultural factors are at play, the same argument could be made of any of these passages, and the fact that she is willing to say that for one passage but argues that the plain reading is sufficient for another appears inconsistent.
I could continue with examples; however, it suffices to say that while this book represents a view of women in the church, it should be approached that this is just that: a view. While Smith's tone consistently comes across to me as this is "the view" one should have, I believe, to paraphrase another author, that the exegetical diversity surrounding many, if not all, of these passages warns that nothing should be taken for granted. One can have a high view of scripture and come to different conclusions. So, while I would not recommend this book if one does read it, I recommend reading with a critical eye, being aware that not all of her interpretations need to be accepted.
In the first chapter, she addresses the reality that we all come to scripture with various lenses and that identifying our biases is essential before we embark on exegesis. She spends much of the chapter discussing feminism and its influence on the church. She states that the more she studies, "the more convinced I am that the historical understanding is right." However, she does not address the biases that the historical understanding also brings to these passages. There is no acknowledgment of the various ways women contributed significantly to the early and medieval churches, nor is there an acknowledgment that many of the influential historical authors (ie Augustine, Knox) have a view of women that is not one of equality and, in some cases, is very demeaning. If feminism is a lens we can come to the text with (and I would agree with her that it is), then patriarchy is equally a lens we can come with. Ironically, while saying that she believes the historical understanding is correct, in her chapter on Genesis, she disagrees that the woman's desire of 3:16 is sexual, even though this has been a historical position of Jews and Christians and the view of a woman wanting to dominate a man is a relatively modern interpretation of that verse.
Her exegesis leaves something to be desired within her argument of specific passages. Her chapter on 1 Timothy 2 emphasizes a plain reading of the text. However, her "plain reading" only addresses the English and hardly acknowledges the difficulties of the original Greek. For example, she only has one sentence addressing the hapax legomena in verse 12. While I appreciate that this book is written at the popular level, it is disingenuous to claim the reading of a passage is "plain" while not addressing the fact that scholars struggle with the meaning of these verses - which implies that perhaps they are not as "plain" as we desire. While advocating a "plain reading" of 1 Timothy 2, she acknowledges that there "are cultural factors in the 1 Corinthians (11) text". While I agree with her that cultural factors are at play, the same argument could be made of any of these passages, and the fact that she is willing to say that for one passage but argues that the plain reading is sufficient for another appears inconsistent.
I could continue with examples; however, it suffices to say that while this book represents a view of women in the church, it should be approached that this is just that: a view. While Smith's tone consistently comes across to me as this is "the view" one should have, I believe, to paraphrase another author, that the exegetical diversity surrounding many, if not all, of these passages warns that nothing should be taken for granted. One can have a high view of scripture and come to different conclusions. So, while I would not recommend this book if one does read it, I recommend reading with a critical eye, being aware that not all of her interpretations need to be accepted.
May 28, 2019
The biblical exegesis of the texts in this book are sound and helpful. The author walks through 7 historically difficult Scripture passages to interpret, all of which are highly controversial as it relates to gender roles. Claire provides valuable insight, verse by verse, into why we cannot simply dismiss the content of these passages by saying that they are all culturally irrelevant in the 21st century. There are parts that are culturally irrelevant, or meanings for which we do not have cultural symbols for, but all in all, God’s good design is that men and women take on distinctive roles in a complementary theological view.
I personally hold the complementary viewpoint and found this book helpful in clarifying my own understanding of these difficult texts. However, i was frustrated by Claire’s hostility towards feminism in her introduction chapter, as well as sprinkled throughout. I understand that she is personally passionate about proclaiming truth, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth when she takes her frustration out on “feminism” as a whole. Feminism doesn’t have a clear definition (even among those who call themselves “feminists”), and so to stereotype such an ambiguous ideology as one of the main reasons for writing the book just seems ill-fitting.
Another point of the book that I was frustrated by was towards the conclusion where she dives into her personal testimony of her transformation from nonbeliever to believer, and how she landed on complementarianism. What frustrated me was that she used the argument that she’s been treated better by the men who hold the complementary view and ironically been the most disrespected by the men who hold to an egalitarian viewpoint. Even if that’s true, is that relevant and helpful for arguing the case for complementarianism? How would that make an egalitarian feel reading this book? Even if that was her experience, that might not be a widespread occurrence, so why include it as part of her argument?
I was a little disappointed in her explanation of Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3 as it relates to submission. Although she was accurate in her exegesis, I felt like she brushed over it too quickly, without clarifying enough potential misunderstandings of the text. For example, she never thoroughly dove into what it means for a woman to have “a gentle and quiet spirit” or possible misinterpretations of this. Her explanation of Ephesians 5 felt rushed and a little sloppy. Not sloppy in articulating the core meaning, but less thorough in her continuing discussion on such a profoundly important text. Perhaps those are personal, nitpicky problems that I have simply because I have heard many amazing sermons preached on these texts that were more thorough and helpful in my own understanding of this issue. I can see how this could still serve as a helpful introduction to these passages for a Christian who is unfamiliar with complementarianism.
Lastly, although this was a quick read, Claire’s writing style is informal and cheesy, and there were plenty of parts of the book that could have been condensed or left out. The analogies, anecdotes, and introductions felt awkward and just out of place. She’s not an exceptional writer, and so reading some pages of the book felt more like reading a blog post by an amateur housewife. Again, I still think this book is valuable (especially the exegesis of the main passages), but I think I would have enjoyed the book better if she wrote a one page intro and then had the rest of the book just straight exegesis of the text with a shorter conclusion.
I personally hold the complementary viewpoint and found this book helpful in clarifying my own understanding of these difficult texts. However, i was frustrated by Claire’s hostility towards feminism in her introduction chapter, as well as sprinkled throughout. I understand that she is personally passionate about proclaiming truth, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth when she takes her frustration out on “feminism” as a whole. Feminism doesn’t have a clear definition (even among those who call themselves “feminists”), and so to stereotype such an ambiguous ideology as one of the main reasons for writing the book just seems ill-fitting.
Another point of the book that I was frustrated by was towards the conclusion where she dives into her personal testimony of her transformation from nonbeliever to believer, and how she landed on complementarianism. What frustrated me was that she used the argument that she’s been treated better by the men who hold the complementary view and ironically been the most disrespected by the men who hold to an egalitarian viewpoint. Even if that’s true, is that relevant and helpful for arguing the case for complementarianism? How would that make an egalitarian feel reading this book? Even if that was her experience, that might not be a widespread occurrence, so why include it as part of her argument?
I was a little disappointed in her explanation of Ephesians 5 and 1 Peter 3 as it relates to submission. Although she was accurate in her exegesis, I felt like she brushed over it too quickly, without clarifying enough potential misunderstandings of the text. For example, she never thoroughly dove into what it means for a woman to have “a gentle and quiet spirit” or possible misinterpretations of this. Her explanation of Ephesians 5 felt rushed and a little sloppy. Not sloppy in articulating the core meaning, but less thorough in her continuing discussion on such a profoundly important text. Perhaps those are personal, nitpicky problems that I have simply because I have heard many amazing sermons preached on these texts that were more thorough and helpful in my own understanding of this issue. I can see how this could still serve as a helpful introduction to these passages for a Christian who is unfamiliar with complementarianism.
Lastly, although this was a quick read, Claire’s writing style is informal and cheesy, and there were plenty of parts of the book that could have been condensed or left out. The analogies, anecdotes, and introductions felt awkward and just out of place. She’s not an exceptional writer, and so reading some pages of the book felt more like reading a blog post by an amateur housewife. Again, I still think this book is valuable (especially the exegesis of the main passages), but I think I would have enjoyed the book better if she wrote a one page intro and then had the rest of the book just straight exegesis of the text with a shorter conclusion.
March 11, 2013
One of the things that has been on my heart is why the church (and I am including myself in this statement)has not been the force that it was 2000 years ago. Why has the culture influenced the church instead of the church influencing culture. I think this study addresses that issue by going back to the beginning. Gen 1:1 that is. In the beginning God created....
I have to say that reading this as I always do, I start rating the book before I finish. I was rating this as a 3 star, however, the foundation was laid text by text and towards the end made the roles very clear and deserves a 5 star rating. God's Good Design for men and women was and is laid out in Gen. God's design for man was/is to be protector and a woman has his partner. They are to compliment each other, not compete with each other. However, in the church, in our homes, the culture has won and God's design is not relevant. Ms. Smith laid out beautifully the benefits of God's design for both men and women. She gave the description of a dance, how well a dance can be when both partners know their roles. One leads, one follows.
I was very appreciative of the roles of men and women and how Satan in the garden used that to serve his purpose in his battle with the Lord. It is a interesting to note that Satan approached Eve and not Adam. However, Adam failed his role as protector and Eve failed as the helper. Why did'nt Eve go to Adam? Why did'nt Adam stop Eve from taking and even listening to Satan. Because of Satan's deceit, the roles of both male and female have been reversed, perverted and not valued. One of the most interesting comments Ms. Smith made and it is worth a thought from believers and non believers alike, How can we accept God's salvation if we cannot accept his design for us. How do we answer that. Jesus himself when questioned about marriage, referred back to Gen. 1. Some may argue that this is not a salvation issue, however, Jesus himself said your hearts are harden against the truth. When our hearts are hard, how we can we receive salvation. When we are confronted with the truth, it either hardens our heart or softens it.
Ms. Smith also shares her story in the end of her own struggle with this hard teaching. There is a reason why it is hard and there is a reason why it does not have to be.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
I have to say that reading this as I always do, I start rating the book before I finish. I was rating this as a 3 star, however, the foundation was laid text by text and towards the end made the roles very clear and deserves a 5 star rating. God's Good Design for men and women was and is laid out in Gen. God's design for man was/is to be protector and a woman has his partner. They are to compliment each other, not compete with each other. However, in the church, in our homes, the culture has won and God's design is not relevant. Ms. Smith laid out beautifully the benefits of God's design for both men and women. She gave the description of a dance, how well a dance can be when both partners know their roles. One leads, one follows.
I was very appreciative of the roles of men and women and how Satan in the garden used that to serve his purpose in his battle with the Lord. It is a interesting to note that Satan approached Eve and not Adam. However, Adam failed his role as protector and Eve failed as the helper. Why did'nt Eve go to Adam? Why did'nt Adam stop Eve from taking and even listening to Satan. Because of Satan's deceit, the roles of both male and female have been reversed, perverted and not valued. One of the most interesting comments Ms. Smith made and it is worth a thought from believers and non believers alike, How can we accept God's salvation if we cannot accept his design for us. How do we answer that. Jesus himself when questioned about marriage, referred back to Gen. 1. Some may argue that this is not a salvation issue, however, Jesus himself said your hearts are harden against the truth. When our hearts are hard, how we can we receive salvation. When we are confronted with the truth, it either hardens our heart or softens it.
Ms. Smith also shares her story in the end of her own struggle with this hard teaching. There is a reason why it is hard and there is a reason why it does not have to be.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
August 12, 2020
Although I agree with the doctrines presented by Smith, I very much disagree with the tone she used to defend them. There seemed to be no space for gracious disagreements, only a “this is the truth and there’s no conversation” sort of argument. I left the reading feeling tired and discouraged, unfortunately.
March 24, 2023
Claire Smith surveys a Gen 1-3 and a variety of NT texts and concludes that God's order is such that men and women are meant to take on different roles in the home and the church. She does so with clarity, moderate consistency, and occasionally decent argumentation.
Ultimately, I think she is unsuccessful. The narrative might be convincing if you have been steeped all your life in these arguments. Smith seemed to have a genuine desire to be consistent to Scripture and had a deep conviction that this order reflects God's goodness. However, I am also troubled by some of what she promotes, particularly regarding the nature of submission. Other times, I don't think she properly explores the complexities of her arguments or times that the original Greek might not sustain her conclusions.
Read this book alongside Peppiatt's Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women. The books parallel in many ways but conclude at very different places. Reading the books side-by-side helps expose interpretative leaps, straw-man arguments, and passages ignored (for both authors).
Ultimately, I think she is unsuccessful. The narrative might be convincing if you have been steeped all your life in these arguments. Smith seemed to have a genuine desire to be consistent to Scripture and had a deep conviction that this order reflects God's goodness. However, I am also troubled by some of what she promotes, particularly regarding the nature of submission. Other times, I don't think she properly explores the complexities of her arguments or times that the original Greek might not sustain her conclusions.
Read this book alongside Peppiatt's Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women. The books parallel in many ways but conclude at very different places. Reading the books side-by-side helps expose interpretative leaps, straw-man arguments, and passages ignored (for both authors).
April 9, 2024
A wonderfully clear and rigorous examination of key Biblical texts that describe God's created design of gendered difference, particularly within the contexts of church and household life. Smith lets God's word speak in the texts, whilst identifying the reasons why passages might be challenging to understand or have caused controversy in interpretation. Smith in particular identifies the modern Western cultural context, and even how that shaped her own presuppositions before coming to the texts (clearly outlined in the final chapter). I came away more strongly convicted of God's goodness in his design, and with greater clarity on what God's word says about men and women (and what it does not say). A must-read for those exploring the Bible's teaching on this topic
March 16, 2022
God’s Good Design by Claire Smith makes the claim that the role of men and women in the church and home is founded in Scripture and therefore founded in inerrancy. To reject an inappropriate view on this issue is to reject the Bible. Therefore, clarity on the issue is imperative. Organizationally, the book outlines the role of women within the church and within the home. Personally, I am convinced of the so-called complementarian view/role of men and women in the Church and home and am not particularly obstinate about it. While this book seeks to clarify the controversial gender-related texts, more than that this book seems to criticize the reader’s supposed view. Frankly, I found Smith’s tone to be condescending. I was persuaded of this early on when I noticed her facetious use of quotation marks around emotionally-charged ideas that convinced me of her narrow-mindedness. For example, Smith notes: “[Third wave feminism] is concerned with ‘privilege’ and ‘power’ and the compound effects of belonging to several minority groups at once (like being female and black and being immigrant and gay), in what is called ‘intersectionality’ (15). I am not convinced she believes these dynamics are real. She is downplaying real structures that affect people’s lives and it is jarring that she could be so callous. She later notes, in the same vein, “So, while the rise of the ‘working mother’ in Western societies is undoubtedly due to feminism…(16)” Does she think that working mothers do not exist? Or is she trying to mock the idea that these women’s work is not the ‘real’ (emphasis) work of a mother? This style convinced me further that Smith plans to make her book’s claim by shaming women. Regardless of if her theological points are sound, her presentation of the theological points is boorish and in the manner of a stereotypical mean girl.
I am also convinced that I am not Smith’s audience. I realized that I was not Smith’s audience when she wrote, “ [The straightforwardness of 1 Timothy 2:11-12] was illustrated to me a few years back by a friend who is a pastor in an ethnic-based church. He had been meeting to read the Bible with a university-aged woman who was a new Christian and they were reading Paul’s first letter to Timothy. They got to chapter 2 and read it, and he waited for the protest he was used to hearing about these two verses. There was a lull. Silence. “Do you have any questions?, my friend asked. ‘’No, it was self-explanatory’’… Now we (emphasis) might say, ``Oh well, her ethnic cultural background probably made it easier for her to do that …(24)'' There seems to be an acknowledgement here that some cultural backgrounds accept gender roles more readily than Smith’s audience. I am convinced I am like the new christian she described because I share her sentiments and this may be due to my cultural background. Because of this particular quote from her book, I am convinced that Smith is writing almost exclusively to white women. I am convinced, too, she is criticizing white feminism. While she does acknowledge that feminism is intersectional, she does it in a condescending tone. This, packaged with the fact that her book is dedicated to “my dear husband, Rob” seems performative. As though Smith is didactically giving women lessons on how to be good women/wives for women THAT JUST DON’T GET IT (emphasis in facetious tone). Her dedication reads “See I respect my husband so much that I even dedicated my book to him (in facetious tone).”
While I personally would not call myself a feminist, I am of the mind that one could be feminist and be Christian. The author seems fixated on feminism instead of being fixated on the power of the Spirit to align women’s heart with the truth of His Word. So while Smith seems to be convinced that feminism is the reason women are obstinate to gender roles in the Bible, I am convinced that she is oversimplying years of oppression, abuse and disregard women have experienced. While I am convinced of this oppression, I am also convinced of God’s purpose for men and women to have different but complementary roles that celebrate God’s design for order in creation.
I am also convinced that I am not Smith’s audience. I realized that I was not Smith’s audience when she wrote, “ [The straightforwardness of 1 Timothy 2:11-12] was illustrated to me a few years back by a friend who is a pastor in an ethnic-based church. He had been meeting to read the Bible with a university-aged woman who was a new Christian and they were reading Paul’s first letter to Timothy. They got to chapter 2 and read it, and he waited for the protest he was used to hearing about these two verses. There was a lull. Silence. “Do you have any questions?, my friend asked. ‘’No, it was self-explanatory’’… Now we (emphasis) might say, ``Oh well, her ethnic cultural background probably made it easier for her to do that …(24)'' There seems to be an acknowledgement here that some cultural backgrounds accept gender roles more readily than Smith’s audience. I am convinced I am like the new christian she described because I share her sentiments and this may be due to my cultural background. Because of this particular quote from her book, I am convinced that Smith is writing almost exclusively to white women. I am convinced, too, she is criticizing white feminism. While she does acknowledge that feminism is intersectional, she does it in a condescending tone. This, packaged with the fact that her book is dedicated to “my dear husband, Rob” seems performative. As though Smith is didactically giving women lessons on how to be good women/wives for women THAT JUST DON’T GET IT (emphasis in facetious tone). Her dedication reads “See I respect my husband so much that I even dedicated my book to him (in facetious tone).”
While I personally would not call myself a feminist, I am of the mind that one could be feminist and be Christian. The author seems fixated on feminism instead of being fixated on the power of the Spirit to align women’s heart with the truth of His Word. So while Smith seems to be convinced that feminism is the reason women are obstinate to gender roles in the Bible, I am convinced that she is oversimplying years of oppression, abuse and disregard women have experienced. While I am convinced of this oppression, I am also convinced of God’s purpose for men and women to have different but complementary roles that celebrate God’s design for order in creation.
December 22, 2019
The foundation of the complementarian understanding of Men & Women's roles is the plain teaching of Scripture, and Clare Smith does an excellent job of examining the relevant biblical evidence, passage by passage. I found her arguments to be balanced and convincing. She helpfully acknowledges other aspects of the debate (cultural, historic, personal, etc), but unapologetically keeps the focus on scripture. A good resource for understanding the complementation position. A heavier read than I had expected given the size of the book and the largish type - and D.A. Carson's "Clare Smith's little book" comment on the back cover.
July 1, 2021
I came to this book with one question: "Can women lead a mixed-gender adult bible study?"
It did not answer this question, and I realise on reflection it is probably too specific a question to be tackled in such an overview book.
It did help me see the main passages on men and women, I especially appreciated her exegesis of men and women in marital relationships, as something really highlighting the "complementarity" that God created us to be. Just not as clear as to what it means in the church context still.
It did not answer this question, and I realise on reflection it is probably too specific a question to be tackled in such an overview book.
It did help me see the main passages on men and women, I especially appreciated her exegesis of men and women in marital relationships, as something really highlighting the "complementarity" that God created us to be. Just not as clear as to what it means in the church context still.
July 6, 2025
What a great introduction to reformed complementarianism. Claire Smith goes through all the ‘tough’ passages: 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 11 & 14, Ephesians 5, 1 Peter 3, Genesis 1-3 and Proverbs 31. She debunks common myths and misconceptions and systematically reviews these passages and connects it to Gods good and perfect design for women (and men) in the world He created. Great introduction prior to reading other books such as No Mere Mortals and Eve in Exile.
August 11, 2022
Really helpful book, looking at particular passages in the Bible about the relationships of men and women with each other, with God, and working in ministry together.
March 28, 2013
God's Good Design: What The Bible Really Says About Men and Women by Claire Smith is an excellent contribution to the "gender debate" among Christians. She starts out with a brief look at the recent history of feminism and the effects it has had on our culture. Mrs. Smith reminds the reader that our problems with these parts of Scripture are often rooted in ourselves and the influences of our culture.
"The dust of feminism has settled on the pages of our Bibles and obscured God's word. What the Bible once said clearly about men and women is no longer clear to us. ... The problem is with us. The difficulties we have with those texts that deal with the responsibilities of men and woman lie in us --- not in the clarity and goodness of God's word. We can expect God's word to speak clearly and it does." (Pg. 12, 13)
The author labors throughout this book to allow God's Word to speak for itself. She encourages the reader to be aware and lay aside beliefs that come from places outside of God, such as culture. Scripture is given the ultimate authority throughout the entirety of the book. From the very beginning Mrs. Smith makes her readers aware of this:
" ... our task is to sit under God's word and have it critique our culture, our lives, our relationships, our prejudices, and our fears. Not vice versa." (Pg. 18)
God's Good Design is broken into two parts: Part One deals with women and their roles within the Church whereas Part Two deals with roles within the home. In each chapter Mrs. Smith takes the time to work through each verse(s), including ancient cultural context(s), original languages, and perspicuity with the rest of the Canon. We see over and over that Scripture continually points us back to Creation when referring to gender roles. It was enjoyable to read responses to all the tough topics such as: women in pastoral ministry, women being quiet in church, head-coverings, submission in marriage, and more.
I also appreciated that the author took the time to say what the Bible does NOT say regarding women. She made sure to point out when some traditions move beyond Scripture. Mrs. Smith did this with gentleness and without condemnation. Overall, this is a book I would highly recommend. It is extremely readable and packed with plenty of information on this topic. God's Good Design would be beneficial for women on either side of this debate to read.
Many thanks to Cross Focused Reviews for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The dust of feminism has settled on the pages of our Bibles and obscured God's word. What the Bible once said clearly about men and women is no longer clear to us. ... The problem is with us. The difficulties we have with those texts that deal with the responsibilities of men and woman lie in us --- not in the clarity and goodness of God's word. We can expect God's word to speak clearly and it does." (Pg. 12, 13)
The author labors throughout this book to allow God's Word to speak for itself. She encourages the reader to be aware and lay aside beliefs that come from places outside of God, such as culture. Scripture is given the ultimate authority throughout the entirety of the book. From the very beginning Mrs. Smith makes her readers aware of this:
" ... our task is to sit under God's word and have it critique our culture, our lives, our relationships, our prejudices, and our fears. Not vice versa." (Pg. 18)
God's Good Design is broken into two parts: Part One deals with women and their roles within the Church whereas Part Two deals with roles within the home. In each chapter Mrs. Smith takes the time to work through each verse(s), including ancient cultural context(s), original languages, and perspicuity with the rest of the Canon. We see over and over that Scripture continually points us back to Creation when referring to gender roles. It was enjoyable to read responses to all the tough topics such as: women in pastoral ministry, women being quiet in church, head-coverings, submission in marriage, and more.
I also appreciated that the author took the time to say what the Bible does NOT say regarding women. She made sure to point out when some traditions move beyond Scripture. Mrs. Smith did this with gentleness and without condemnation. Overall, this is a book I would highly recommend. It is extremely readable and packed with plenty of information on this topic. God's Good Design would be beneficial for women on either side of this debate to read.
Many thanks to Cross Focused Reviews for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
May 13, 2022This author is very educated, and this book made me think harder about what different passages in the Bible actually say about men and women. I thought some of her points were good, however if I’m being honest I didn’t always align with the conclusions she made, and for that reason I’d be very hesitant to recommend this book. I agreed with a decent portion of the book, and it challenged me to think more deeply on this topic.
January 29, 2022
Quite a challenging book, certainly makes you think, though I’m not sure if it entirely convinced me. I find “the plain teaching of scripture” anything but plain, and it amazes me when people with completely opposing views can both make this claim, but then being a man……
January 19, 2025
3.5?? I'm really not sure.
Thoughts:
- I went into this expecting it to be an uncomfortable read. For context, complementarianism vs egalitarianism is a topic I've been wrestling with for a long time. For full transparency, the best way I can describe my position at present is 'theologically complementarian but emotionally otherwise.' It's not just stale theory, it's a topic that has practical implications for my personal life (including ministry opportunities [within the church] and interpersonal relationships [platonic or otherwise]). I'm always tempted to either put this in my too-hard basket or pretend I've settled on a position for the sake of 'not confusing others', but in all honesty, I'm not completely sure where I stand.
- Just like an MSE is a snapshot of a patient's mental state at one specific point in time, my little ramble now is a snapshot of how I think and feel in this very moment. Things may change. I admit that I'm likely wrong about many things.
- I like the way this book is structured, with self-contained chapters each focusing on a specific passage. Smith's exegesis was generally helpful, I appreciate that she genuinely loves and respects scripture and has a strong desire to get stuck into what the text says. I see that and I love that. However, I find myself a bit uncomfortable with the tone, I think some things are oversimplified and made too black-and-white. There are several (albeit minor) things that I just found unconvincing.
- It's a book I somewhat agree with but also kind of dislike. There seems to be an overall attitude that it's not okay to ask questions (that those who wrestle must be gullible) leaving little room for empathy or gracious disagreement. I much prefer "Embracing Complementarianism" by Beynon and Tooher, which has a slightly different emphasis (ministry) but is more nuanced and gentle while arriving at the same conclusions.
- I have long believed (and still believe) that God's word is good, but I'd be lying if I said it's always easy to push through all the cultural and personal noise to see (and feel!) the goodness in every part. I appreciate and acknowledge that this review is unquestionably influenced by socialisation, culture, personal experience etc. as are my feelings towards the complementarian vs egalitarian debate in general. Are my thoughts being influenced by my own desires, insecurities, and prejudices? Quite likely. I have much more thinking (and praying) to do in this area, and I suspect it may take me until new creation to figure out how all this works for me across various aspects of my life. I may well look back on this little ramble in a few years time to find my views have completely changed. I think I'm okay with that prospect too.
- I do think this is worth a read if you're a Christian trying to sort through your thoughts about the relevant bible passages. I found it blunt and frustrating, but don't let my ramble stop you from checking it out for yourself and forming your own opinions about it. As I said earlier, I do agree with much of the exegesis. I just have trouble embracing the whole thing.
Thoughts:
- I went into this expecting it to be an uncomfortable read. For context, complementarianism vs egalitarianism is a topic I've been wrestling with for a long time. For full transparency, the best way I can describe my position at present is 'theologically complementarian but emotionally otherwise.' It's not just stale theory, it's a topic that has practical implications for my personal life (including ministry opportunities [within the church] and interpersonal relationships [platonic or otherwise]). I'm always tempted to either put this in my too-hard basket or pretend I've settled on a position for the sake of 'not confusing others', but in all honesty, I'm not completely sure where I stand.
- Just like an MSE is a snapshot of a patient's mental state at one specific point in time, my little ramble now is a snapshot of how I think and feel in this very moment. Things may change. I admit that I'm likely wrong about many things.
- I like the way this book is structured, with self-contained chapters each focusing on a specific passage. Smith's exegesis was generally helpful, I appreciate that she genuinely loves and respects scripture and has a strong desire to get stuck into what the text says. I see that and I love that. However, I find myself a bit uncomfortable with the tone, I think some things are oversimplified and made too black-and-white. There are several (albeit minor) things that I just found unconvincing.
- It's a book I somewhat agree with but also kind of dislike. There seems to be an overall attitude that it's not okay to ask questions (that those who wrestle must be gullible) leaving little room for empathy or gracious disagreement. I much prefer "Embracing Complementarianism" by Beynon and Tooher, which has a slightly different emphasis (ministry) but is more nuanced and gentle while arriving at the same conclusions.
- I have long believed (and still believe) that God's word is good, but I'd be lying if I said it's always easy to push through all the cultural and personal noise to see (and feel!) the goodness in every part. I appreciate and acknowledge that this review is unquestionably influenced by socialisation, culture, personal experience etc. as are my feelings towards the complementarian vs egalitarian debate in general. Are my thoughts being influenced by my own desires, insecurities, and prejudices? Quite likely. I have much more thinking (and praying) to do in this area, and I suspect it may take me until new creation to figure out how all this works for me across various aspects of my life. I may well look back on this little ramble in a few years time to find my views have completely changed. I think I'm okay with that prospect too.
- I do think this is worth a read if you're a Christian trying to sort through your thoughts about the relevant bible passages. I found it blunt and frustrating, but don't let my ramble stop you from checking it out for yourself and forming your own opinions about it. As I said earlier, I do agree with much of the exegesis. I just have trouble embracing the whole thing.
May 14, 2024
I took way too long to read this book. The book is not long, and it's very readable. It's just me hopping on to other books before finishing this one. It's an excellent book. In every chapter, Claire's gentleness and wisdom, as well as firm convictions about and clear reasoning from the Scriptures, shine through. In other words, she models what she argues for in the book so well, and for that I would commend this before many other similar books. Her closing words are also as convicting as necessary in today's churches, and I quote here:
So, although the matters we have addressed in this book are not Salvation Issues, they are in some sense still salvation issues. [[...]]
Jesus submitted to his Father's will, and so must we.
If we resist God's right to rule our lives, if we doubt the goodness of his word, if we use one part of Scripture to silence another part that we find objectionable, then it is a salvation issue—because our attitude to God's word cannot be separated from our attitude towards God himself.
And so as God's children, may we not resist the Holy Spirit. Rather, may we prefer to differ from our fallen world than from his glorious word in the way we live and relate and minister as Christian women and men, and in all things.
March 1, 2025
A really great biblical book about what the Bible says about the relationships between men and women in the church and in the home. I found the first part (about women in the church) quite confronting, I would go away from each chapter pondering and wrestling with her well thought-out analysis of various texts. I really had to examine how much I was trying to do things my own way, and how much I was willing to listen and trust in God's design/plan. I wouldn't say I'm fully convinced that women should not preach to men for example, but apart from a "gut feel" and what prevailing society believes, I do not have good counter-arguments. Definitely a good book to come back to and to continue thinking about such topics.
September 26, 2021
What a helpful review of some passages that are difficult - if not for the actual text than for the modern cultural context in which we read them. I found her writing to be detailed but still very accessible for someone like me who has no formal theological training.
At the end of the day I was richly encouraged and deeply challenged in the best combination of ways.
I deducted some points because I felt that her tone was somewhat dismissive of contrary views at time, probably because she didn't dedicate a lot of space to them and couldn't, therefore, handle them with particular care.
4.5 stars and probably one I'll purchase and mark-up as a reference.
At the end of the day I was richly encouraged and deeply challenged in the best combination of ways.
I deducted some points because I felt that her tone was somewhat dismissive of contrary views at time, probably because she didn't dedicate a lot of space to them and couldn't, therefore, handle them with particular care.
4.5 stars and probably one I'll purchase and mark-up as a reference.
February 19, 2021
Claire writes this book with chapters that address a passage of scripture on manhood and womanhood. Clear and concise, she puts forth a compelling argument for complementarianism and shows how God has designed men and women differently - with different roles and responsibilities and gifts. Equal, but different. Her reasoning for this view is obedience to God and the good design that He has made with purpose and beauty and intentionality. This book challenged my thinking in a few different areas. I will be coming back to this book.
February 13, 2018
Excellent book for those wanting a clear and simple exegesis of the key biblical passages dealing with men and women's roles in the family and the church. Claire Smith is writing from a complementarian position, but she deals with the major objections to her interpretation of Scripture, and I found her arguments compelling and persuasive. She has a very engaging style, is faithful to Scripture, and has good sections dealing with application of the texts. Highly recommend this book.
February 27, 2020
Incredibly helpful read - the single best thing I’ve read on complementarianism / egalitarianism. It helpfully works through the key bible passages and discusses all the key issues around topic. Being written from the perspective of a theologically trained woman who’s lived and breathed the history of this issue as a part of her story made it compelling and, ultimately, convincing. Very helpful.
November 27, 2021
Very helpful and accessible look at all the key passages about men and women, always showing how this is a good design from God. Particularly helpful insights on Genesis 1 & 2 in chp 7. Also very helpful pastorally, as chp 8 addresses how these passages cannot justify abuse, and chp 10 showing how complementarianism works in real life, from the author's own experience.
July 27, 2022
When and why are women to keep silent? What does it mean women are saved in childbirth? Or that women are a “weaker vessel”? What does submissiveness truly look like like? Does complementarianism promote male dominance?
I grew up in the church, and over time stumbled upon so many confusing texts about women. But rarely did I hear anyone preach or talk on these texts and offer some sort of cohesive biblical reasoning or satisfying answers.
If the Bible is coherent, and teaches that men and women are equals, and if every word is profitable for us, then what do these texts mean? Do we usher them away under the pretense of cultural context or quickly interpret them based on our experiences? Do we throw out gender distinctions? Do we ignore these texts because they could be offensive?
Claire Smith doesn’t shy away from the hard questions. She lays out the different views of the texts, presents all the arguments, and then teaches what the Bible really says about men and women. And friends, it’s surprisingly simple and it all fits in with the narrative of Scripture.
At the end, she shares how she was once very anti-christian with very little respect for men, how she came to a completely opposite view, and now holds a PhD in New Testament. Thankful for this older woman who is teaching what is good, and how to live in light of what the Bible says.
(While the book is out-of-print, you can get it on Kindle or place a pre-order with 10ofthose.com for a reprinting coming this November.)
#laurensbookreads
I grew up in the church, and over time stumbled upon so many confusing texts about women. But rarely did I hear anyone preach or talk on these texts and offer some sort of cohesive biblical reasoning or satisfying answers.
If the Bible is coherent, and teaches that men and women are equals, and if every word is profitable for us, then what do these texts mean? Do we usher them away under the pretense of cultural context or quickly interpret them based on our experiences? Do we throw out gender distinctions? Do we ignore these texts because they could be offensive?
Claire Smith doesn’t shy away from the hard questions. She lays out the different views of the texts, presents all the arguments, and then teaches what the Bible really says about men and women. And friends, it’s surprisingly simple and it all fits in with the narrative of Scripture.
At the end, she shares how she was once very anti-christian with very little respect for men, how she came to a completely opposite view, and now holds a PhD in New Testament. Thankful for this older woman who is teaching what is good, and how to live in light of what the Bible says.
(While the book is out-of-print, you can get it on Kindle or place a pre-order with 10ofthose.com for a reprinting coming this November.)
#laurensbookreads
December 16, 2017
Smith's writing style is simple and straightforward, and so is her mission - to simply look at key passages to show how they reinforce God's good designs for male and female. Helpful to have this perspective from a female author.
January 9, 2018
Compréhensible et défend une position complémentariste (qui cependant ne prescrit pas le port du voile pour les femmes mais le port d'un signe de soumission à l'homme dépendant de la culture ambiante). Composé d'exégèses des textes clés (Genèse 1-2, 1 Corinthiens 11, Ephésiens 5 etc).
August 17, 2021
This is the best book I have found that deals explicitly with the Biblical texts surrounding men and women.
Helpful in understanding what it is to complement one another, and what it is to be a godly man, and what it is to be a godly woman.
Helpful in understanding what it is to complement one another, and what it is to be a godly man, and what it is to be a godly woman.
Read
October 15, 2021Read this as a part of a survey of viewpoints on gender roles in the church and home.
Pretty standard complimentarian viewpoint offered.
I’d recommend it as a book to read to gain an understanding of that position
Pretty standard complimentarian viewpoint offered.
I’d recommend it as a book to read to gain an understanding of that position
January 19, 2020
One of the best books I’ve read on the topic. Very strongly tied to the Scriptural passages with solid exegesis.
June 28, 2020
Excellent exploration of the truth of the bible. Very intense read though
April 4, 2023
Really solid and biblical. Challenging my views and thoughts.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews