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Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women
Women comprise at least half the world, and usually more than half the church, but so often Christian teaching to women either fails to move beyond a discussion of roles or assumes a particular economic situation or stage of life. This all but shuts women out from contributing to God’s kingdom as they were designed to do. Furthermore, the plight of women in the Majority World demands a Christian response, a holistic embrace of all that God calls women and men to be in his world. The loudest voices speaking into women’s lives in the twenty-first century thus far come from either fundamentalist Islam or radical feminism. And neither can be allowed to carry the day. The Bible contains the highest possible view of women and invests women’s lives with cosmic significance regardless of their age, stage of life, social status, or culture. Carolyn Custis James unpacks three transformative themes the Bible presents to women that raise the bar for women and calls them to join their brothers in advancing God’s gracious kingdom on earth. These new images of what can be in Christ free women to embrace the life God gives them, no matter what happens. Carolyn encourages readers with a positive, kingdom approach to the changes, challenges, and opportunities facing women throughout the world today.
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2011
137 people are currently reading
2512 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Custis James
17 books96 followersCarolyn Custis James (M.A. in Biblical Studies) is an evangelical thinker who loves God enough to break the rules--rules of cultural convention which attempt to domesticate the gospel message of the Bible.
Carolyn is president of WhitbyForum, a ministry dedicated to addressing the deeper needs which confront both women and men as they endeavor to extend God's kingdom together in a messy and complicated world. She is the founder of the Synergy Women's Network--an exciting new ministry for women in ministry leadership. www.synergytoday.org
Her books have been described as "provocative", "honest", and "deeply moving".
Carolyn is president of WhitbyForum, a ministry dedicated to addressing the deeper needs which confront both women and men as they endeavor to extend God's kingdom together in a messy and complicated world. She is the founder of the Synergy Women's Network--an exciting new ministry for women in ministry leadership. www.synergytoday.org
Her books have been described as "provocative", "honest", and "deeply moving".
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February 18, 2016
It took me forever to read this book because I would read a few pages, start crying, and have to stop. I kept thinking, why have I been lied to about what it truly means to be a woman? In many ways, my life has been a do's and don'ts list about what I am allowed and not allowed to do as a woman--and all from an allegedly "biblical" perspective. And it's a lie.
Carolyn Custis James presents an accurate, biblical argument for strong, courageous women. She does not filter her study through a patriarchal lens and she does not twist verses to say something they don't mean. She dismisses the idea that women are only to keep the house, saying;
"God didn't create the woman to bring half of herself to his global commission or to minimize herself when the man is around. The fanfare over her is overblown if God was only planning for her to do for the man things he was perfectly capable of doing for himself or didn't even need. The man won't starve without her. In the garden, he really doesn't need someone to do laundry, pick up after him, or manage his home. If Adam must think, decide, protect, and provide for the woman, she actually becomes a burden on him--not much help when you think about it."
She calls for women to shun the "cotton candy theology" that is so often marketed to them and to tackle the Bible for themselves. She shows how in the patriarchal culture of the Bible, the message of the gospel was this radical message that not only acknowledged women, but actually encouraged them to lead. Pitting men and women against each other, she says, only hinders the Gospel message. We spend time fighting over who is allowed to do what instead of actually serving.
James handles this topic with authority and intelligence. She reveals the systemic misogyny inherent in a fallen world and rallies both men and women to correct this wrong. Her vision is global and she compellingly shows how much women are needed in this world. She also includes men in the discussion, something I seldom see, but which is absolutely necessary.
This is a must read for all Christian women. It will open your eyes to the Bible in a new way and show how you are both valued and necessary for the gospel mission.
Carolyn Custis James presents an accurate, biblical argument for strong, courageous women. She does not filter her study through a patriarchal lens and she does not twist verses to say something they don't mean. She dismisses the idea that women are only to keep the house, saying;
"God didn't create the woman to bring half of herself to his global commission or to minimize herself when the man is around. The fanfare over her is overblown if God was only planning for her to do for the man things he was perfectly capable of doing for himself or didn't even need. The man won't starve without her. In the garden, he really doesn't need someone to do laundry, pick up after him, or manage his home. If Adam must think, decide, protect, and provide for the woman, she actually becomes a burden on him--not much help when you think about it."
She calls for women to shun the "cotton candy theology" that is so often marketed to them and to tackle the Bible for themselves. She shows how in the patriarchal culture of the Bible, the message of the gospel was this radical message that not only acknowledged women, but actually encouraged them to lead. Pitting men and women against each other, she says, only hinders the Gospel message. We spend time fighting over who is allowed to do what instead of actually serving.
James handles this topic with authority and intelligence. She reveals the systemic misogyny inherent in a fallen world and rallies both men and women to correct this wrong. Her vision is global and she compellingly shows how much women are needed in this world. She also includes men in the discussion, something I seldom see, but which is absolutely necessary.
This is a must read for all Christian women. It will open your eyes to the Bible in a new way and show how you are both valued and necessary for the gospel mission.
July 19, 2011
So moved by reading Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Carolyn Custis James responded by writing a book that tackles God's global vision for women. With clarity and insight, James sets out a theology of women that works both for affluent surburbanites and those in the developing world. Women matter to God, they are his beloved daughters, and that knowledge gives them a foundation to rest upon and to strength to fight oppression and injustice.
James is challenging the church to answer three questions:
(1) What message does the church offer women in the twenty-first century?
(2) What will the church do to address rampant suffering of women throughout the world?
(3) What message are we sending to the world by how we value and mobilize our own daughters? (p. 41)
In answering the first question, James explains how women are made in the image of God, just as men are, are of great value. She also explains that God made women ezers, helpers. But unlike the docile doormats that many picture, Ezer is also the Hebrew word used to describe God's strong help, how the mighty warrior defends and protects his people. Both men and women benefit and are at their best when they join together to serve the church and the world. I think her work in this area is invaluable to the church as an encouragement to women.
The second question is more of a challenge than anything else. Though James highlights some women who are fighting injustice around the world, there isn't an easy solution to the problem of suffering and oppression and there isn't an easy answer. I wish this had been more fully developed, and included more stories of women advancing the cause of justice and mercy.
More controversial than the other two, I appreciated the way James handled the third question. She established that it is wrong for us to equate biblical womanhood with being a wife and a mother, which are two good and valuable roles that we often elevate to the point of excluding and marginalizing other women. Her ministry is not for or against women's ordination or a blanket egalitarianism, which is sure to frustrate those on both sides who would like to see her take a strong position one way or another. But I find it wise, as those with either conviction can learn a lot from James.
Half the Church could have been organized a little better, and integrated justice more clearly as well, but I still appreciated it. It is a good book, not a perfect one, but one that will encourage the church.
James is challenging the church to answer three questions:
(1) What message does the church offer women in the twenty-first century?
(2) What will the church do to address rampant suffering of women throughout the world?
(3) What message are we sending to the world by how we value and mobilize our own daughters? (p. 41)
In answering the first question, James explains how women are made in the image of God, just as men are, are of great value. She also explains that God made women ezers, helpers. But unlike the docile doormats that many picture, Ezer is also the Hebrew word used to describe God's strong help, how the mighty warrior defends and protects his people. Both men and women benefit and are at their best when they join together to serve the church and the world. I think her work in this area is invaluable to the church as an encouragement to women.
The second question is more of a challenge than anything else. Though James highlights some women who are fighting injustice around the world, there isn't an easy solution to the problem of suffering and oppression and there isn't an easy answer. I wish this had been more fully developed, and included more stories of women advancing the cause of justice and mercy.
More controversial than the other two, I appreciated the way James handled the third question. She established that it is wrong for us to equate biblical womanhood with being a wife and a mother, which are two good and valuable roles that we often elevate to the point of excluding and marginalizing other women. Her ministry is not for or against women's ordination or a blanket egalitarianism, which is sure to frustrate those on both sides who would like to see her take a strong position one way or another. But I find it wise, as those with either conviction can learn a lot from James.
Half the Church could have been organized a little better, and integrated justice more clearly as well, but I still appreciated it. It is a good book, not a perfect one, but one that will encourage the church.
May 4, 2022
After leaving an extremely conservative, patriarchal fundamentalist sect of Christianity, I’ve spent the past few years reading many different books as I can find about gender roles in the church. I would have to say this has been the best one so far. It is theologically sound while being purposely uncontroversial. It lacks the bitterness and anger that seem to creep into other books on this topic, and it’s tone was positive and encouraging.
March 20, 2013
James wrote this book as a companion to the amazing book Half the Sky by Kristof and WuDunn. Reading their hard hitting expose of the plight of women around the world shook James’ world and (like most people who read the book) inspired her to get involved. When I first started reading Half the Church I was afraid it was simply going to be a rehash of the other work. Instead I found that James did a wonderful job of taking the next step. While Half the Sky clearly defined the problems in the world and the terrible treatment of women, Half the Church answers the question of what the church should do about it.
The first problem that James tackles is defining the Bible’s stance of the role of women in the world and the church. I was especially inspired by her study of the passages of scripture concerning the creation. Genesis states that men and women together bear the image of God and have been tasked with spreading the image of God’s glory throughout the world. Christian men and women working together in marriage or in friendship demonstrate God’s love, mercy, justice, truth and grace to the world. Men and women together build God’s church, which is remaking the world in God’s image.
Women were created to be coworkers or even co-warriors with men. Helper is a term used to describe God several times in the Bible. However, that same term, helper, in the creation passage always seems to carry the connotation of submission. James argues that the Hebrew wording means suitable or complementary partners. While James purposely leaves the question of senior leadership in the church unanswered, she builds a strong case for women serving in leadership roles along side men. There are multiple examples of strong females in the Bible working with men to further God’s kingdom. She points to Ruth, Naomi and Boaz as one example and Esther and Mordecai as another.
Essentially James questions whether we are fully mobilizing the church to fight the Enemy and help the world or underutilizing half the church. The Church should have a powerful message that it can offer a hurting world, especially the millions of abused women. That message is Grace for everyone equally and a call to serve God together using all the gifts that God has given us. It is a vision of imparting value to every individual and striving to transform the world. We are called to spread love, justice and mercy to every corner of the globe.
God created what James terms a Blessed Alliance between men and women to do just that. Men are called to be fathers and women are called to be mothers, but each is called to be much more than this. Men and women bring their unique gifts and perspective together to work as an unstoppable force if each sex is equally empowered to be all that God created them to be. Ultimately leadership in the Bible is defined as being the servant of others. Each image bearer is called to take responsibility and take action to serve others and serve God. James reminds the Church that this is done best when we do it together.
The first problem that James tackles is defining the Bible’s stance of the role of women in the world and the church. I was especially inspired by her study of the passages of scripture concerning the creation. Genesis states that men and women together bear the image of God and have been tasked with spreading the image of God’s glory throughout the world. Christian men and women working together in marriage or in friendship demonstrate God’s love, mercy, justice, truth and grace to the world. Men and women together build God’s church, which is remaking the world in God’s image.
Women were created to be coworkers or even co-warriors with men. Helper is a term used to describe God several times in the Bible. However, that same term, helper, in the creation passage always seems to carry the connotation of submission. James argues that the Hebrew wording means suitable or complementary partners. While James purposely leaves the question of senior leadership in the church unanswered, she builds a strong case for women serving in leadership roles along side men. There are multiple examples of strong females in the Bible working with men to further God’s kingdom. She points to Ruth, Naomi and Boaz as one example and Esther and Mordecai as another.
Essentially James questions whether we are fully mobilizing the church to fight the Enemy and help the world or underutilizing half the church. The Church should have a powerful message that it can offer a hurting world, especially the millions of abused women. That message is Grace for everyone equally and a call to serve God together using all the gifts that God has given us. It is a vision of imparting value to every individual and striving to transform the world. We are called to spread love, justice and mercy to every corner of the globe.
God created what James terms a Blessed Alliance between men and women to do just that. Men are called to be fathers and women are called to be mothers, but each is called to be much more than this. Men and women bring their unique gifts and perspective together to work as an unstoppable force if each sex is equally empowered to be all that God created them to be. Ultimately leadership in the Bible is defined as being the servant of others. Each image bearer is called to take responsibility and take action to serve others and serve God. James reminds the Church that this is done best when we do it together.
November 10, 2020
I approached “Half the Church” with questions about women in ministry. I realized after the first chapter that my expectations were too small. James understands the weight of her words about God and about women. She expands the conversations to a global scale, noting how men and women are created to work together and urging the church to follow God’s design for the male and female Alliance. James intentionally writes in a way that works to include every woman in her conversation, not just Western women in ministry. She pulls from several passages and characters from Scripture, not just the commonly argued passages, and she helped me to view the big picture of the Kingdom of God in the Bible in a new way. James seeks the flourishing of the Church by helping women to understand they are Image bearers and the beautiful, real weight that truth carries. I cannot recommend this book enough.
December 19, 2020
A must-read for women and men alike. James completely bypasses the arguments people usually get caught up on concerning women’s roles and goes straight to God’s vision for women (and by implication, the church, men, the world...aka we’re all connected and we should all be invested in these issues).
I have a lot of thoughts on this book, mostly feeling like this articulated SO WELL God’s heart and vision for women that sadly (and frustratingly) seems to have been lost by large portions of the church. The Bible’s message for women is NOT inadequate but I’ve been pretty disappointed with the church’s message for women (why are they not the same?). But this book was a breathe of fresh air to me.
One of the best parts of this book is that it casts a global perspective on women’s issues and roles and why IT MATTERS to the church and has huge implications for God’s Kingdom (SO important for us to know).
If you can’t tell, I really liked this book.
I have a lot of thoughts on this book, mostly feeling like this articulated SO WELL God’s heart and vision for women that sadly (and frustratingly) seems to have been lost by large portions of the church. The Bible’s message for women is NOT inadequate but I’ve been pretty disappointed with the church’s message for women (why are they not the same?). But this book was a breathe of fresh air to me.
One of the best parts of this book is that it casts a global perspective on women’s issues and roles and why IT MATTERS to the church and has huge implications for God’s Kingdom (SO important for us to know).
If you can’t tell, I really liked this book.
July 18, 2025
4.5 stars for me. As a woman who struggles with the debate of complimentarianism and egalitarianism I found this book to be grounding and centric to the gospel and how Jesus desires for both men and women to have equal representation in the call as image bearers. We need each other! God is after oneness.
“‘When Christ met Mary in the garden, friendship—not marriage, not family, not community, but male-female friendship—was the first relationship highlighted and attended to by the risen Christ at the dawn of the new creation according to John.’” - p. 167
“One plus one equals one… Jesus’ final prayer for us—his dying wish—was that image bearers who follow him would reflect the same trinitarian calculus—that ‘all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…” - p. 186
“‘When Christ met Mary in the garden, friendship—not marriage, not family, not community, but male-female friendship—was the first relationship highlighted and attended to by the risen Christ at the dawn of the new creation according to John.’” - p. 167
“One plus one equals one… Jesus’ final prayer for us—his dying wish—was that image bearers who follow him would reflect the same trinitarian calculus—that ‘all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…” - p. 186
April 19, 2019
“[The vision of creation and vision of the bride in Revelation] bracket our world, a world that is a nightmare for so many and can make one vision seem impossible to recapture and the other too distant to imagine. But together these two visions possess the power to spur us forward.
The first vision frames our lives and tells us who we are, why we are here, and what our mission is in the present. We are God’s image bearers. We are ezer-warriors and our brothers need us. We belong to the Blessed Alliance of those who follow Jesus.
The second vision fuels our hopes with the certainty that Jesus is going to finish the job and that he enlists our participation in finishing it. The bride reminds us that our efforts make a difference, that heaven keeps score, that anything and everything we do for the kingdom is being woven together not the mother of all wedding gowns.”
If you want a defense for female ordination, this isn’t it. But James paints a compelling vision for what it means to be image bearers, male and female, intending to labor together with God in self-sacrificing love and mutually beneficial interdependence. She uses the narrative and especially the stories of Ruth and Mary in Scripture, contemporary stories of woman in bondage across many cultural contexts, and her own reflections not to parse out the fine points of complementarianism versus egalitarianism but to challenge every believer into the active embrace of his/ her Spirit-appointed, strategic role in carrying out the establishing of God’s reign and liberation around the globe, through the unity of the body.
The first vision frames our lives and tells us who we are, why we are here, and what our mission is in the present. We are God’s image bearers. We are ezer-warriors and our brothers need us. We belong to the Blessed Alliance of those who follow Jesus.
The second vision fuels our hopes with the certainty that Jesus is going to finish the job and that he enlists our participation in finishing it. The bride reminds us that our efforts make a difference, that heaven keeps score, that anything and everything we do for the kingdom is being woven together not the mother of all wedding gowns.”
If you want a defense for female ordination, this isn’t it. But James paints a compelling vision for what it means to be image bearers, male and female, intending to labor together with God in self-sacrificing love and mutually beneficial interdependence. She uses the narrative and especially the stories of Ruth and Mary in Scripture, contemporary stories of woman in bondage across many cultural contexts, and her own reflections not to parse out the fine points of complementarianism versus egalitarianism but to challenge every believer into the active embrace of his/ her Spirit-appointed, strategic role in carrying out the establishing of God’s reign and liberation around the globe, through the unity of the body.
May 19, 2018
Wow, I loved just about this whole book (like anything, I didn't always agree 100%, but those things were so trivial and not worth mentioning).
This book is just like - super motivational, encouraging, inspirational.
Especially for single women. This book makes me thankful that I'm yet single and free to serve God in so many ways! As the author states, so many people put emphasize on women's worth/ purpose/ ministry being found through marrying/ mothering. But what of the rest of us? How do we serve God and escape the trap of feminism?
Do we have worth outside of marriage? After we are finished having children? Are we are own selves? Or is that feministic?
After all, women are half of the church. And most women are unmarried/ done having kids. So what next?
This book awakened many biblical truths, showed me there's much to do, and that right now in my life I can do a lot.
And yes, I'm one person - but when has that ever stopped God from working through individuals? Groups are great, but God works through "me" best.
I couldn't recommend this book enough to all women. Read. Be inspired. Love. Act.
This book is just like - super motivational, encouraging, inspirational.
Especially for single women. This book makes me thankful that I'm yet single and free to serve God in so many ways! As the author states, so many people put emphasize on women's worth/ purpose/ ministry being found through marrying/ mothering. But what of the rest of us? How do we serve God and escape the trap of feminism?
Do we have worth outside of marriage? After we are finished having children? Are we are own selves? Or is that feministic?
After all, women are half of the church. And most women are unmarried/ done having kids. So what next?
This book awakened many biblical truths, showed me there's much to do, and that right now in my life I can do a lot.
And yes, I'm one person - but when has that ever stopped God from working through individuals? Groups are great, but God works through "me" best.
I couldn't recommend this book enough to all women. Read. Be inspired. Love. Act.
January 12, 2012
For a book with such potential and such a hopeful message, I was sorely disappointed. I expected to like it, even wanted to like it, but the delivery was so poor that I could barely even get through it.
The arguments put forth were filled with holes, poor logic, and tenuous connections. The points made were weak and unclear; the flow of the book was disjointed. The conclusion fell flat and, in the end, I felt like I had gained nothing from reading it. There was the rare good line here and there, but overall it is not a book I would recommend, especially to someone who wasn't already "there" as far as the general message goes.
The arguments put forth were filled with holes, poor logic, and tenuous connections. The points made were weak and unclear; the flow of the book was disjointed. The conclusion fell flat and, in the end, I felt like I had gained nothing from reading it. There was the rare good line here and there, but overall it is not a book I would recommend, especially to someone who wasn't already "there" as far as the general message goes.
January 28, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It was at some level heart-wrenching but altogether vision-casting. The call to the Christian church to show the world and the Devil itself that in the kingdom of God and his Son, EVERYONE is valued, everyone flourishes. James urges the church to lead the way in the liberation of women and girls globally because the vision God has for them is powerful. As Americans, James notes, we tend to get caught up in our own cultural gender battles, and sure, there is always a need to seek justice where injustices are found, but she argues that we must not become so telescopic in our vision of women’s experience that we neglect to look at their plight around the world. The atrocities committed against millions of women and girls in the world everyday are both mind-numbing and tear-coaxing. “Half the Sky” is still being torn down by the other half. Can we, God’s church, arise and speak and act into this injustice to restore the Eden of mutual flourishing? Or will we go the way of the world and it’s lord and try to ignorantly and happily and self-contentedly exist as “Half the Church,” without the strong arm of our “Ezer-warriors?”
July 19, 2019
I feel terrible shelving this as unfinished, but it's been months since I've picked it up and I honestly don't think I'm going to pick it up again. Maybe sometime in the far future when reading time isn't so carefully hoarded? The reality is, I loved everything about Ms. James's message in the 2/3 of the book that I read, but the delivery was just so off-putting for me that I can't finish it. I think that the book deserved a better editor– one who would have helped the author understand that CONSTANT HYPERBOLIC LANGUAGE detracts from the urgency of the message. The plight of a major portion of the world's population of women truly is horrific– the problem is that when you put in a ceaseless commentary about how every last story you share is horrible and awful and horrific and tragic, instead of letting the stories and the women's circumstances speak for themselves, you actually end up numbing your reader's mind to the tragedy. The true impact of what you have to say gets lost in the delivery. And that really is sad. I'm hoping that it won't bother most readers the way it bothered me, because again, the message is important.
April 18, 2021
I enjoy Christian theology, I just enjoy hearing different opinions on things and seeing if they make my mind think, or make sense.
So I enjoyed this.
So I enjoyed this.
January 9, 2024
Smart, orthodox, and global. Carolyn Custis James is not inserting 'new' or 'modern' ideologies into the Bible. Instead, she challenges us to take away our cultural assumptions on what the Bible says about women's identities and actually look at The Bible. She charges the church to remind women all over the world of their rescued identity in Christ. Rather than pose an argument for the squabble about women in the church (which she calls 'the great debate') she looks at Biblical leadership instructions and examples for women. Breaking the "Blessed Alliance" between men and women working together for God's kingdom will be detrimental to the church.
May 9, 2011
Prior to reading Half the Church, I read some strongly negative reviews of this book, which I regret. I should have read the book for myself first. So let me start by saying what this book is NOT:
It's NOT an exhaustive hermeneutical analysis of "controversial" biblical passages.
So please do not review it as such, pointing out how James doesn't engage in verse-by-verse exegesis, making a hermeneutical case of women in ministry. She makes the assumption that that work has been done, which it has. If you don't believe that women have a place in active evangelism and work in the world, you won't agree with a single word in the book. If that is your case, it would be most transparent for you to state that fact up front in your review so that readers understand the assumptions YOU are making in reading.
What this book IS:
The church's message to women, historically, has been less than inspiring. At best, it's been only mildly restricting. At worst, well... In addition, there are billions, yes billions, of women to whom the wife-mother paradigm doesn't apply. Yet the church in general (with growing exceptions) persists in speaking as though every women is married and has small children. There is a voice that SCREAMS at women in the church that their ONE and ONLY purpose is to sit in the shadows, invisible whilst cooking, cleaning, and herding children. There's nothing wrong with those tasks. There is great VALUE in those tasks. But are those the ONLY tasks for which women are fit for their entire lives? Does God ask women to do anything else?
This book is a CALL TO ARMS. WOMEN SHOULD BE IN MINISTRY IN THE WORLD. God calls all believers to preach the gospel, make disciples and minister to others. When women sit out the game or are purposefully benched, the church loses. Women lose. But most of all? The world loses.
James uses a play on the title of the book "Half the Sky" (which is an in-depth and thoroughly researched volume regarding the status of women worldwide) to make the point that the church, and more specifically WOMEN IN THE CHURCH, should be on the front lines of fighting the atrocities to which women and girls are subjected every day.
In the book of Genesis, when God created the woman, he referred to her as "ezer," which means "warrior" or "hero." Sinful patriarchal cultures have tried to argue that this word denotes that the woman was inferior to the man. However, since the same word is used several times in the Hebrew to refer to GOD himself, it clearly cannot mean that the woman was the man's subordinate. James's position, then, is that women are called to be WARRIORS, fighting for justice and grace in a cruel and unjust world.
http://www.whitbyforum.com/2005/12/re...
One of the chapters I found most significant was titled "The Blessed Alliance," referring to the fact that the MOST effective work is done when brothers and sisters, men and women in The Body of Christ PARTNER to make a difference in this world. Each believer is differently gifted. Each member of The Body is vital to its operation, to its mission. Why, then, is there so much argument about what women are "allowed" to do in service to God? We need to work together without limiting God's expression of our individual gifts. We MUST allow each member of The Body to invest his/her talents if we want to garner a return on our investment. The bottom line is: Do we want to serve God fully, with everything we are? Or don't we?
The negative reviews I have read mostly center on attacking James for her stance that women are full members of the Body of Christ. They seek to argue that women's "place" is not in active ministry, which is thoroughly unbiblical.
I don't agree, necessarily, with every word in the book. The overall message, however, is one that I believe every believer should internalize.
It's NOT an exhaustive hermeneutical analysis of "controversial" biblical passages.
So please do not review it as such, pointing out how James doesn't engage in verse-by-verse exegesis, making a hermeneutical case of women in ministry. She makes the assumption that that work has been done, which it has. If you don't believe that women have a place in active evangelism and work in the world, you won't agree with a single word in the book. If that is your case, it would be most transparent for you to state that fact up front in your review so that readers understand the assumptions YOU are making in reading.
What this book IS:
The church's message to women, historically, has been less than inspiring. At best, it's been only mildly restricting. At worst, well... In addition, there are billions, yes billions, of women to whom the wife-mother paradigm doesn't apply. Yet the church in general (with growing exceptions) persists in speaking as though every women is married and has small children. There is a voice that SCREAMS at women in the church that their ONE and ONLY purpose is to sit in the shadows, invisible whilst cooking, cleaning, and herding children. There's nothing wrong with those tasks. There is great VALUE in those tasks. But are those the ONLY tasks for which women are fit for their entire lives? Does God ask women to do anything else?
This book is a CALL TO ARMS. WOMEN SHOULD BE IN MINISTRY IN THE WORLD. God calls all believers to preach the gospel, make disciples and minister to others. When women sit out the game or are purposefully benched, the church loses. Women lose. But most of all? The world loses.
James uses a play on the title of the book "Half the Sky" (which is an in-depth and thoroughly researched volume regarding the status of women worldwide) to make the point that the church, and more specifically WOMEN IN THE CHURCH, should be on the front lines of fighting the atrocities to which women and girls are subjected every day.
In the book of Genesis, when God created the woman, he referred to her as "ezer," which means "warrior" or "hero." Sinful patriarchal cultures have tried to argue that this word denotes that the woman was inferior to the man. However, since the same word is used several times in the Hebrew to refer to GOD himself, it clearly cannot mean that the woman was the man's subordinate. James's position, then, is that women are called to be WARRIORS, fighting for justice and grace in a cruel and unjust world.
http://www.whitbyforum.com/2005/12/re...
One of the chapters I found most significant was titled "The Blessed Alliance," referring to the fact that the MOST effective work is done when brothers and sisters, men and women in The Body of Christ PARTNER to make a difference in this world. Each believer is differently gifted. Each member of The Body is vital to its operation, to its mission. Why, then, is there so much argument about what women are "allowed" to do in service to God? We need to work together without limiting God's expression of our individual gifts. We MUST allow each member of The Body to invest his/her talents if we want to garner a return on our investment. The bottom line is: Do we want to serve God fully, with everything we are? Or don't we?
The negative reviews I have read mostly center on attacking James for her stance that women are full members of the Body of Christ. They seek to argue that women's "place" is not in active ministry, which is thoroughly unbiblical.
I don't agree, necessarily, with every word in the book. The overall message, however, is one that I believe every believer should internalize.
June 8, 2021
“Whether we like it or not, God is confronting us with his overarching to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ and is compelling us to rethink how we answer the question, ‘who is my neighbor?’”
This book is a compelling look at God’s global vision for women. The author shakes the Western reader out of apathy for how women have been and are currently treated worldwide. She details how God’s intended purpose and design for women is being grossly abused throughout the world, and how the church (specifically in America) needs to reevaluate its own treatment of women. The author’s ultimate purpose is to move the reader to action. She’s empowering women to embrace their mighty calling in order to fulfill that calling by combatting evil in the world today as the hands and feet of Jesus.
This isn’t a fluffy, feel good, Girl-boss book. It’s also not an attempt to say women are better than men. It’s a sobering, convicting look at how the church needs to be unified in order to reach out to a hurting world in practical ways. This is a challenging, inspiring book that every believer should read.
This book is a compelling look at God’s global vision for women. The author shakes the Western reader out of apathy for how women have been and are currently treated worldwide. She details how God’s intended purpose and design for women is being grossly abused throughout the world, and how the church (specifically in America) needs to reevaluate its own treatment of women. The author’s ultimate purpose is to move the reader to action. She’s empowering women to embrace their mighty calling in order to fulfill that calling by combatting evil in the world today as the hands and feet of Jesus.
This isn’t a fluffy, feel good, Girl-boss book. It’s also not an attempt to say women are better than men. It’s a sobering, convicting look at how the church needs to be unified in order to reach out to a hurting world in practical ways. This is a challenging, inspiring book that every believer should read.
October 8, 2022
There are some really good thoughts presented in this book. There is also a lot of filler. The book is slow to get going and slow to conclude and it can feel a bit unfocused at times. I found the middle chapters to be the most compelling.
I did not always agree with the author's philosophies, primarily when it came to typical western worldviews and assumptions about biblical teachings that modern scholars view with skepticism. The book does contain some valuable information and perspectives, though. I especially liked the sections where the author discussed the words ezer and hayil and how English Bible translations have influenced the way we view their interpretations. If there had been more of this type of analysis in the book, I would likely have given it a higher rating.
There are a couple of places where a very privileged western worldview peeks through in the author's words in insensitive ways, which didn't sit well with me.
Overall, it was a bit fluffy but offered a fresh perspective on a couple of things here and there that will stick with me as I dive deeper into my own study.
I did not always agree with the author's philosophies, primarily when it came to typical western worldviews and assumptions about biblical teachings that modern scholars view with skepticism. The book does contain some valuable information and perspectives, though. I especially liked the sections where the author discussed the words ezer and hayil and how English Bible translations have influenced the way we view their interpretations. If there had been more of this type of analysis in the book, I would likely have given it a higher rating.
There are a couple of places where a very privileged western worldview peeks through in the author's words in insensitive ways, which didn't sit well with me.
Overall, it was a bit fluffy but offered a fresh perspective on a couple of things here and there that will stick with me as I dive deeper into my own study.
January 14, 2021
This was SO GOOD. It really addresses that women are not second class or less than. We don’t have to hide or tamper down our gifts because of men. I’ve always been told I need to be in the “appropriate place” because I am a woman and this book pushes back on that. It honestly was pretty liberating to finally understand in a biblical way the things I’ve been feeling in my heart for years.
June 14, 2018
First 2/3rds of this book are SO good, a bit life-changing for me. She sort of rambled out uncommitted for the last third.
February 19, 2017
Many books are written to inform. Of those, several aim to change the reader's opinion of the given topic. Only a few succeed in forcing the reader to rethink previous assumptions and actually see the world through an entirely new perspective. It takes a special talent to draw a reader out of their shell and get them to really engage with the vision the author is struggling to convey.
In "Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women", Carolyn Custis James gives us a book of this exceedingly rare kind. She has a burden to share and she draws the reader in and delivers her message well. Her book is a riveting account of the trials of women in today's world and a passionate plea aimed primarily at women, to take up the call and make their lives count for the kingdom of God.
Carolyn Custis James builds a case on the creation story of man and women being joint image-bearers for God called to subdue His world. She approaches the text with insight from studying today's patriarchal societies of the Middle East. Her insight into the first few chapters of Genesis, the tales of Ruth and Esther and to several stories in the New Testament is alone worth the price of getting this book. She brings a fresh perspective and makes these passages come alive, yet she is not offering an innovative rewrite that unfaithfully handles God's Word.
This book awakened in me a new awareness of the horrible prejudice and persecution women around the world endure. In India, girls between 1 and 5 are twice as likely to die as boys. They die of neglect and deprivation -- no one cares for girls. And if they do make it into the young teenage years, they are open to being trafficked as a way to get rid of them. The fathers make a little bit of money out of it and get rid of the disgrace that is their daughter. The girls are abused in horrific ways. Not just India, in China a father is quoted as saying, "We don't have to have daughters anymore!" This is his exclamation upon learning of technology that enables sex-selective abortion.
With the backdrop of such a world-wide low view of women, the author approaches the state of women in today's church. She argues that too often our message for women only applies if they have a husband and children, and if their husband is living (or hasn't left them). We ignore other women, and more than 50% of women are not in this class. She doesn't denigrate motherhood, but she challenges us to see that being a woman is so much more than just having a motherhood role.
She stops short of openly challenging a complementarian position. Her message actually is worth listening to, by people on all sides of that debate. There are plenty of ways women can be involved in church-based and other ministry and yet not transgress Scriptural prohibitions. James shows how the very word "helper" (in Hebrew it is ezer) from Gen. 2 which describes the women, is usually a military term and often applied to God's help for Israel. She shows how the language describing the Proverbs 31 women betokens a valorous, military context. She is literally, a "woman of valor". The book calls women to champion the needs of suffering women, to rise up to God's kingdom task of living out the gospel in this fallen world. These messages are needed by women in all kinds of churches.
While I still am bound by the word of God to see some divisions of roles in the home and the church, I was challenged to rethink just how much room and need there is for women to be active participants in the ministry God calls us to. I do think some of the church today is endeared of a traditional view which is not necessarily biblical. Our prizing of the motherly role, which is special (and which Carolyn Custis James seems not to give enough props to), can nevertheless be a message of despair for women who long to have children or long to be married but aren't. Do we communicate to them that they should just sit around and wait, dolefully for Mr. Right? Or do we empower them to serve God with their whole being in a fulfilling way as women?
The book will stretch your mind and cause you to think, but it will be worth it. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this well written, riveting book. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Zondervan for review as part of the Half the Church Blog Tour. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
In "Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women", Carolyn Custis James gives us a book of this exceedingly rare kind. She has a burden to share and she draws the reader in and delivers her message well. Her book is a riveting account of the trials of women in today's world and a passionate plea aimed primarily at women, to take up the call and make their lives count for the kingdom of God.
Carolyn Custis James builds a case on the creation story of man and women being joint image-bearers for God called to subdue His world. She approaches the text with insight from studying today's patriarchal societies of the Middle East. Her insight into the first few chapters of Genesis, the tales of Ruth and Esther and to several stories in the New Testament is alone worth the price of getting this book. She brings a fresh perspective and makes these passages come alive, yet she is not offering an innovative rewrite that unfaithfully handles God's Word.
This book awakened in me a new awareness of the horrible prejudice and persecution women around the world endure. In India, girls between 1 and 5 are twice as likely to die as boys. They die of neglect and deprivation -- no one cares for girls. And if they do make it into the young teenage years, they are open to being trafficked as a way to get rid of them. The fathers make a little bit of money out of it and get rid of the disgrace that is their daughter. The girls are abused in horrific ways. Not just India, in China a father is quoted as saying, "We don't have to have daughters anymore!" This is his exclamation upon learning of technology that enables sex-selective abortion.
With the backdrop of such a world-wide low view of women, the author approaches the state of women in today's church. She argues that too often our message for women only applies if they have a husband and children, and if their husband is living (or hasn't left them). We ignore other women, and more than 50% of women are not in this class. She doesn't denigrate motherhood, but she challenges us to see that being a woman is so much more than just having a motherhood role.
She stops short of openly challenging a complementarian position. Her message actually is worth listening to, by people on all sides of that debate. There are plenty of ways women can be involved in church-based and other ministry and yet not transgress Scriptural prohibitions. James shows how the very word "helper" (in Hebrew it is ezer) from Gen. 2 which describes the women, is usually a military term and often applied to God's help for Israel. She shows how the language describing the Proverbs 31 women betokens a valorous, military context. She is literally, a "woman of valor". The book calls women to champion the needs of suffering women, to rise up to God's kingdom task of living out the gospel in this fallen world. These messages are needed by women in all kinds of churches.
While I still am bound by the word of God to see some divisions of roles in the home and the church, I was challenged to rethink just how much room and need there is for women to be active participants in the ministry God calls us to. I do think some of the church today is endeared of a traditional view which is not necessarily biblical. Our prizing of the motherly role, which is special (and which Carolyn Custis James seems not to give enough props to), can nevertheless be a message of despair for women who long to have children or long to be married but aren't. Do we communicate to them that they should just sit around and wait, dolefully for Mr. Right? Or do we empower them to serve God with their whole being in a fulfilling way as women?
The book will stretch your mind and cause you to think, but it will be worth it. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this well written, riveting book. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by Zondervan for review as part of the Half the Church Blog Tour. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.
October 25, 2019
Half the Church is an inspirational read. In chapter 8, James does an excellent job of describing the conundrum women face as they step into church with the intention to serve God with everything they are. But the rest of her book lifts our eyes above that debate to the enormous need and opportunity that is presented to the church around the world. It is inspiring, although the grandness of her writing style can wear thin at times.
There are no practical guidelines offered in this book, which is frustrating. The conclusion left a lot to be desired. But in the end, my sense after reading her book is that the practical aspects will work themselves out as women step forward to serve God as they were created to do.
There are good source notes in the back.
There are no practical guidelines offered in this book, which is frustrating. The conclusion left a lot to be desired. But in the end, my sense after reading her book is that the practical aspects will work themselves out as women step forward to serve God as they were created to do.
There are good source notes in the back.
January 26, 2014
Emily said (and I agree),
"I felt cheated when James attempted to side-step the egalitarian vs. complementarian conversation, despite having already criticized vital components of the complementarian position and expressing a need to move beyond seeing motherhood and marriage as the highest calling for women.
Additionally, it seemed that she borrowed too heavily from the book that initially inspired her, Kristof's and WuDunn's Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Nearly every chapter started with a re-telling of an anecdote or a statistic from this material. It felt like an unnecessary re-telling. The developing world is rich with stories Western readers should hear. Finding more anecdotes about how the church and gender roles work in individuals' lives in other countries would not be difficult."
This book pushes buttons well, but sidesteps the intellect at several places. I agree with her in many ways, but I think she slighted her audience repeatedly.
"I felt cheated when James attempted to side-step the egalitarian vs. complementarian conversation, despite having already criticized vital components of the complementarian position and expressing a need to move beyond seeing motherhood and marriage as the highest calling for women.
Additionally, it seemed that she borrowed too heavily from the book that initially inspired her, Kristof's and WuDunn's Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Nearly every chapter started with a re-telling of an anecdote or a statistic from this material. It felt like an unnecessary re-telling. The developing world is rich with stories Western readers should hear. Finding more anecdotes about how the church and gender roles work in individuals' lives in other countries would not be difficult."
This book pushes buttons well, but sidesteps the intellect at several places. I agree with her in many ways, but I think she slighted her audience repeatedly.
December 10, 2019
I appreciate Carolyn Custis James' enthusiasm and passion for women in the church. Heavily inspired by "Half the Sky", "Half the Church" reimagines the role for women in ministry, going far beyond the submissive archetypes typical church teaches.
However, I wish James' had gone a bit further in advocating and affirming female leaders. I understand she's trying to create a path for both complementarians and egalitarians to agree, but as long as we differ on the value of women, there will be no agreement between the two. I also wish James took into consideration intersectional points about women in the west--white women have it pretty good, but women of color do not, and that needs to be addressed appropriately. James spends a lot of time talking about child trafficking/child marriage in eastern Europe, India, and Pakistan, but she neglects to mention how the Evangelical church harbors and encourages child marriage/child trafficking as well--the main reason why so many American churches to not have 18 as the minimum age to be married.
However, I wish James' had gone a bit further in advocating and affirming female leaders. I understand she's trying to create a path for both complementarians and egalitarians to agree, but as long as we differ on the value of women, there will be no agreement between the two. I also wish James took into consideration intersectional points about women in the west--white women have it pretty good, but women of color do not, and that needs to be addressed appropriately. James spends a lot of time talking about child trafficking/child marriage in eastern Europe, India, and Pakistan, but she neglects to mention how the Evangelical church harbors and encourages child marriage/child trafficking as well--the main reason why so many American churches to not have 18 as the minimum age to be married.
December 27, 2015
Would recommend: Yes
This book is really, really good. I especially recommend it for anyone who has read Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. The author was highly affected by that book, and it comes up often here. Reading this book gave me a lot to think about, and I will be mulling for a long while. I copied down lots of lines, but the one that still rings very true for me is:
"Can we miss or lose or spoil or be cheated of God's purpose for his daughters? Are God's purposes for women only for those whose lives go from early adulthood to 'I do' and from there to the delivery room? Or are his purposes dynamic enough to leave no woman or girl behind?"
This book is really, really good. I especially recommend it for anyone who has read Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. The author was highly affected by that book, and it comes up often here. Reading this book gave me a lot to think about, and I will be mulling for a long while. I copied down lots of lines, but the one that still rings very true for me is:
"Can we miss or lose or spoil or be cheated of God's purpose for his daughters? Are God's purposes for women only for those whose lives go from early adulthood to 'I do' and from there to the delivery room? Or are his purposes dynamic enough to leave no woman or girl behind?"
April 10, 2012
This book was very much preaching to the choir for me. Since I have only ever been in religious communities in which men and women are truly equal and, as well, in which social action and commitment to global issues have always been a part of our calling as Christians, there was nothing in this book that was new to me. However, if you're in a space in which you're unsure of what the church's role is in helping disadvantaged and oppressed peoples in your own community or around the world; or if you're in a space in which you're struggling with the role of women in the church; you may find this book challenging and informative.
March 11, 2019
A solid book with a grounded Biblical perspective that takes a "middle of the road" approach so as be applicable to women on both sides of the issue. My only critique would be that as a man, I found this content very informative and relevant, and yet the language Carolyn used made it clear the books audience was solely women, even though it should be read by more than just half the church.
July 15, 2012
My copy of Half the Church is filled with underlines and notes. Beginning with a global look at how women are treated, James unveils the horrifying consequences of being born a girl in patriarchal society and then shows how this affects us all. She advocates women use all of their giftings. I'll be reflecting on this for some time.
November 24, 2016
Please do not write the same ideas over and over again and call it a book.
November 26, 2017
Read this book and Half the Sky ...
June 22, 2023
"This is not merely an intellectual dispute; it is a matter of life and death for millions of women and girls."
"May it never be said that we ignored the cries of the helpless and focused on ourselves. Let it instead be said that God used those cries to awaken a sleeping giantess and filled her with a terrible resolve--half the church, angered and outraged at the unchecked forces of evil in God's world."
If you are a Christian man, you should definitely read this book! You owe it to your female relatives, friends, and the entire female half of the church to understand what we go through. To understand the plight of women throughout history who have been oppressed and abused and raped and told that they are worthless. Silence and indifference is part of the problem. (By "we" earlier in that paragraph, I meant even women here in 21st century United States, but we're in the top 1% as far as equality goes.)
If you are a Christian woman and are confused by the conflicting and restricting messages of a "woman's role in the church", you should definitely read this book! This book will mobilize and empower you to bear God's image as you were called to!
If you are a Christian anything, you should read this book! It will give you a global landscape of modern-day women and ignite a passion within you to do something about the injustice in the world.
There are different kinds of books on women's role in the church. This one does not focus on the highly contested, difficult to understand passages, but rather takes examples from clearer (if not completely uncontested) narratives in which we see women living out their God-given calling as image bearers.
It's an easy read (I read it in about 2 hours). Its focus is on the widespread, serious implications for whether or not women are active in the church. It's application and example driven. Her intent is to bypass the complicated weeds of contested passages by showing the big impact of the clearer ones. This book works very well for an application-and-motivation focused study. I personally prefer more "theologically dense" books, but this book fills the crucial role of helping readers understand the importance of the question.
The beginning in particular felt like it had some fluff that I just skimmed through, but I'm probably more well-versed on this topic than the average reader and may not be the target reader, anyway.
Spoiler: James doesn't take a side on the complementarian / egalitarian debate.
I agree with most of what this book says, but I disagree on two points:
1. "The West is egalitarian." I posit that the West is trying to be egalitarian, but it has a way to go. There are still many injustices. Women are ridiculed for displaying traits that men are lauded for. Rape and sex trafficking is still rampant. But, yes, we're in the top 1%. Let's not fall behind as Christians. If you want a full book that proves this, check out: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
2. "Taking sides in the debate seemed an unnecessary distraction that would take me off mission and cost me half my audience."
I kind of agree that it might be in her best interest to not take a stand on the debate (that is, the egalitarian vs complementarian debate). Costing her half her audience is probably not worth it to her, especially because she isn't trying to preach to the choir who already agrees with her but to open our eyes to the desperate situation of the church and the world.
But, I think the debate is crucial in practice. She admits that "Every woman and every girl is impacted every day" by the repercussions of this debate.
Over the past 5 years, I've seen lines drawn in the sand in half a dozen different places for what a woman can or cannot do--and then I've seen those lines effectively ignored by the people who drew them because they are impractical for various reasons. (On both sides of the spectrum.)
By not coming to a decision, women will invariably be drawn back to the "yeah, but am I technically allowed to do this?" question or be hindered by others in their path who think they are out of bounds.
I agree that there are more important things, but this debate reverberates into the how we run our churches and the daily lives of women.
"May it never be said that we ignored the cries of the helpless and focused on ourselves. Let it instead be said that God used those cries to awaken a sleeping giantess and filled her with a terrible resolve--half the church, angered and outraged at the unchecked forces of evil in God's world."
If you are a Christian man, you should definitely read this book! You owe it to your female relatives, friends, and the entire female half of the church to understand what we go through. To understand the plight of women throughout history who have been oppressed and abused and raped and told that they are worthless. Silence and indifference is part of the problem. (By "we" earlier in that paragraph, I meant even women here in 21st century United States, but we're in the top 1% as far as equality goes.)
If you are a Christian woman and are confused by the conflicting and restricting messages of a "woman's role in the church", you should definitely read this book! This book will mobilize and empower you to bear God's image as you were called to!
If you are a Christian anything, you should read this book! It will give you a global landscape of modern-day women and ignite a passion within you to do something about the injustice in the world.
There are different kinds of books on women's role in the church. This one does not focus on the highly contested, difficult to understand passages, but rather takes examples from clearer (if not completely uncontested) narratives in which we see women living out their God-given calling as image bearers.
It's an easy read (I read it in about 2 hours). Its focus is on the widespread, serious implications for whether or not women are active in the church. It's application and example driven. Her intent is to bypass the complicated weeds of contested passages by showing the big impact of the clearer ones. This book works very well for an application-and-motivation focused study. I personally prefer more "theologically dense" books, but this book fills the crucial role of helping readers understand the importance of the question.
The beginning in particular felt like it had some fluff that I just skimmed through, but I'm probably more well-versed on this topic than the average reader and may not be the target reader, anyway.
Spoiler: James doesn't take a side on the complementarian / egalitarian debate.
I agree with most of what this book says, but I disagree on two points:
1. "The West is egalitarian." I posit that the West is trying to be egalitarian, but it has a way to go. There are still many injustices. Women are ridiculed for displaying traits that men are lauded for. Rape and sex trafficking is still rampant. But, yes, we're in the top 1%. Let's not fall behind as Christians. If you want a full book that proves this, check out: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
2. "Taking sides in the debate seemed an unnecessary distraction that would take me off mission and cost me half my audience."
I kind of agree that it might be in her best interest to not take a stand on the debate (that is, the egalitarian vs complementarian debate). Costing her half her audience is probably not worth it to her, especially because she isn't trying to preach to the choir who already agrees with her but to open our eyes to the desperate situation of the church and the world.
But, I think the debate is crucial in practice. She admits that "Every woman and every girl is impacted every day" by the repercussions of this debate.
Over the past 5 years, I've seen lines drawn in the sand in half a dozen different places for what a woman can or cannot do--and then I've seen those lines effectively ignored by the people who drew them because they are impractical for various reasons. (On both sides of the spectrum.)
By not coming to a decision, women will invariably be drawn back to the "yeah, but am I technically allowed to do this?" question or be hindered by others in their path who think they are out of bounds.
I agree that there are more important things, but this debate reverberates into the how we run our churches and the daily lives of women.
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