Complementarianism: A Continuum of Perspectives on Men and Women in the Church

by David S. Dockery

Beyond the debate between complementarians and egalitarians lies a crucial discussion among those who affirm the complementarian view. While committed to the authority of Scripture and the distinct roles of men and women, complementarians often diverge at key points of biblical interpretation and practical application.

In  A Continuum of Perspectives on Men and Women in the Church, editor David S. Dockery leads a team of eminent, multi-denominational contributors in a gracious conversation about these internal differences. This project avoids stretching biblical and theological parameters, instead modeling an honest discussion that reinforces a strong commitment to the full truthfulness of Scripture and foundational complementarian understandings of gender roles.

Genres: Christian

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2026

Reviews

[Kelsey Hamilton]

This is a good summary of 6 perspectives within complementarianism. I appreciated that they pulled authors from various denominational affiliates and institutions. My only critique was that several of the perspectives were close enough to be almost indistinguishable, and this could have been condensed into a 4 or 5 views summary instead. But overall, this is a necessary read for anyone involved in the conversation around women in ministry.

[Lianna Davis]

I found this to be an informative volume. I was particularly interested in seeing how each contributor would describe his or her position regarding the practical question of how women should appropriately serve in the church. This book focuses on church ministry rather than marriage, and I was pleasantly surprised by how practical it was. That made it especially engaging because every church must determine how its theology, biblical interpretation, and doctrinal convictions translate into actual ministry policies for women. It is an important topic precisely because every church must address it.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book was that none of the contributors articulated my own position exactly. I believe that women should not preach the sermon or serve as elders, based on my understanding of 1 Timothy 2:12. At the same time, I believe women may speak from the platform in ways that are distinct from preaching—for example, by sharing a Mother’s Day reflection, giving a missions update, or offering another brief word of encouragement.

I also believe women may teach in coeducational settings outside the gathered worship service, including Sunday school classes, small groups, and seminaries. I see support for this in the ministry of Priscilla, who, together with Aquila, instructed Apollos more accurately in the faith (Acts 18:26). For that reason, I do not believe seminaries must reserve preaching courses exclusively for men, since women can use that instruction to teach other women in contexts that often require the same skills of sermon preparation and delivery. However, if a course is specifically intended to prepare men for the office of elder, I think it is appropriate for that instruction to be limited to men.

It also seems reasonable to me that preaching courses are most often taught by men, since they generally have the most experience preaching. At the same time, I view a preaching course primarily as instruction in the craft of sermon preparation, which is valuable for both men and women and, therefore, may appropriately be taught by either men or women.

[Troy Poe]

As one who has held both the egalitarian view and the complementarian view, I wish both sides of the debate would read this book.

Egalitarians would benefit greatly by reading the six perspectives in this book on complementarianism. Not all complementarians are the same, and egalitarians need to become familiar with different complementarian perspectives if they are going to criticize the view as a whole without criticizing a straw man. Some egalitarians might even be surprised to see how similar some complementarians are to them.

On the other hand, complementarians would also benefit greatly from reading this book as the book was written primarily to them. If you didn't know there were so many different perspectives on complementarianism, then you should read this book. If you are trying to figure out what type of complementarian you are, then you should read this book.

As a complementarian trying to figure out what type of complementarian I am, I found this book helpful. All of the perspectives have valuable insights to offer.

Before the chapters on the different perspectives, Dr. David Dockery has an introduction chapter, and Dr. Gregg Allison has a chapter on complementarity. "Complementarity is God's design for his male and female image bearers to fill out and mutually support one another relationally and vocationally, as well as in the family and church, for their individual and corporate flourishing." Complementarity is argued to be the foundational framework for both egalitarianism and complementarianism.

Each perspective chapter has four main sections: Defining Complementarianism, Biblical and Theological Considerations, Practical Applications, and A Case Study.

All perspectives argue for the equality of men and women while both sexes are still differentianted from one another. All the perspectives argue for only qualified men holding the office of elder/overseer in the church. All perspectives argue for women being gifted.

Some perspectives argue for only men deacons while other perspectives argue for women and men deacons. Some argue for women pastors in certain settings. Some argue for only men pastors. Interpretations vary on controversial Bible passages such as in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy. Practical applications vary from each perspective.

I give this book five stars since it has helped bring convictional clarity to my own complementarian perspective.

[Conrad Mills]

Complementarianism: A Continuum of Perspectives on Men and Women in the Church is a helpful and clarifying contribution to the conversation within complementarian thought. Building on the foundation of Gregg Allison’s Complementarity, the book doesn’t seek to defend complementarianism as much as it aims to show how those who share its core convictions can thoughtfully apply them in different ways.

What stands out most is the book’s clarity, charitable tone, and commitment to Scripture. Each perspective is presented with care, modeling how faithful Christians can disagree on application while remaining firmly rooted in the same biblical framework. Readers will come away with a greater appreciation for the diversity within complementarianism and a deeper desire to think carefully and graciously about men and women in the life of the church.

[Zeke Shatzer]

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed it and would fs recommend it. It was incredibly Scripture-oriented, and I really appreciated how most of the authors explained their interpretation rationale, used Scripture to articulate their views, and then gave practical application. I didn’t give it five stars bc it was fairly repetitive, so it can get a little dull and hard to read at some points. The views were obviously similar in that they were complementarian, but they did hold nuances from chapter to chapter. I’m not sure where exactly I lie, but I know that I am 100% complementarian, and I think this book clearly shows why that is the way God made men and women.

[Andrew Gates]

This book is a series of contributions regarding the question of Broad vs. Narrow Complementarianism. Ray Van Neste (Broad) and Dani Treweek (Narrow) easily presented the best essays for their respective positions. Most of the other chapters were meh.