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From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says About Women in Leadership
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26304 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 3, 2026
12 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Preston Sprinkle
20 books180 followersPreston Sprinkle (PhD, Aberdeen) is a teacher, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. He has written several books including People to Be Loved, Living in a Gray World, Charis, and Erasing Hell, which he co-authored with Francis Chan. Preston has held faculty positions at Nottingham University, Cedarville University, and Eternity Bible College. He and his family live in Boise, Idaho, and he currently helps pastors and leaders engage the LGBTQ conversation with thoughtfulness and grace.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 4, 2026
Thankful for the advance copy of this book!
Dr. Preston Sprinkle has finally finished his long awaited study on the question of women in church leadership. I kept myself from peeking at the final section where he “lands the plane” and clearly articulates his own position, but as I neared the end of the book, I had a sense of where he was headed. I deeply appreciated the confidence with which he presented his conclusion. I was inspired by his clarity.
Sprinkle carries the reader through thorough scholarship and exegesis, and footnotes every question, doubt, and additional opposing viewpoint. He’s fair and charitable, but also firm. He challenges problematic interpretations on both sides of the debate and doesn’t settle with easy answers. ‘From Genesis to Junia’ is not only exceptionally researched, but accessible and readable. You’ll definitely want to pick up a copy for yourself and your church!
Dr. Preston Sprinkle has finally finished his long awaited study on the question of women in church leadership. I kept myself from peeking at the final section where he “lands the plane” and clearly articulates his own position, but as I neared the end of the book, I had a sense of where he was headed. I deeply appreciated the confidence with which he presented his conclusion. I was inspired by his clarity.
Sprinkle carries the reader through thorough scholarship and exegesis, and footnotes every question, doubt, and additional opposing viewpoint. He’s fair and charitable, but also firm. He challenges problematic interpretations on both sides of the debate and doesn’t settle with easy answers. ‘From Genesis to Junia’ is not only exceptionally researched, but accessible and readable. You’ll definitely want to pick up a copy for yourself and your church!
January 5, 2026
Advanced Copy! An intellectually honest, accessible, and deeply thorough examination of the biblical theology surrounding women in church leadership. Sprinkle is one of my favorite scholars because of the way he navigates controversial topics with nuance, confidence, clarity, and intellectual integrity. We need this type of book for so many issues the church has been debating and talking past one another about. If you want to take a big step towards understanding what the Bible says about the egalitarian complimentarian divide, read this book!
December 23, 2025
Dr Sprinkle gives an in-depth and scholarly look at the debate over women in church leadership. His book is detailed and still very accessible. He outlines the strongest arguments for his conclusion while being generous to and not belittling different interpretations. Whether this is your first book on women in leadership or your tenth, I highly recommend it.
January 12, 2026
I was graciously given an early copy of Sprinkle’s “From Genesis to Junia”, and it is a must-read for anyone interested in what the bible says about women in church leadership. Whether you are a novice, a student, or a leader, this book is meant for you. The book is incredibly readable. Even if you have never taken a biblical course, never read an academic article, and never heard of the word αὐθεντεῖν, you will be able to understand this book.
However, despite its aim at the layperson, it does not compromise on being academically thorough. The discussion of Greek phrases, especially κέφαλε (head), αὐθεντεῖν (domineer/have authority over), and the syntax of Romans 16:7, display an unwavering commitment to direct engagement with the primary sources. Sprinkle engages with all of the data on these points, bringing up many instances as examples. Surprisingly, these sections don’t become inaccessible to non-academics, but retain the readability that characterizes the book as a whole.
The heart of this book is in Chapter 4. Inspired by Michelle Lee-Barnwell’s recent book, Sprinkle argues that we must understand leadership in a uniquely Christian way before we seek to examine who are “leaders” in the New Testament. This understanding takes cues from Jesus in Mark 10, where Jesus comes close to defining Christian leadership. For Jesus, greater is “the one who serves” than “the one who is at the table”. Christian leadership is primarily identified by service, not hierarchical dominance, in contrast to the secular understanding of authority in that time.
“In Jesus’ kingdom, it's the ‘servant,’ the ‘slave,’ and the one who ‘serves’ who are ‘great among you’—not the one who acts like a pagan ruler wielding power over peoples”. This Christian understanding of leadership allows Sprinkle to sidestep the pitfalls common to both Complementarion and Egalitarians. Arguing that while women are nowhere called elders, overseers, or pastors, they are described with terms of service, which are indicative of leadership in a Christian understanding.
Sprinkle “lands the plane” by examining 3 passages that are often taken to exclude women from church leadership; 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 14, and 1 Timothy 2-3. These chapters offer persuasive interpretations of these passages, examining common interpretations by modern day scholars on both sides of the debate. His examination of 1 Timothy 2 is masterful, persuasively examining the meaning of αὐθεντεῖν, Paul’s usage of Genesis, and the enigmatic 1 Tim 2:15, in ways that, again, are academically thorough yet immensely easy to understand.
As an added bonus, he spends some time investigating the possible background of the Artemis cult, showing just how many parallels there are between Paul’s opposition through the pastoral epistles and the Artemis cult stationed in Ephesus during Paul’s time. While he does not base his exegesis on this background, he does conclude that it is the most likely candidate.
“From Genesis to Junia” is a fresh examination of the biblical data, written and researched without a conclusion in mind. Sprinkle engages with primary sources and academic studies, bringing the reader along for the ride of his own journey. This will quickly become a go-to book for interested lay-readers, while requiring engagement by those most attuned to the debate.
However, despite its aim at the layperson, it does not compromise on being academically thorough. The discussion of Greek phrases, especially κέφαλε (head), αὐθεντεῖν (domineer/have authority over), and the syntax of Romans 16:7, display an unwavering commitment to direct engagement with the primary sources. Sprinkle engages with all of the data on these points, bringing up many instances as examples. Surprisingly, these sections don’t become inaccessible to non-academics, but retain the readability that characterizes the book as a whole.
The heart of this book is in Chapter 4. Inspired by Michelle Lee-Barnwell’s recent book, Sprinkle argues that we must understand leadership in a uniquely Christian way before we seek to examine who are “leaders” in the New Testament. This understanding takes cues from Jesus in Mark 10, where Jesus comes close to defining Christian leadership. For Jesus, greater is “the one who serves” than “the one who is at the table”. Christian leadership is primarily identified by service, not hierarchical dominance, in contrast to the secular understanding of authority in that time.
“In Jesus’ kingdom, it's the ‘servant,’ the ‘slave,’ and the one who ‘serves’ who are ‘great among you’—not the one who acts like a pagan ruler wielding power over peoples”. This Christian understanding of leadership allows Sprinkle to sidestep the pitfalls common to both Complementarion and Egalitarians. Arguing that while women are nowhere called elders, overseers, or pastors, they are described with terms of service, which are indicative of leadership in a Christian understanding.
Sprinkle “lands the plane” by examining 3 passages that are often taken to exclude women from church leadership; 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 14, and 1 Timothy 2-3. These chapters offer persuasive interpretations of these passages, examining common interpretations by modern day scholars on both sides of the debate. His examination of 1 Timothy 2 is masterful, persuasively examining the meaning of αὐθεντεῖν, Paul’s usage of Genesis, and the enigmatic 1 Tim 2:15, in ways that, again, are academically thorough yet immensely easy to understand.
As an added bonus, he spends some time investigating the possible background of the Artemis cult, showing just how many parallels there are between Paul’s opposition through the pastoral epistles and the Artemis cult stationed in Ephesus during Paul’s time. While he does not base his exegesis on this background, he does conclude that it is the most likely candidate.
“From Genesis to Junia” is a fresh examination of the biblical data, written and researched without a conclusion in mind. Sprinkle engages with primary sources and academic studies, bringing the reader along for the ride of his own journey. This will quickly become a go-to book for interested lay-readers, while requiring engagement by those most attuned to the debate.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I have enjoyed all of Preston Sprinkle’s work and he was a significant influence in moving me towards nonviolence His books are always very accessible, but that sometimes leave me feeling the need for more. I didn’t feel that way with this book. While there is so much more to dig into, I felt like this book was extremely thorough while maintaining Dr. Sprinkle’s characteristic accessibility.
For anyone considering this book, note that this work focuses exclusively on hermeneutics. There are other great works out there that would compliment this one well which deal with the early church and archaeological evidence. I know the early church was the tipping point for me with nonviolence, and books like Mary and Early Christian Women provide evidence beyond the hermeneutical as to patriarchy and complementarianism at least being a challenged view, if not non-normative. It seems like a very similar trend with violence, the state, and women developed and it’s helpful to dig into that.
For anyone considering this book, note that this work focuses exclusively on hermeneutics. There are other great works out there that would compliment this one well which deal with the early church and archaeological evidence. I know the early church was the tipping point for me with nonviolence, and books like Mary and Early Christian Women provide evidence beyond the hermeneutical as to patriarchy and complementarianism at least being a challenged view, if not non-normative. It seems like a very similar trend with violence, the state, and women developed and it’s helpful to dig into that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a digital copy of the book by being one of the first 2o0 people to preorder. My interest in this topic stems from current conversations in my church regarding the topic of women in ministry. This is far from the first book I've read on the subject, but it was approachable and also showed the complexity of Scripture on this topic. People are very concerned about "where you land," and I have to say, the one thing that I cannot see is the perspective that "it's just so clear." While I learned so much and value all the searching of scripture, I am still at the same place I started. Where do I land? It is not that simple. But I will for sure be recommending this book to others (and may even purchase a few extra copies that I can pass along to those who tell me "it's just so clear.")
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have read more than a dozen books on this subject, and Sprinkle does an exceptional job guiding the reader through the exegetical challenges surrounding both complementarianism and egalitarianism. He engages the issues fairly, honestly, and thoughtfully, without getting bogged down in unnecessary academic detail. The book strikes a strong balance between readability and scholarship, and I found it consistently easy to follow.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to explore what the Bible teaches about women and leadership.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to explore what the Bible teaches about women and leadership.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews