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Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle's Vision for Men and Women in Christ
Christianity Today 2018 Book Award Winner
Respected New Testament scholar Cynthia Long Westfall offers a coherent Pauline theology of gender, which includes fresh perspectives on the most controverted texts. Westfall interprets passages on women and men together and places those passages in the context of the Pauline corpus as a whole. She offers viable alternatives for some notorious interpretive problems in certain Pauline passages, reframing gender issues in a way that stimulates thinking, promotes discussion, and moves the conversation forward. As Westfall explores the significance of Paul's teaching on both genders, she seeks to support and equip males and females to serve in their area of gifting.
Respected New Testament scholar Cynthia Long Westfall offers a coherent Pauline theology of gender, which includes fresh perspectives on the most controverted texts. Westfall interprets passages on women and men together and places those passages in the context of the Pauline corpus as a whole. She offers viable alternatives for some notorious interpretive problems in certain Pauline passages, reframing gender issues in a way that stimulates thinking, promotes discussion, and moves the conversation forward. As Westfall explores the significance of Paul's teaching on both genders, she seeks to support and equip males and females to serve in their area of gifting.
368 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2016
193 people are currently reading
2084 people want to read
About the author
Cynthia Long Westfall
12 books29 followersCynthia Long Westfall (PhD, University of Surrey) is assistant professor of New Testament at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario. She is the author or coeditor of several books and is a member of the editorial board for the Common English Bible.
Dr. Westfall teaches courses in New Testament, Greek exegesis, biblical interpretation and women in ministry, which are devoted to a commitment to transformation by God’s word through its application to all aspects of life and ministry.
Dr. Westfall teaches courses in New Testament, Greek exegesis, biblical interpretation and women in ministry, which are devoted to a commitment to transformation by God’s word through its application to all aspects of life and ministry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
September 5, 2022
A tour de force.
In the stuffy room marked "Paul's Views on Women," where a weary debate has been at an impasse for centuries, Westfall raises the blinds and throws open the windows, letting in light and fresh air.
With my three degrees in theology and four-and-a-half decades in the church, I thought I had heard it all. But just ask my husband (at home) if he's ever seen me gasp so many times while reading, and if I've ever interrupted him so many times to read him a sentence or a paragraph.
Westfall's conclusions are carefully researched and well argued. She has a way of turning things inside out to help readers see what was hiding in plain sight. Her book simultaneously delighted and depressed me. If she's right -- and I think she is -- then some corners of the church have unnecessarily missed out on hearing the Spirit-empowered voices of women for a very long time.
Church leaders, I beg you to read this book. You can't afford not to.
In the stuffy room marked "Paul's Views on Women," where a weary debate has been at an impasse for centuries, Westfall raises the blinds and throws open the windows, letting in light and fresh air.
With my three degrees in theology and four-and-a-half decades in the church, I thought I had heard it all. But just ask my husband (at home) if he's ever seen me gasp so many times while reading, and if I've ever interrupted him so many times to read him a sentence or a paragraph.
Westfall's conclusions are carefully researched and well argued. She has a way of turning things inside out to help readers see what was hiding in plain sight. Her book simultaneously delighted and depressed me. If she's right -- and I think she is -- then some corners of the church have unnecessarily missed out on hearing the Spirit-empowered voices of women for a very long time.
Church leaders, I beg you to read this book. You can't afford not to.
April 17, 2017
Cindy Westfall was the supervisor for my M.A., and she was working on this at the time. I was privileged to hear some of these ideas in-person, so much of this book I had heard before. Truth be told, however, I was not in a place to comprehend her fully at the time. I believe I have a greater grasp on her argument now (I read better than I hear).
I give this a 4-star rating because it was a bit repetitive at points. This is likely a product of Westfall's organizational scheme, which is by theological topic, rather than the usual text-by-text approach (e.g. Rom 12, 1 Cor 10, 1 Cor 14, etc. each receiving their own chapter). There were a couple of times that I wished Westfall had been more clear. In particular, her discussion of "headship" in gender relations could have been more clear--not to mention her somewhat confusing appeal Trinitarian theology as an example (I think). But, these things did not detract from the overall argument that unexamined hermeneutical biases have been the impetus behind the subjugation of women in Church and Western society--and this is against Paul's vision for the Kingdom of God.
For my money, Westfall's best arguments were found in chapters 5 (Eschatology), 7 (Calling), and 8 (Authority). Each of these chapters deconstructed readings of Paul based on exegetical assumptions for which the text does not allow. The end results are Westfall's well reasoned arguments that women are ontologically equal within the Church and the Church can no longer go on perpetuating a second-class status for them. Another good chapter is 9, when she deconstructs the exegetical process and offers a better, more contextually coherent reading of 1 Tim 2.
As I said in a review of another book that dealt with gender in the Bible, this book is not good for any male that is not ready to have his patriarchy challenged. I was ready and several points still hit me in the gut, which I believe Cindy would love to hear. What's difficult is the fact Westfall is aware she will not convince everyone (see the Conclusion). But, those who want to see if Paul's thought on gender can be read in a different--indeed, better--way than one that perpetuates male superiority will find one such way in this book.
I give this a 4-star rating because it was a bit repetitive at points. This is likely a product of Westfall's organizational scheme, which is by theological topic, rather than the usual text-by-text approach (e.g. Rom 12, 1 Cor 10, 1 Cor 14, etc. each receiving their own chapter). There were a couple of times that I wished Westfall had been more clear. In particular, her discussion of "headship" in gender relations could have been more clear--not to mention her somewhat confusing appeal Trinitarian theology as an example (I think). But, these things did not detract from the overall argument that unexamined hermeneutical biases have been the impetus behind the subjugation of women in Church and Western society--and this is against Paul's vision for the Kingdom of God.
For my money, Westfall's best arguments were found in chapters 5 (Eschatology), 7 (Calling), and 8 (Authority). Each of these chapters deconstructed readings of Paul based on exegetical assumptions for which the text does not allow. The end results are Westfall's well reasoned arguments that women are ontologically equal within the Church and the Church can no longer go on perpetuating a second-class status for them. Another good chapter is 9, when she deconstructs the exegetical process and offers a better, more contextually coherent reading of 1 Tim 2.
As I said in a review of another book that dealt with gender in the Bible, this book is not good for any male that is not ready to have his patriarchy challenged. I was ready and several points still hit me in the gut, which I believe Cindy would love to hear. What's difficult is the fact Westfall is aware she will not convince everyone (see the Conclusion). But, those who want to see if Paul's thought on gender can be read in a different--indeed, better--way than one that perpetuates male superiority will find one such way in this book.
August 31, 2023
Well frick. We did it, Joe.
Where to begin??? This book is brilliant, expansive, complex, rigorous, exhilarating, boring, and so much more.
This is definitely a *textbook* and not a read for everyone. But as a textbook it is beautiful laid out and easy to access/reference.
Westfall does a through job working though the entire Pauline corpus around gender and authority. My biggest takeaway from this book is how deeply Westfall takes the Bible as authoritative for the Christian life. I have read *many* bad arguments for women’s access to all levels of leadership that completely ignore scripture, while still somehow calming to be “Christian.” This is NOT one of them. Westfall’s love of scripture, belief in scripture, and desire to see its truths lived out in the church is inspiring.
If you want to engage in this level of scholarship, I can’t commend it more, but if you want a little more of a easy on-ramp I’d suggest “Together in Ministry” by Rob Dixon. If Dixon doesn’t sate your desire for sound, biblical, egalitarian theology then get ready for a fire hose.
Where to begin??? This book is brilliant, expansive, complex, rigorous, exhilarating, boring, and so much more.
This is definitely a *textbook* and not a read for everyone. But as a textbook it is beautiful laid out and easy to access/reference.
Westfall does a through job working though the entire Pauline corpus around gender and authority. My biggest takeaway from this book is how deeply Westfall takes the Bible as authoritative for the Christian life. I have read *many* bad arguments for women’s access to all levels of leadership that completely ignore scripture, while still somehow calming to be “Christian.” This is NOT one of them. Westfall’s love of scripture, belief in scripture, and desire to see its truths lived out in the church is inspiring.
If you want to engage in this level of scholarship, I can’t commend it more, but if you want a little more of a easy on-ramp I’d suggest “Together in Ministry” by Rob Dixon. If Dixon doesn’t sate your desire for sound, biblical, egalitarian theology then get ready for a fire hose.
May 3, 2018
Long Westfall’s book is a stunning work of scholarship, taking a thorough look at the cultural and literary contexts behind the texts of Paul that have been wrongly used to limit the roles of Women within Church leadership. Not only does *Paul and Gender* examine the context behind these few verses, it also provides a robust framework and analysis of Paul’s own views and practice, drawn from the wider corpus of his writings. As Long Westfall points out, “Claims of authority and power based on gender run counter to both Paul’s teaching and his model for leadership” (p.314).
The personal highlights for me would be (1) Paul’s use of feminine and maternal metaphors in describing his own ministry and the roles of the Christian community, (2) Long Westfall’s treatment of the culture and false theology in Ephesus which provided the context behind Paul’s words in 1 Timothy, (3) the reminder that the Early Church (before Constantine) was house-church based, a realm that came directly under the authority of women in the Greco-Roman culture, and (4) the emphasis on Paul’s (and Jesus’) view of servant leadership: that yes, women were called to not have authority over men, but men were also called not to dominate women and other men.
As he modelled in his own life, and described through his terminology of Deacon (Servant/Slave), Pastor (Shepherd), and Apostle (Messenger)—all of which are terms that were used to describe the lowest functionaries in Greco-Roman society—Paul rejected the Greco-Roman social pyramid and the superiority of the wise, noble, and powerful. Instead Paul was convinced that the foolishness of the cross and God’s choice of the weak, despised and foolish was the underpinning factor to Christian leadership. He encouraged all believers, both male and female, to follow and model the example of Christ, who didn’t seek to dominate, but who became nothing and sought to serve others (Phil 2:3-11). Therefore, God’s choice of using those that were weak and despised in the eyes of the Greco-Roman system, didn’t disqualify women, but rather better qualified them to lead. It was the men who generally struggled to emulate these counter-cultural traits and lay down rank, and who Paul also had to consistently challenge on their argumentative pursuit of authority and dominance. And as this book poignantly points out, using the Epistles, Gospels and Acts, many women did hold prominent positions of ministry within the Early Church.
.
Of course, there’s so much more to this book than what I have mentioned above. Overall, it’s a superb examination of the texts and, in my opinion, an essential read for those who wish to grapple with those few verses that have been misused to restrict the position of women in the Church.
—Tristan Sherwin, author of *Love: Expressed*
(As an aside; I’d also highly recommend Lucy Peppiatt’s *Women and Worship in Corinth*—brilliant!)
The personal highlights for me would be (1) Paul’s use of feminine and maternal metaphors in describing his own ministry and the roles of the Christian community, (2) Long Westfall’s treatment of the culture and false theology in Ephesus which provided the context behind Paul’s words in 1 Timothy, (3) the reminder that the Early Church (before Constantine) was house-church based, a realm that came directly under the authority of women in the Greco-Roman culture, and (4) the emphasis on Paul’s (and Jesus’) view of servant leadership: that yes, women were called to not have authority over men, but men were also called not to dominate women and other men.
As he modelled in his own life, and described through his terminology of Deacon (Servant/Slave), Pastor (Shepherd), and Apostle (Messenger)—all of which are terms that were used to describe the lowest functionaries in Greco-Roman society—Paul rejected the Greco-Roman social pyramid and the superiority of the wise, noble, and powerful. Instead Paul was convinced that the foolishness of the cross and God’s choice of the weak, despised and foolish was the underpinning factor to Christian leadership. He encouraged all believers, both male and female, to follow and model the example of Christ, who didn’t seek to dominate, but who became nothing and sought to serve others (Phil 2:3-11). Therefore, God’s choice of using those that were weak and despised in the eyes of the Greco-Roman system, didn’t disqualify women, but rather better qualified them to lead. It was the men who generally struggled to emulate these counter-cultural traits and lay down rank, and who Paul also had to consistently challenge on their argumentative pursuit of authority and dominance. And as this book poignantly points out, using the Epistles, Gospels and Acts, many women did hold prominent positions of ministry within the Early Church.
.
Of course, there’s so much more to this book than what I have mentioned above. Overall, it’s a superb examination of the texts and, in my opinion, an essential read for those who wish to grapple with those few verses that have been misused to restrict the position of women in the Church.
—Tristan Sherwin, author of *Love: Expressed*
(As an aside; I’d also highly recommend Lucy Peppiatt’s *Women and Worship in Corinth*—brilliant!)
August 25, 2025
An important read - exegetically careful and (except for a few brief comments here and there) not polemical in tone, which I really appreciated. Westfall's arguments for viable alternative interpretations are well-reasoned and thorough, and although complex at times, relatively easy to follow. Her approach emphasizes exposing assumptions, maintaining coherence and consistency within the Pauline corpus, modern linguistics, and historical/sociocultural perspective.
One area I felt to be lacking: while she is very thorough in analyzing the 1st century Greco-Roman context, she doesn't address the influence of Paul's (and in many cases, his audience's) 1st century Jewish background on his statements about gender.
One area I felt to be lacking: while she is very thorough in analyzing the 1st century Greco-Roman context, she doesn't address the influence of Paul's (and in many cases, his audience's) 1st century Jewish background on his statements about gender.
March 5, 2025
Not perfect (is anything?), but definitely the best book I’ve read on this subject (so far).
November 23, 2020
I have been reading up and comparing complementarian and egalitarian theology. This book was exactly what I wanted. It is a comprehensive approach to the scripture on women/gender from a moderate egalitarian perspective. It is scholarly, it takes scripture seriously, and it also provides some systematics on gender too. I have been reading it side by side with Andreas and Margaret Kostenberger’s book, “God’s Design for Man and Woman: A Biblical Theological Survey” for a moderate complementarian perspective.
May 14, 2021
This was quite a helpful book. By the end, I found myself quite convinced of her arguments. I have definitely learned a lot, but the conversation is definitely not over yet! Paul can be a bit confusing sometimes. Often answers to questions lead to more questions, and that is a beautiful thing.
This book is a bit inaccessible to those outside of religious scholarship, so I would probably not recommend for a simple read. I would highly recommend to someone who is really invested in learning more about Paul and what his trying to say about women!
This book is a bit inaccessible to those outside of religious scholarship, so I would probably not recommend for a simple read. I would highly recommend to someone who is really invested in learning more about Paul and what his trying to say about women!
September 21, 2021
Do you like consistently applied hermeneutics? Do you like a good chance to appreciate Paul's genius with contextualization? How about a chance to rethink and reinterpret traditional understandings of Paul's teachings on gender? Look no further than Cythina Long Westfall's Paul and Gender!
.....at some point we all find a place on our Goodreads journey where we decide we can put our opinions on books written by much smarter people out there. Thanks for coming to my TED(S) talk.
.....at some point we all find a place on our Goodreads journey where we decide we can put our opinions on books written by much smarter people out there. Thanks for coming to my TED(S) talk.
July 5, 2021
This is an excellent piece of scholarship on the Apostle Paul's teaching on gender. Exegetical gems are littered throughout the book.
The strengths of the book are Westfall's reconstruction of the context of various texts and her critiques of "thick-complementarianism", and ontological inferiority. Her primary interlocutors are were Thomas Schreiner, John Piper, and Wayne Grudem. She is primarily engaging with low-church evangelicals of the Baptistic stripe.
My favorite chapters were the chapters on head coverings and stereotypes.
I'm not convinced by many of her arguments because she asserts without demonstrating her thesis. Merely because there is a plausible reading doesn't mean that the plausible reading is the most likely.
The last thing I'd say about her work is that it would have been sharpened if she had engaged with more confessional or Roman Catholic theologians.
Needless to say, I think this is an important contribution to the current discussion around gender roles. Especially if you are in a low-church baptistic setting.
The strengths of the book are Westfall's reconstruction of the context of various texts and her critiques of "thick-complementarianism", and ontological inferiority. Her primary interlocutors are were Thomas Schreiner, John Piper, and Wayne Grudem. She is primarily engaging with low-church evangelicals of the Baptistic stripe.
My favorite chapters were the chapters on head coverings and stereotypes.
I'm not convinced by many of her arguments because she asserts without demonstrating her thesis. Merely because there is a plausible reading doesn't mean that the plausible reading is the most likely.
The last thing I'd say about her work is that it would have been sharpened if she had engaged with more confessional or Roman Catholic theologians.
Needless to say, I think this is an important contribution to the current discussion around gender roles. Especially if you are in a low-church baptistic setting.
January 29, 2022
There were some excellent chapters in this book. Eschatology and authority stand out to me. Exegesis is heavy in first four chapters, but after that she is more into Paul’s theology. Westfall deals with the difficult passages on women and handles them with biblical and hermeneutical soundness.
February 22, 2021
Changed my view. Magisterial.
September 29, 2021
I genuinely thought I would like this book a lot more than I did, but it made me tear out my hair as a historian a little too much. And that kills me, because I think Westfall has a lot of great things to say, and that her arguments hold water, but certain sources she cites along the way call her arguments into question, when qualified sources are literally! right! there! for her to use.
Among other sources, Westfall cites contemporary research on the Middle East and north Africa to make points about ancient cultures in those reasons. Yup. Just as if the societies in those regions experienced no change over the past two thousand years. (She cites examples from Islam way too much, given that Muhammad lived in the 600s, ~literal centuries~ after Paul.) Westfall should have conversed with an early church scholar to learn about the wealth of resources we have on women's lives and gender studies in early Christianity. She only cites a few, and had she mined their works cited lists, Paul and Gender would have been much better. (And no, Westfall, your daughter's anecdotes do not count as a real source to guide how you interpret a passage. Sorry. This is the big leagues.)
When trying to make a point about human bonding during sexual intercourse, Westfall reaches not for a psychological or sociological or biological resource, but a Tom Cruise movie.* Like...I've heard youth group purity talks with more scientific authority than Vanilla Sky. Ma'am, please! She also cites decades-old books on MBTI to make a point about gender and religious leadership. Now, I'm as much into MBTI as anyone cares to be (INFJ here), but I don't think it's a valid resource for helping us interpret Scripture. MBTI is not scientifically supported. Granted, not everyone has the extreme privilege I have of being married to a scientist who can find scientific papers to help me with my humanities research, but librarians exist. And so do other scientists. In my experience, these folks will fall all over themselves to help people find credible resources. Let them help you!
What makes me mourn this so much is that Westfall is writing about scholars whose work about Paul and gender I do not trust. She effectively demonstrates how their readings do no justice to Scripture, and how their teachings limit the Holy Spirit's work in the church. Her message is important. When Westfall is discussing the texts themselves, and citing real academic resources and not Vanilla Sky, Paul and Gender is excellent, even though I don't agree with everything Westfall says. However, the issues listed above poke holes in her argument that scholars will use to discredit her, no matter how excellent her research is elsewhere in the book. I'd be interested to read more by Westfall, but if her research is not up to the task, I am happy to stick with other scholars in her vein who are serious about all the sources they cite.
*If she'd used the quotation as an example in the text, and also backed it up with scientific research, it would have been fine. Instead, she makes no reference to the Hollywood film in the text and cites it as if it were a credible source regarding human bonding during sexual intercourse. Vanilla Sky is a credible source for those talking about Cameron Diaz's film career, romantic films, comedy in a post-9/11 world, or any other number of topics, but a credible source on human sexuality it is not.
Among other sources, Westfall cites contemporary research on the Middle East and north Africa to make points about ancient cultures in those reasons. Yup. Just as if the societies in those regions experienced no change over the past two thousand years. (She cites examples from Islam way too much, given that Muhammad lived in the 600s, ~literal centuries~ after Paul.) Westfall should have conversed with an early church scholar to learn about the wealth of resources we have on women's lives and gender studies in early Christianity. She only cites a few, and had she mined their works cited lists, Paul and Gender would have been much better. (And no, Westfall, your daughter's anecdotes do not count as a real source to guide how you interpret a passage. Sorry. This is the big leagues.)
When trying to make a point about human bonding during sexual intercourse, Westfall reaches not for a psychological or sociological or biological resource, but a Tom Cruise movie.* Like...I've heard youth group purity talks with more scientific authority than Vanilla Sky. Ma'am, please! She also cites decades-old books on MBTI to make a point about gender and religious leadership. Now, I'm as much into MBTI as anyone cares to be (INFJ here), but I don't think it's a valid resource for helping us interpret Scripture. MBTI is not scientifically supported. Granted, not everyone has the extreme privilege I have of being married to a scientist who can find scientific papers to help me with my humanities research, but librarians exist. And so do other scientists. In my experience, these folks will fall all over themselves to help people find credible resources. Let them help you!
What makes me mourn this so much is that Westfall is writing about scholars whose work about Paul and gender I do not trust. She effectively demonstrates how their readings do no justice to Scripture, and how their teachings limit the Holy Spirit's work in the church. Her message is important. When Westfall is discussing the texts themselves, and citing real academic resources and not Vanilla Sky, Paul and Gender is excellent, even though I don't agree with everything Westfall says. However, the issues listed above poke holes in her argument that scholars will use to discredit her, no matter how excellent her research is elsewhere in the book. I'd be interested to read more by Westfall, but if her research is not up to the task, I am happy to stick with other scholars in her vein who are serious about all the sources they cite.
*If she'd used the quotation as an example in the text, and also backed it up with scientific research, it would have been fine. Instead, she makes no reference to the Hollywood film in the text and cites it as if it were a credible source regarding human bonding during sexual intercourse. Vanilla Sky is a credible source for those talking about Cameron Diaz's film career, romantic films, comedy in a post-9/11 world, or any other number of topics, but a credible source on human sexuality it is not.
April 8, 2021
This book is great for someone (like me) who has a lot of questions about Paul and women. Westfall is pretty accessible and provides a semi-comprehensive view of Paul’s worldview in context of the Greco-Roman world in which he wrote. Interestingly, she often includes Pauline thought on men as a comparative point for her main discourse on women. I feel this adds a helpful layer to the rather turbulent ongoing discussion in the church. This book holds some answers, but not THE answer to Paul’s view of women, though such an expectation was rather naive on my part.
April 1, 2022
4.5 stars. This is very good and accessible for those that have previously read biblical scholarship at this level. All the Greek words are readily defined, and the copious footnotes explain and give references. This is clearly many decades worth of work and she makes a very compelling argument. Structurally, I think because she wrote the chapters to be sort of self-contained, there were some parts that felt repetitive; at times, she'd just point back to an earlier chapter, but other times I got a sense of deja vu. Overall, well worth reading.
June 23, 2024
Recommended reading for anyone with questions/concerns about any of Paul’s writings on men and women. SO GOOD
July 1, 2025
Incredible stuff!
August 6, 2025
Reinforcing the Egalitarian Revision for Men and Women in Christ
There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to Egalitarian attempts to disprove Christocentric complementarity as found in the inspired, inerrant text. It always comes down to using cultural presuppositions to excuse, exempt, or excise biblical exegesis of the biblical text. Cynthia Long Westfall is no different in this lengthy tome.
What is fascinating is how creative various Egalitarians become in using this cultural hermeneutic. While Complementarians differ more in their application of the meaning of the text, Egalitarians differ in how they apply their cultural hermeneutic to determine the meaning of the text. Westfall truly says nothing new in her defense egalitarianism but the way she does it is rather creative and at times contradictory.
Westfall’s book is far from the “tour de force” as claimed by Carmen Joy Imes in her GoodReads review. (Egalitarians do stick together! See the blurbs on back from the usual suspects; Bird, Cohick, Porter, and Keener. It is sad to see the glowing recommendation from a soft complementarian like Blomberg.)
I made myself read all 348 pages which is no easy task due to the way the book is structured. Chapters are built around theological topics rather than following the exegesis of the key passages from Genesis to Revelation. The structure enables Westfall to creatively apply her presuppositions, while making it difficult to follow her exegesis (where it exists). The result is a repetitive drumbeat of particular presuppositions that come off sounding scholarly and impressive, but are really just imposing her feminist agenda onto the inspired text of Scripture.
This feminist agenda becomes increasingly clear after you weigh through the first 200 pages to get to the last 100+ pages. Her chapters on “Calling” and Authority” are probably the most problematic. They also are the clearest examples of how she applies her faulty presuppositions.
The entire agenda of the book is to overthrow the traditional interpretation of First Timothy 2:9-15, which she sees as the ultimate stumbling block to liberate women in the church by way of egalitarianism.
I will return to layout her presuppositions, but for now her structure enables her to weave a creative tapestry of:
• faulty presuppositions,
• illogical arguments,
• feminist ideology, and
• complementarian straw men.
All leveraged to tear down what she calls the “traditional” (historical) interpretations of women’s roles in ministry and marriage regarding the key passages from Gen 1-3 to Gal 3:28; 1Cor 11, 14; Eph 5; and ultimately 1Tim 2 - her greatest nemesis!
There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to Egalitarian attempts to disprove Christocentric complementarity as found in the inspired, inerrant text. It always comes down to using cultural presuppositions to excuse, exempt, or excise biblical exegesis of the biblical text. Cynthia Long Westfall is no different in this lengthy tome.
What is fascinating is how creative various Egalitarians become in using this cultural hermeneutic. While Complementarians differ more in their application of the meaning of the text, Egalitarians differ in how they apply their cultural hermeneutic to determine the meaning of the text. Westfall truly says nothing new in her defense egalitarianism but the way she does it is rather creative and at times contradictory.
Westfall’s book is far from the “tour de force” as claimed by Carmen Joy Imes in her GoodReads review. (Egalitarians do stick together! See the blurbs on back from the usual suspects; Bird, Cohick, Porter, and Keener. It is sad to see the glowing recommendation from a soft complementarian like Blomberg.)
I made myself read all 348 pages which is no easy task due to the way the book is structured. Chapters are built around theological topics rather than following the exegesis of the key passages from Genesis to Revelation. The structure enables Westfall to creatively apply her presuppositions, while making it difficult to follow her exegesis (where it exists). The result is a repetitive drumbeat of particular presuppositions that come off sounding scholarly and impressive, but are really just imposing her feminist agenda onto the inspired text of Scripture.
This feminist agenda becomes increasingly clear after you weigh through the first 200 pages to get to the last 100+ pages. Her chapters on “Calling” and Authority” are probably the most problematic. They also are the clearest examples of how she applies her faulty presuppositions.
The entire agenda of the book is to overthrow the traditional interpretation of First Timothy 2:9-15, which she sees as the ultimate stumbling block to liberate women in the church by way of egalitarianism.
I will return to layout her presuppositions, but for now her structure enables her to weave a creative tapestry of:
• faulty presuppositions,
• illogical arguments,
• feminist ideology, and
• complementarian straw men.
All leveraged to tear down what she calls the “traditional” (historical) interpretations of women’s roles in ministry and marriage regarding the key passages from Gen 1-3 to Gal 3:28; 1Cor 11, 14; Eph 5; and ultimately 1Tim 2 - her greatest nemesis!
January 16, 2025
Fascinating. I was hoping to hear thought-provoking exegetical arguments of an egalatarian persuasion and this delivered. I’ve typically only really heard straw man versions so it was nice to interact with the real deal. My personal interest is on whether or not women are universally prohibited from the pastoral office and its other churchy flavors, but I learned a lot from the book’s grander scope that addressed Pauline theology of gender at large as well as his theology of authority.
An interesting feature of this book is that it feels positioned within a generally conservative framework. For example, she quotes Tom Schreiner heavily and seems to want to engage him primarily, exhorts evangelicals, seems to have a high view of scripture etc. Tom Schreiner has a review of this book you can view here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/th...
Some key questions that seem to be core to the debate in regards to her line of argument:
* Was the ontological inferiority of women an assumption brought to the biblical text throughout most of church history that has impacted how we read it? If so, and we reject that ontological assumption now, how does that impact our reading? What other assumptions do we bring with us today?
* What is the meaning of “head” and headship in the NT in various scenarios?
* What is the cultural significance of the veiling in 1 cor 11?
* How do we appropriately handle transcendent norms and how they are applied? Think NT passages that reference creation here.
* What role does eschatology play in our thinking? Westfall would say women should be preparing for their resurrection role of judging the angels and the world, Schreiner would say that, like the absence of marriage in the end times, it doesn’t have to be consistent.
* The holy grail of how do we interpret 1 Tim 2? Is it a personal and private letter or public and how occasional is it? Is the prohibition for women in the context of worship meetings? How does the context of the Ephesian culture and false teaching concerns come in? What is the connotation of the Greek word for authority? How does the creation recap about eve being deceived play in? Etc etc etc etccccc
* Is the traditional interpretation of women’s roles in contrast with Paul’s broader message in regards to authority?
* Do we use 1 Tim 2 as an interpretive grid over other texts and give it too much power?
* A million other random things
Obviously there’s way more going on, and starting this non exhaustive list is probably misrepresentative, but really mind bending to think about it all. Particularly because she’s navigating this world of Paul challenging some cultural customs and not others and she’s trying to determine when each is happening. Her concerns about women’s callings and feelings being discounted hits home to me. The decision has impact on people.
Lots of other cool ideas in the book like how Paul uses male imagery like soldiering and athletics for both men women and empowers them and also uses female imagery like child birth, nursing and so on for ministry tasks that also challenge gender status quo at the time, while still navigating his missions context with wisdom.
Book is structured by topic which felt hard to digest at times. Chapters would be things like “culture”, “eschatology”, “the fall” so you have to do some mental leg work to put all of it together, particularly if you’re thinking about it by passage.
An interesting feature of this book is that it feels positioned within a generally conservative framework. For example, she quotes Tom Schreiner heavily and seems to want to engage him primarily, exhorts evangelicals, seems to have a high view of scripture etc. Tom Schreiner has a review of this book you can view here: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/th...
Some key questions that seem to be core to the debate in regards to her line of argument:
* Was the ontological inferiority of women an assumption brought to the biblical text throughout most of church history that has impacted how we read it? If so, and we reject that ontological assumption now, how does that impact our reading? What other assumptions do we bring with us today?
* What is the meaning of “head” and headship in the NT in various scenarios?
* What is the cultural significance of the veiling in 1 cor 11?
* How do we appropriately handle transcendent norms and how they are applied? Think NT passages that reference creation here.
* What role does eschatology play in our thinking? Westfall would say women should be preparing for their resurrection role of judging the angels and the world, Schreiner would say that, like the absence of marriage in the end times, it doesn’t have to be consistent.
* The holy grail of how do we interpret 1 Tim 2? Is it a personal and private letter or public and how occasional is it? Is the prohibition for women in the context of worship meetings? How does the context of the Ephesian culture and false teaching concerns come in? What is the connotation of the Greek word for authority? How does the creation recap about eve being deceived play in? Etc etc etc etccccc
* Is the traditional interpretation of women’s roles in contrast with Paul’s broader message in regards to authority?
* Do we use 1 Tim 2 as an interpretive grid over other texts and give it too much power?
* A million other random things
Obviously there’s way more going on, and starting this non exhaustive list is probably misrepresentative, but really mind bending to think about it all. Particularly because she’s navigating this world of Paul challenging some cultural customs and not others and she’s trying to determine when each is happening. Her concerns about women’s callings and feelings being discounted hits home to me. The decision has impact on people.
Lots of other cool ideas in the book like how Paul uses male imagery like soldiering and athletics for both men women and empowers them and also uses female imagery like child birth, nursing and so on for ministry tasks that also challenge gender status quo at the time, while still navigating his missions context with wisdom.
Book is structured by topic which felt hard to digest at times. Chapters would be things like “culture”, “eschatology”, “the fall” so you have to do some mental leg work to put all of it together, particularly if you’re thinking about it by passage.
March 30, 2021
This is an important book about an important topic. It was well researched and well presented. Westfall provides fresh interpretations for passages usually used to limit women's expression and leadership within the church, but does so in a way that honors the text and the layers of contexts more faithfully than most traditional interpretations. I'd recommend it no matter where you stand in the egalitarian-complementarian continuum. Certainly those holding to complementarian ideas should consider and engage Westfall's points.
February 14, 2024
This book has been incredibly enlightening. While I did have to look up a lot of words, I truly appreciate the detail and thought that was put into this. In fact, I’ve been so excited about the content that I’m putting together a small group curriculum based on the information she presents. I want more people to see Paul’s writings like she does, (but you know, with less big words, ha.)
December 16, 2021
brilliance (reread for school)
May 24, 2024
Neither Complemanterian nor Egalitarian : A Kingdom Corrective to the Evangelical Gender Debate
July 4, 2025
Thoughtful, thorough, excellent. Westfall holds the texts in very high regard, and is committed to coherent interpretations.
June 20, 2025
Westfall describes her work as “an attempt to explain the Pauline passages that concern gender and to move toward a canon-based Pauline theology of gender” (ix). The results? As expected, “The conclusion of this study is to call for a thorough rereading of the Pauline passages on gender. The traditional interpretations of Scripture, theology, and practices concerning gender have come into question on a number of grounds” (313). Westfall’s argument hinges on two main movements. First, a trajectory reading of Paul’s theology so that we interpret the vast majority of gendered roles and prohibitions as “missional adaptation to the cultural gender practices,” meaning that “those strategies allowed the church to reach the Greco-Roman culture and to survive within that culture and even to thrive” (3). This plays out in several areas:
1. The veil in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, rather than a symbol of authority, “represented a woman’s honor, status, and protection” (42).
2. Creation imagery, rather than indicating transcendent norms, “is exercised in terms of mutuality and reciprocity within appropriate cultural paradigms” (105).
3. The eschatological flattening of Galatians 3:28 indicates “there is no differentiation in humanity’s destiny on the basis of gender, race, or status,” only to be overlooked in order to “adopt a missional and self-sacrificial adaptation to fallen social structures of the Greco-Roman world as a strategy to advance the gospel (147).
4. Relatedly, the Holy Spirit calls and equips equally, so “a theological system that filters and restricts the gifts for a given group compromises the authority of the Holy Spirit” (242).
The second main movement in her argument, building on the previous work, is a fresh interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 into a time-specific prohibition serving as an antidote to a specific false teaching in Ephesus, “Rather than prohibiting women from participating as leaders in the church, Paul addresses the lacuna in discipleship that is holding the Ephesian women believers back from maturity and sound teaching” (311–312).
I do want to commend two elements of what I would consider close and fresh readings of the text. While I think she goes too far in implicating men as the ones working against Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 (see below), I do think Westfall might be on to something in describing the veil as a symbol of honor and protection rather than authority (42). This reading does explain the veiling of women as the “glory of man” in order to veil the beauty in order to highlight God’s glory (104). Some good things to chew on there. On 1 Corinthians 7 as well, I think Westfall does good work in describing the mutuality of authority between husband and wife related to sex. While I struggle with her conclusions based on mutuality language (see below), I do think she makes good points about how Paul’s description of sex counteracts Plato and Aristotle, which has been adopted by some modern interpreters in terms of male “conquering” and female “surrendering” (196). This fits well with the idea of what mutual submission looks like in Ephesians 5:22–33, a submission that is different for men and women but is mutual in concern.
Needless to say, as a reformed complementarian, I struggled on almost every page of this book. Starting with method, I see this book largely as a piece of exegetical activism with hints of emotional sabotage. For example, when describing how Paul uses maternal language to characterize pastoral work in 1 Thessalonians 2:6–7, Westfall writes, “It is thus odd that Paul defines pastoral care as maternal nurturing, but historically, women have been excluded from church positions that entail pastoral care on the basis of other Pauline writings” (54). That Paul affirms nurture as a good thing does not have any bearing on official church leadership logically, but it does so emotionally. Or again, after inferring that her eschatological conclusions about the flattening of authority for men and women, “Much of this change begins with the Christian assumption of the dignity and value of all humans, and as a consequence it encourages them to achieve their God-given potential in skills and leadership” (144). In other words, if you don’t affirm her view, you don’t care about human dignity and value. Or, in conclusion, “The mandate to subordinate women and bar them from positions of authority has been applied in the congregation and the academy, in some cases with various forms and degrees of disrespect, marginalization, suspicion, mistreatment, and rejection of women, usually in an effort to either maintain control, enforce a standard, or deflect responsibility” (314). To paraphrase: Everyone who disagrees with me does so for the worst reasons and in order to show disrespect to, and even to abuse, women. I think these types of statements show the true motivation of this work.
As far as argument, my biggest critique is less exegetical and more logical—namely, having the same gift, calling, or authority does not necessarily infer an exact match in role or function. Mutual submission, even in texts like Ephesians 5:21, does not imply exact reciprocity. As one representative text among others, “Mutual submission reflects the humble attitude of Christ in his incarnation and anticipates sharing his glory” (159). Amen, but to assume that Paul means for women and men to do the exact same things with the exact same groups is just nonsensical in view of her arguments. The leap is amazing! Paul could easily say that men and women are to teach one another (Colossians 3:16) while also envisioning different arenas for that teaching to occur in (formal and informal). Westfall does not even engage with that possibility. The same goes for titles. For her, if God gives the gift of teaching to men and women, then they should all have access to the same teaching positions. Even in her own profession, she would deny this. A 3rd grade teacher does not have automatic right to college teaching. Her language of mutuality is very flimsy, in my opinion. I also think that quite a few times Westfall falls into huge mistakes through mirror reading. For example, the standard operating procedure for the book often assumes male power and abuse, and then argues:
1-“In this culture men were the ones who regulated veiling according to their own interests,” which were obviously to maximize control over women, so the women most likely wanted to keep their veils on (33).
-When discussing “saved by childbirth,” she writes, “Men controlled the size of the family and the resources that could secure greater care, health, and safety during pregnancy and childbirth,” so really the passage directed to women is a rebuke for men” (139).
-Westfall happily embraces distinction when it comes to male-specific problems like anger, but she only mentions purity and beauty as issues for women (ignoring Paul’s words on gossip, busy bodying, and yes, deception) (188).
Finally, the exegesis of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 just falls flat. I won’t spend a lot of time here, but arguing for a move from public to home based on the move from plural to singular in “women” to “woman” is putting a lot of weight on something that could go either way. Additionally, even if she is correct, to imply that Paul has in mind a specific authority for husbands at this stage in history only due to environmental and educational factors also lacks substance. She nimbly avoids transcendent creation norms by applying them as just culturally specific, and ultimately, 1 Timothy 2 means almost nothing for anyone, including the original readers.
1. The veil in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16, rather than a symbol of authority, “represented a woman’s honor, status, and protection” (42).
2. Creation imagery, rather than indicating transcendent norms, “is exercised in terms of mutuality and reciprocity within appropriate cultural paradigms” (105).
3. The eschatological flattening of Galatians 3:28 indicates “there is no differentiation in humanity’s destiny on the basis of gender, race, or status,” only to be overlooked in order to “adopt a missional and self-sacrificial adaptation to fallen social structures of the Greco-Roman world as a strategy to advance the gospel (147).
4. Relatedly, the Holy Spirit calls and equips equally, so “a theological system that filters and restricts the gifts for a given group compromises the authority of the Holy Spirit” (242).
The second main movement in her argument, building on the previous work, is a fresh interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 into a time-specific prohibition serving as an antidote to a specific false teaching in Ephesus, “Rather than prohibiting women from participating as leaders in the church, Paul addresses the lacuna in discipleship that is holding the Ephesian women believers back from maturity and sound teaching” (311–312).
I do want to commend two elements of what I would consider close and fresh readings of the text. While I think she goes too far in implicating men as the ones working against Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 (see below), I do think Westfall might be on to something in describing the veil as a symbol of honor and protection rather than authority (42). This reading does explain the veiling of women as the “glory of man” in order to veil the beauty in order to highlight God’s glory (104). Some good things to chew on there. On 1 Corinthians 7 as well, I think Westfall does good work in describing the mutuality of authority between husband and wife related to sex. While I struggle with her conclusions based on mutuality language (see below), I do think she makes good points about how Paul’s description of sex counteracts Plato and Aristotle, which has been adopted by some modern interpreters in terms of male “conquering” and female “surrendering” (196). This fits well with the idea of what mutual submission looks like in Ephesians 5:22–33, a submission that is different for men and women but is mutual in concern.
Needless to say, as a reformed complementarian, I struggled on almost every page of this book. Starting with method, I see this book largely as a piece of exegetical activism with hints of emotional sabotage. For example, when describing how Paul uses maternal language to characterize pastoral work in 1 Thessalonians 2:6–7, Westfall writes, “It is thus odd that Paul defines pastoral care as maternal nurturing, but historically, women have been excluded from church positions that entail pastoral care on the basis of other Pauline writings” (54). That Paul affirms nurture as a good thing does not have any bearing on official church leadership logically, but it does so emotionally. Or again, after inferring that her eschatological conclusions about the flattening of authority for men and women, “Much of this change begins with the Christian assumption of the dignity and value of all humans, and as a consequence it encourages them to achieve their God-given potential in skills and leadership” (144). In other words, if you don’t affirm her view, you don’t care about human dignity and value. Or, in conclusion, “The mandate to subordinate women and bar them from positions of authority has been applied in the congregation and the academy, in some cases with various forms and degrees of disrespect, marginalization, suspicion, mistreatment, and rejection of women, usually in an effort to either maintain control, enforce a standard, or deflect responsibility” (314). To paraphrase: Everyone who disagrees with me does so for the worst reasons and in order to show disrespect to, and even to abuse, women. I think these types of statements show the true motivation of this work.
As far as argument, my biggest critique is less exegetical and more logical—namely, having the same gift, calling, or authority does not necessarily infer an exact match in role or function. Mutual submission, even in texts like Ephesians 5:21, does not imply exact reciprocity. As one representative text among others, “Mutual submission reflects the humble attitude of Christ in his incarnation and anticipates sharing his glory” (159). Amen, but to assume that Paul means for women and men to do the exact same things with the exact same groups is just nonsensical in view of her arguments. The leap is amazing! Paul could easily say that men and women are to teach one another (Colossians 3:16) while also envisioning different arenas for that teaching to occur in (formal and informal). Westfall does not even engage with that possibility. The same goes for titles. For her, if God gives the gift of teaching to men and women, then they should all have access to the same teaching positions. Even in her own profession, she would deny this. A 3rd grade teacher does not have automatic right to college teaching. Her language of mutuality is very flimsy, in my opinion. I also think that quite a few times Westfall falls into huge mistakes through mirror reading. For example, the standard operating procedure for the book often assumes male power and abuse, and then argues:
1-“In this culture men were the ones who regulated veiling according to their own interests,” which were obviously to maximize control over women, so the women most likely wanted to keep their veils on (33).
-When discussing “saved by childbirth,” she writes, “Men controlled the size of the family and the resources that could secure greater care, health, and safety during pregnancy and childbirth,” so really the passage directed to women is a rebuke for men” (139).
-Westfall happily embraces distinction when it comes to male-specific problems like anger, but she only mentions purity and beauty as issues for women (ignoring Paul’s words on gossip, busy bodying, and yes, deception) (188).
Finally, the exegesis of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 just falls flat. I won’t spend a lot of time here, but arguing for a move from public to home based on the move from plural to singular in “women” to “woman” is putting a lot of weight on something that could go either way. Additionally, even if she is correct, to imply that Paul has in mind a specific authority for husbands at this stage in history only due to environmental and educational factors also lacks substance. She nimbly avoids transcendent creation norms by applying them as just culturally specific, and ultimately, 1 Timothy 2 means almost nothing for anyone, including the original readers.
September 28, 2020
Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ by Cynthia Long Westfall is an academic study that examines the topic of gender within the works of the apostle Paul. In it, Westfall aims to challenge traditionally-held interpretations of Paul, particularly interpretations on his view of women. On the one hand, this is a book that serves to contribute to the debate surrounding the biblical precedent for women in ministry, with Westfall favoring the egalitarian side of the debate. On the other hand, Westfall aims to take a balanced approach by also examining Paul’s views on men in each chapter, as this can sometimes be an overlooked part of the discussion on Paul and gender. With this approach, Westfall reveals her intended audience to be both men and women. In addition, the chapters are not divided by biblical passages, rather Westfall has each chapter examine a gender-focused topic relating to either Paul’s theology or his Greco-Roman context. This pattern is only broken in the last chapter where the focus shifts exclusively to examining 1 Timothy 2:11-15.
With Paul and Gender, Westfall has made a significant contribution to the church and scholarship at large. This book is intended not just for scholars, but lay people as well, as the book’s topical organization allows it to be approachable to a wider audience and keeps each chapter focused and easy to follow. This is helpful for a single read-through, however it makes it more challenging to use as a reference guide for those who are wanting to read her perspective on a particular passage without utilizing the index to flip to different chapters.
The choice to include study on both genders rather than merely looking at Paul’s view on women, makes the book even more relevant. This choice is arguably one of the strongest and most unique features of the book.
Through writing this book in a field still dominated by males, Westfall embodies the very woman described in her book, one who displays a spirit-driven leadership that is both courageous and nurturing. This book will spark questions and stir up discussion, while also being a source of encouragement and strength. It is as academic as it is pastoral, and for that, the world of biblical study and the church are blessed.
With Paul and Gender, Westfall has made a significant contribution to the church and scholarship at large. This book is intended not just for scholars, but lay people as well, as the book’s topical organization allows it to be approachable to a wider audience and keeps each chapter focused and easy to follow. This is helpful for a single read-through, however it makes it more challenging to use as a reference guide for those who are wanting to read her perspective on a particular passage without utilizing the index to flip to different chapters.
The choice to include study on both genders rather than merely looking at Paul’s view on women, makes the book even more relevant. This choice is arguably one of the strongest and most unique features of the book.
Through writing this book in a field still dominated by males, Westfall embodies the very woman described in her book, one who displays a spirit-driven leadership that is both courageous and nurturing. This book will spark questions and stir up discussion, while also being a source of encouragement and strength. It is as academic as it is pastoral, and for that, the world of biblical study and the church are blessed.
December 2, 2022
This was a long, very comprehensive book, and it took me weeks to read. But I’m so glad I did.
•
Cynthia Long Westfall’s careful and thorough commentary on Pauline passages relating to gender was mind-blowing to me. I have certainly been guilty of reading a verse like 1 Corinthians 11:5 and thinking, “Paul is so bossy and strict with women - it’s not fair!” Passages or verses that were written two thousand years ago to a culture entirely different from mine require careful study. There is so much meaning and beauty in 1 Corinthians 11 that I missed entirely because I was ignorant and defensive.
•
I also appreciated her emphasis on strong hermeneutical principles, such as not basing a doctrine on one verse.
•
A quote I loved: “The Holy Spirit determines who gets what gift; a theological system that filters and restricts the gifts for a given group compromises the authority of the Holy Spirit. Each individual is responsible for identifying one's own gifts in the same way and with the same criteria. Each person's "call" to service is determined by personal expe-
rience, which includes not only work experience but also emotions, such as
one's passion for a given ministry and guidance through prayer. The gifts are
given to edify the entire church, and no one should say to another, "I have no
need of you."“
•
Cynthia Long Westfall’s careful and thorough commentary on Pauline passages relating to gender was mind-blowing to me. I have certainly been guilty of reading a verse like 1 Corinthians 11:5 and thinking, “Paul is so bossy and strict with women - it’s not fair!” Passages or verses that were written two thousand years ago to a culture entirely different from mine require careful study. There is so much meaning and beauty in 1 Corinthians 11 that I missed entirely because I was ignorant and defensive.
•
I also appreciated her emphasis on strong hermeneutical principles, such as not basing a doctrine on one verse.
•
A quote I loved: “The Holy Spirit determines who gets what gift; a theological system that filters and restricts the gifts for a given group compromises the authority of the Holy Spirit. Each individual is responsible for identifying one's own gifts in the same way and with the same criteria. Each person's "call" to service is determined by personal expe-
rience, which includes not only work experience but also emotions, such as
one's passion for a given ministry and guidance through prayer. The gifts are
given to edify the entire church, and no one should say to another, "I have no
need of you."“
May 16, 2022
Highly recommend
April 19, 2021
It is hard to recover from a bad beginning, and this book goes wrong from the start. The very start. The title.
The problem with the title is the word 'Gender'. The title invites us to ask how God, via Paul, dealt with 'Gender'. The answer, which should make for a short book, is 'he didn't'.
To clarify, neither the word 'gender' nor any equivalent, appears in the NT. Not in the works of Paul nor in any other book.
The danger here is that people will say, “Ah, but Paul mentions men and women. That means he was speaking about Gender.” This is a dangerous falsehood.
When Paul spoke about men and women he was speaking about them in a way that is direction opposite to the modern meaning. When Paul speaks to ‘men’ he speaks to people who, knowing their sex, being aware of what genitalia they posses, sought to know how people like them should act as Christians.
The modern world, in a statement almost unrivalled since the world began, speaks of ‘Gender assigned at birth’. Consider the miracle that this implies. That one hundred percent of all those that observed with baby without a diaper mange, each on their own without any consultation, from the two year old to the one hundred year old, to ‘assign’ the same gender to the baby.
This concept of ‘gender’ is completely absent from anything Paul writes. Paul accepts and teaches the idea that God has created some male, and that those he created male were required by him to actin certain ways. God created some female, and that those he created female were required by Him to act in certain other ways.
Gender, to the language learner, is an attribute of certain words to work together. The boy who fell down, *he* got up and dusted *his* pants off. Masculine nouns in French take masculine adjectives.
But gender, to the insane moderns, means some mysterious, vague, inner feeling that determines if you wish to have a penis or a vagina.
No book written in the English of today can fail to engender confusion when it seeks to detail the doctrines that God taught through Paul if it has the word ‘gender’ in the title.
The problem with the title is the word 'Gender'. The title invites us to ask how God, via Paul, dealt with 'Gender'. The answer, which should make for a short book, is 'he didn't'.
To clarify, neither the word 'gender' nor any equivalent, appears in the NT. Not in the works of Paul nor in any other book.
The danger here is that people will say, “Ah, but Paul mentions men and women. That means he was speaking about Gender.” This is a dangerous falsehood.
When Paul spoke about men and women he was speaking about them in a way that is direction opposite to the modern meaning. When Paul speaks to ‘men’ he speaks to people who, knowing their sex, being aware of what genitalia they posses, sought to know how people like them should act as Christians.
The modern world, in a statement almost unrivalled since the world began, speaks of ‘Gender assigned at birth’. Consider the miracle that this implies. That one hundred percent of all those that observed with baby without a diaper mange, each on their own without any consultation, from the two year old to the one hundred year old, to ‘assign’ the same gender to the baby.
This concept of ‘gender’ is completely absent from anything Paul writes. Paul accepts and teaches the idea that God has created some male, and that those he created male were required by him to actin certain ways. God created some female, and that those he created female were required by Him to act in certain other ways.
Gender, to the language learner, is an attribute of certain words to work together. The boy who fell down, *he* got up and dusted *his* pants off. Masculine nouns in French take masculine adjectives.
But gender, to the insane moderns, means some mysterious, vague, inner feeling that determines if you wish to have a penis or a vagina.
No book written in the English of today can fail to engender confusion when it seeks to detail the doctrines that God taught through Paul if it has the word ‘gender’ in the title.
March 22, 2019
This is undoubtedly the best book on this subject I have read so far.
I've read a couple books that got the message right that also managed to have a good intro to the pervading culture of the time, but this book takes it to a whole new level. The author doesn't just introduce the culture and context of the issues, but also shows how they fit into Paul's overall theology and how all the different passages interact. The book is crawling with footnotes, and you can tell that the author has a very high view of scripture.
Side note, the head covering passage makes SO MUCH SENSE NOW.
Side note 2, I can only imagine how much grave rolling Paul does as people use his words to justify doing LITERALLY THE OPPOSITE of what he did/wanted.
The only gripe I have with the book is that with one little throw-away line on homosexuality, the author fails to show the same consideration of the context and attitudes of the time that she shows for gender issues in the rest of the book, but since this is not a book on queer theology (I've got plenty other of those!), I won't deduct a star.
I've read a couple books that got the message right that also managed to have a good intro to the pervading culture of the time, but this book takes it to a whole new level. The author doesn't just introduce the culture and context of the issues, but also shows how they fit into Paul's overall theology and how all the different passages interact. The book is crawling with footnotes, and you can tell that the author has a very high view of scripture.
Side note, the head covering passage makes SO MUCH SENSE NOW.
Side note 2, I can only imagine how much grave rolling Paul does as people use his words to justify doing LITERALLY THE OPPOSITE of what he did/wanted.
The only gripe I have with the book is that with one little throw-away line on homosexuality, the author fails to show the same consideration of the context and attitudes of the time that she shows for gender issues in the rest of the book, but since this is not a book on queer theology (I've got plenty other of those!), I won't deduct a star.
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