Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women

by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick, Eric M. Schumacher

From beginning to end, the Bible affirms women, who have intrinsic value because they are—just as men are—created in the image and likeness of God. Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women offers insights for both women and men as they more fully grasp that truth through the study of Scripture.

Bestselling author Elyse Fitzpatrick and pastor Eric Schumacher explore how women fit into the storyline of the Bible, offering a transformative view of women, their Maker, and their essential role in the plan of redemption. Readers will be informed and encouraged as Worthy uncovers how God values, empowers, and works through women.

Study questions and a "Digging Deeper" section will help men and women alike discover how to cherish, value, and honor one another for God's glory.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Theology, Faith, Christian Living, Womens, Christianity

304 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2020

About the author

Author of 20+ books on the Christian life and the gospel's impact on everyday living, Elyse is a frequent speaker at women's conferences nationally and internationally.

Elyse's ministry is summed up in these simple words: No fluff, No bricks, just the good news of a crucified and risen Christ.

In 1971 she married her sweetheart Phil and together they raised three children and are enjoying six really adorable grandchildren.

Together they attend Valley Center Community Church in the hills of the North County of San Diego where Phil is an elder.

Reviews

[Matthew Manchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a different kind of review for me. This book was such a blessing to me.

It made me rejoice.
It made me feel encouraged.
It made me concerned about other teachings.
It made me love my sisters in Christ
And it made me severely angry.

Why?

I've been in the Calvinist and Reformed world for over six years, not to mention another six years before that of listening to Reformed preachers, and this is the first time I've read/listened to anyone talk about the worth/dignity of women extensively.

SUMMARY

Are you looking for the hottest new book on the complementarianism vs egalitarianism debate, or even an inter-complementarianism debate? Then this is not the book for you.

Because this book is about women and their worth to God, and therefore what they should be worth and how they should be treated by us all. This book isn't about authority structures or submission of women to men. After reading this, you'll understand that many of the debates mentioned above fail at the same central point: they do not understand the worthiness of women.

This book gently showed me how utterly ignorant *I* was/am of the women in the Bible.

THE GOOD

This book is wonderfully co-written by Elyse Fitzpatrick (one of my favorite female authors) and Eric Schumacher, who brings a pastoral side to this book. Having two voices, from two different genders, only makes this book better. You can't read this book and think that it is "one-sided" or "biased".

Overall, this is a biblical theology book about women.

















For those who don't know, I love biblical theology books. It mostly comes from a lack of biblical theology in my churches growing up. Yet, looking back, this is the first biblical theology book about women that I've remembered seeing.

The authors take us from the garden through every section of the Bible, and even a little of church history. While they don't mention every female in the Bible (RIP Noah's daughters-in-law), they discuss most of the positive examples found in scripture. The exegesis of the text is super solid and the themes/situations they bring out of the text are convicting.

Normally I dislike questions at the end of chapters because so few are good enough. They are usually easy summary questions that don't lead to or require meditation, thought, time, honesty, and conviction. The questions in this book are not so. I found the appendices helpful as well.

The last chapter of the book talks a little bit about today's church, taking the theology it has covered and applying it. This section was just icing on the cake. I see a lot of authors using Worthy in the future (along with the Bible, obviously) as a launching point and foundation to talk about current issues in the local church.

Note: I read both the paperback and Audible version of this book and both were great. I'd pay $$$ for a hardcover though.

THE CHALLENGES

None.

CONCLUSION

This might be one of the most important books of this century. That's not hyperbole. The influence I see this book having on semanaries, pastors, and future authors cannot be overstated. While there have been books that have mentioned women and their worthiness before this one, I believe this is the first exhaustive book on the subject written for a popular audience.

Honestly, you'd be foolish to ignore this book.

There are very few books I commit to rereading every year. This one is now being added to that list. I can't imagine my life (and how it would look) without rereading Worthy over and over again.

Five stars.

Side-note to my Reformed followers: How many books do we have to read before we realize that there are certain beliefs and connections in our reformed theology that allow for abusers and racists to stay hidden and thrive?

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to preface this review by saying that while I found this book to be flawed, and more frustrating than helpful, it did have a lot of solid reflections in it, which may be encouraging to others. Although their book did not appeal to me, I'm grateful for the authors and their advocacy for women in the conservative church at large.

So, WORTHY is not what I wanted it to be, which was a sola-Scriptura re-evaluation of complementarian readings of Scripture. It's a lot less scholarly than I hoped it would be: if you're already deeply familiar with the Bible, then there won't necessarily be a whole lot of new information here. Fitzpatrick and Schumacher more or less recap the lives of Bible women and point out that they are treated with dignity and respect. Fine, but basic: I was looking for something a little more advanced. I enjoyed certain of the points made - the authors exonerate Eve from the charge of exaggeration when she said that she and Adam had been commanded by God not even to touch the tree of knowledge, and the argument that following the birth of the Messiah the role of women has changed from childbearing to general dominion/cultural work in the kingdom of God was really good. (That said, the section on women in the Mosaic Law was extremely thin, and I personally believe the Old Testament is more egalitarian than this book made it sound.)

Probably the most exciting things I got from the book were actually just little typological lightbulbs that went on in my head while reading. For instance, in retelling the story of Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well, they mention that wells were places where men might go to meet a wife or pick up a girlfriend, as happened in the Old Testament with Abraham's servant and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, and Moses and Zipporah. The typological implication is that in revealing himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman at the well, one who represented both the Jews and the Gentiles, Jesus is performing a symbolic meeting with his bride, in reference to the meetings of the Old Testament. Insights like these were genuinely exciting.

Otherwise, as I said, there was not much here that I was not already pretty familiar with, and with so many big and burning questions, this book was not what I needed right now. I had a feeling I was in for a frustrating time when, two or three times in the first ten pages, I had been reassured that the authors were not (gasp) feminists and indeed expected to offend any feminists who had somehow stumbled across the book. This was not a promising sign for a book that I had hoped was going to follow Scripture wherever it led, even if if led to controversial topics.

(Another peeve occurred when the authors referred to the villain-era Apostle Paul multiple times as a "Middle Eastern terrorist", which is outrageously inaccurate. Sure - as John Merriman points out in the splendid Introduction to his book THE DYNAMITE CLUB, killings, arrests, and inquisitions are terror tactics, but the perpetrators of such deeds are only called terrorists when acting as insurgents or revolutionaries. The term for people who do these things on behalf of the authorities - as Paul did - is "policeman." But I digress.)

I don't call myself a feminist, but as someone who has ended up at least somewhat more egalitarian than the authors of WORTHY, I would say that I was offended by the book, but not for the reasons the authors seemed to expect. For the most part, I was simply puzzled. Throughout the book, the authors proclaim that the Holy Spirit speaks to and through women just as much as he does through men, and that women are just as much members of the new covenant royal priesthood of all believers as are men. But then, they insist - without explanation or argumentation beyond one or two brief prooftexts in a footnote, despite the fact that the whole thrust of their book would argue otherwise - that women are not to be preachers or elders. They say that women should be welcomed into "non-authoritative" teaching in the church, and this is where I lost it. Is a woman speaking the word of the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit as a member of the priesthood of all believers, not authoritative in the church? If a woman can teach in a church in a "non-authoritative" manner while delivering the word of the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit, then where is the authority of the preachers and elders coming from? Does the Spirit become less authoritative when speaking through a woman? Because if the authors would answer yes, then they have just undermined the whole thrust of their book. Or, is there a form of authority in the church other than that bestowed by the Holy Spirit and the priesthood of all believers? Does this mean that there needs to be an element of human authority in the church in addition to that of God Almighty? In other words, is there a special male-only class of church government so binding that its pronouncements have greater authority than the prophetic, Spirit-filled utterances of a godly woman? And if the answer to that is yes, then my questions are twofold: first, where do you get that idea in scripture, and second, does it burn?

I hasten to add that what weirds me out in the passage I object to is the authors' focus on authority as though authority in the church can somehow be divorced from the Holy Spirit in such a way as to allow women to speak in the power of the Spirit yet somehow to be deprived of the authority of the Spirit. I focus on this, not because I firmly believe that women should be preachers or elders in this weirdly authoritarian or or indeed any other model of church eldership: I do not: my thoughts are still undecided. I point this out because I don't know and I am desperately seeking any credible Scriptural exegesis on male eldership, and this book failed to give them. In the end, Beth Allison Barr's THE MAKING OF BIBLICAL WOMANHOOD gave a much more helpful and exegetical look at, say, Paul's 'household codes' than did WORTHY. (Where WORTHY does touch on the Pauline epistles, it simply repeats the old chestnut that Paul was telling praying or prophesying women to cover their heads as a sign that they were under authority - which is wrong. In Paul's ancient Roman world, only women IN authority had the right to cover their heads; slave girls and prostitutes were forbidden to wear the veil; so that when Paul addresses head coverings, he's actually permitting women from the bottom of Roman society to assume full equality with rich and respectable matrons in their church assemblies).

By the end of the book, the authors have spent so much time reassuring the reader that they aren't feminists, that the somewhat-more-egalitarian reader is left feeling that the authors must find greater fellowship with the misogynists they keep addressing as brothers than they do those stinky egalitarian Christians they keep distancing themselves from - which I thought was a really rather surprising attitude to find in a book purportedly trying to rebuke misogyny in the church. At the point very late in the book when the authors finally acknowledge that one might be both an egalitarian and orthodox, it comes absolutely as a surprise - a pleasant one, if belated.

I was, in short, left with the impression that the authors did not start by asking what the Bible says and building their views from there; rather, they start by presuming complementarianism and then were careful to draw no conclusions that would cast doubt on that stance. Which I'm afraid is not what I go to any Christian book for. And I'm not saying this out of bias, because I happen to be somewhat more egalitarian than the authors: I've had people explode certain egalitarian claims for me, through a bit of exegetical study. Bias is unavoidable, but that's not a bad thing when the bias we have is in favour of Scripture - wanting to know what Scripture says, and wanting to follow it faithfully wherever it leads at the cost of our own preconceptions - and that doesn't seem to be what is happening here.

To conclude, most of the stuff in the book, though frustratingly basic, is solid and may be helpful for readers so deeply entrenched in hyper-patriarchalism that it may challenge their preconceptions, or encourage them that in questioning what they've been taught, they aren't sliding headlong into heresy. I'm genuinely glad for that. Still, in part the book frustrated me because I had been so hopefully searching for something more scholarly that would tackle questions this book studiously avoids. I hate to be That Person who demands answers from a book which it was never meant to address. However, my frustration stems in large part from the fact that the book absolute does raise the questions which it then refuses to answer. If women are fully indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and fully members of the new covenant priesthood, then on what basis are they excluded from certain roles in the church? The book's bias closes off questions and conversations that we DO need to be having, regardless of which side we ultimately come down on. Look at me, for instance! If there IS a sound Scriptural argument against women elders and preachers, now is the time I very much want to hear it, and from people like this, whom I can trust not to believe that women in general are that bit of toilet paper stuck to your shoe after a visit to the public restroom. But it's simply not here.

[Eric Schumacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey! I'm one of the co-authors of "Worthy." Thanks for your interest in the book. Let me tell you a little bit about it:

1) What is "Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women"?

It is a biblical theology of women, tracing their place in redemptive history, seeing and celebrating how God has used them in the storyline of the Bible.

2) Who is it for?

"Worthy" is for everyone—Christian or not, man or woman. We especially hope that men will read it, as the value of women is an issue that men should care about deeply. We hope that non-Christians (who may be skeptical of how the Bible treats women) will come to see that the Bible (rightly interpreted) values and celebrates women.

3) Why did we write it?

We wrote "Worthy" to demonstrate that a conservative reading of the Bible (one that treats the Bible as God's inspired and authoritative Word, reading it on its own terms) results in a high view of women. We wanted to demonstrate that, from beginning to end, women are integral and indispensable in God's plan of redemption. We believe that valuing women is essential to ending their mistreatment in the world, church, workplace, and home.

4) What do we hope results?

We hope that "Worthy" leaves readers with a high view of the value of women in the world, church, and home. We pray that it drives readers back to the Bible to see for themselves what God has to say about women. If it sends you back into the Word to see the value of women in God's redemptive plan, we will be happy (even if you disagree with us on a few details).

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent corrective for traditions who have abused complementarianism or doubled down on hyper-complementarianism. There's wisdom and humility here, and (to my delight) the book is pleasantly readable and has a smooth tone not always pulled off by co-authors. Personally, as a single woman heavily involved in ministry, I was pleased to see women like me highlighted and appropriately valued.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have strong mixed feelings about this book. First the good news.

The authors do a good job of showing how God used women in Israel's history. They do a great job of showing the redemptive nature of Jesus in how He treated women. A good example is comparing the Old Testament law regarding women being unclean and untouchable to the way Jesus treated the bleeding and therefore unclean woman, healing her.

The authors are good at calling men to task for their attitudes toward women. Schumacher encourages men to be open to training and equipping women. “We ought not to be resistant when a woman corrects our theology or practice.” (148) Women are called to proclaim the gospel, he notes. (148) Preach it, brother.

The authors also do a pretty good job of relating how women have felt through the years, that the church identified women as of less value than men and limited their use in the Kingdom. They encourage women to remember how Jesus dignified women. They do a good job of encouraging churches to invite “worthy women into the non-authoritative speaking ministry of the congregation.” (204) They do a good job encouraging churches to support women who have painful concerns, such as those of their husband's abuse or sexual sin. They do a good job of calling the body to unity, regardless of their position on women in ministry.

What is contained in the book is very good. However, what's missing is, well, lots.

Now the bad news.

The authors totally ignore some of the most pesky and women devaluing passages in the Bible. The passages absent from commentary in this book are some of the ones that most troubled me as a young female Christian.

Here is what is not covered in this book. Only males had the sign of the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants. Only males participated in Israel's feasts. (Ex. 23:17) Only males were included in Israel's census. (Num. 1:2) In the Ten Commandments, a wife is described as a man's possession. (Ex. 20:17) An unmarried woman could be forced to marry her rapist. (Deut. 22:28-29) A woman was unclean twice as long when birthing a daughter as opposed to birthing a son. (Lev. 12:2-5) A woman's vows could be nullified by her father or her husband. (Numb. 30) Only a man could initiate divorce. (Deut. 24:1)

Perhaps the most disturbing passage is Lev. 27:1-7 where women of various ages are “valued” consistently a little over half the value of men of the same age. The authors include a reference to this passage in one of their discussion questions. They ask, “Does this strike you as denigrating to a woman's worth? Why or why not?” (106) Readers get no help in coming to grips with this or the other devaluing passages.

Those passages troubled me as a female Christian teen and they still trouble me as a female Christian senior citizen. This book offered no help on them.

There was also an area where I thought the authors were being nice but perhaps not sincere. The authors, knowing women in the military and working for the FBI, write, “Women, you are free to discern what kind of vocation the Lord is calling you to and he will use you as you work in wisdom for his glory.” (135) That might sound nice but is not true from what the authors wrote previously. “Elyse and I both believe that the Bible limits the office of pastor/elder to men who are called and qualified by the Scripture.” (87) Women called to pastoral ministry, and I believe some are, are not so free to discern the vocation to which the Lord has called them. The authors assure women “a wealth of other avenues are available for sisters to exercise their gifts...” (87) Right. The authors also quote a commentary on Matthew, the author declaring God “as an equal opportunity dispenser of both his grace and of contexts to serve him.” (167) Not really, if the pastor/elder context is forbidden for women. (87) The authors reaffirm their male only pastor/elder role near the end of the book. (210) That is tragic, considering the number of stories they relate about male elders not holding men accountable for sexual sin, often blaming the wife instead. Women elders bring a sensitivity to such issues men do not have.

So that's the good news and the bad news about this book. The authors note that they hope to transform the ways men and women think about and relate to women. (23) They also hope this book convinces women God cherishes and values them. (23) They've done a good job of giving examples where God used women and valued women. They just ignored too many examples of where it seems God devalues women for me to be satisfied with the book.

Food for thought: “I wonder where the church would be if women were allowed to work according to their gifting and if their skill, intelligence, wisdom, and piety were taken as seriously as men's.” (227)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just.... Beautiful. Full review to come.

[NinaB · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading it, about halfway through and have put it aside. There are some good points, but I wouldn’t recommend it bec of the following, based on what I’ve read so far. The book just seems to fuel the angst of those egalitarian types, who already think the church is too patriarchal. I do understand that this book may have been written to speak against the abusive “complementarians” but they went too far to prove their point using the Bible.

- ch 2 is ungracious toward men who choose not to be alone with a woman not his wife, even in public settings. The authors assume it’s because these men view women as temptresses. It’s highly possible that these men realize their sinful tendencies and don’t want to subject the women to their lust.

- they interpret passages with abuse of women in mind too much. For example, they say the first sin was eating the fruit and second was abuse of women (because Adam blamed Eve?). Eve was not an innocent party here.

- They seem to overemphasize God’s use of weak women to accomplish His will (young virgin Mary was tasked to bear Jesus) by stating the obvious that “the Kingom of God isn’t established through guys doing tricks on motorcycles...” Well, duh? God used weak men, too.

- in chapter 5, Elyse made a nonsensical explanation about the relationship between the preciousness of blood to God and why menstruating women were considered unclean. I was really lost here.

- in chapter 7, the authors called Tamar, Judah’s DIL, wise and a godly leader, despite her deception. I think this is another example of the authors’ reading too much into Scripture to prove their point about the worthiness of women. Instead of just saying her story is proof that God uses weak people, even in the genealogy of Jesus, the authors commend her deceptive actions, that she wasn’t “called righteous for her gentle and quiet spirit... but by being strong and assertive,...She was a godly leader. And she was wise.”

And I stopped here and may pick it up again later.

[Amy Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished this beauty. Almost never has a book made me feel so seen and valued. Worth a read for Christian men and women everywhere.

[Brian Whittaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really good. It gives an excellent overview of the worth and contribution women played throughout the Bible. It was eye opening in places to see the central role women played at various points in the Bible, roles which are often overlooked when the stories are preached. Written from a complementarian perspective, it was very useful in thinking through where women can be used in the church. I didn’t agree with everything (is there any book you agree with EVERYTHING?) but it was very thought provoking and timely.

[Megan Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I was drowning and someone didn’t just throw me a life preserver but instead gave me a whole boat. Every Christian needs to read this book! I cannot begin to express how valued and heard this book made me feel as a woman. I am both deeply relieved to hear so many lies that I have heard preached all of my life Biblically refuted, and also deeply saddened that it took 17 years as a Christian and 12 years of theological education for me to hear these lies refuted by someone in my denomination.

Please read this book. Even if you think you will disagree with everything in it, read it anyway. Read it with an open heart, and pray for God to show you how to love and support your sisters in Christ while you read it.

[Persis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started "Worthy" earlier this year and put it down. But I picked it up again, and I'm so glad I did. In a day when people swing between the extremes of misandry and misogyny, this book goes back to the scriptures. It walks the reader through redemptive history and notes many of the women whom God used in the OT, during Jesus' life on earth, and in the early church. It notes the importance of imago dei and the value God places on those whom he has redeemed, which includes women. How controversial is that?

But as with every Christian book about women (and this book isn't necessarily just for women by the way), the necessary disclaimer needs to be made that the authors are not advocating female ordination nor overthrowing a husband's servant leadership. However, the fact that this issue is the first thing people automatically jump to indicates the need for this book. If the fear of women stepping out of their place and the need to keep them in line is paramount, what does that say about the underlying attitude toward sisters in Christ? If we are automatically viewed with suspicion, what does that really say about God? If we were created as inherently flawed, then it calls into question God as creator. If we remain permanently flawed after regeneration, it diminishes the power of the gospel to transform and change. It diminishes the work of Christ.

I finished"Worthy" on the heels of the public revelation of a group of professing Christians, including some pastors, whose intent was to bring down specific Christian women. The juxtaposition between "Worthy" and this group's mission is stark. Given this took place in my doctrinal camp, which prides itself on pristine doctrine, this exposure shows the need for this book.

God created men *and* women. He is still saving women from every nation, tribe, and tongue. He used them throughout redemptive history. He is using them today, and he loves them. This mercy and grace are not grounds for boasting nor for fear but rather reasons to serve and glorify him together as brothers *and* sisters. I highly recommend this book because "Worthy" will encourage the church in this very worthy calling.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fitzpatrick and Schumacher team up in this Scripture centered, thoroughly researched, "rock the boat" book that I couldn't recommend more for both men and women, leader and layperson. I was challenged in my own views ("the way I grew up" and "how it's always been done in the church") and encouraged to take action in how I see my own worth in Christ and to spread that worthiness in Christ to my girls, my friends and fellow church members. The format of the book being laid out in chapters discussing the issues through scripture from Creation through the early church with extremely helpful resources in the last chapter and appendices just reinforces the author's desire to rightly interpret scripture regardless of the toes they might step on. I learned so many things from specific passages that I've heard preached on so many times realizing how topics weren't addressed fully, inaccurately interpreted or just plain ignored. And while this book may feel divisive, I believe the authors' intent ("to glorify God by seeing and celebrating the value of women in God's word") is accomplished by speaking truth against the lies so prevalent in the church with true Christian compassion.

Just a few of the many things I'd like to remember and revisit in the future:
"By himself, Adam was insufficient to display God's image and likeness. The Lord is so holy, so wonderous and glorious, that one created gender alone was inadequate to bear his image. so he created Eve, a female, a woman. In exactly the same way the male has worth because he is made in God's image, the female also bears God's image and has worth."

The discussion of how God created Eve as a helper was so insightful! "To think of woman should bring to mind God and the help he provides. Like God's absence, her absence is 'not good.' Like God's, her help is crucial. As it is without God, the good life is impossible without her presence."

Say this aloud, "I am created in the image of God. How I act shows the world what God is like. How I treat other image-bears reveals what I think about God."

Such freeing and helpful discussions throughout of women who "work outside the home" who are single, single-mothers, and all others not fitting the typical "church mold."
"The biblical femininity movement may have done some good for women who never had mothers or proper female role models. But in trying to militate against radical feminism, it has gone too far and stopped many women from pursuing their callings and has made others, whose vocation led them outside home and hearth, feel as though they had no worth to the Lord's kingdom. In addition, this movement has occasionally forgotten that the primary roles for women, those of wife and mother frequently lauded in the Old Testament, have been expanded to include many other vocations, all with the goal of expanding God's kingdom. The women who preserved Moses' life were strong women--women who knew what it was to go against the normal and who were willing to lay it all on the line for the sake of those they loved. My brothers, might it be a good time for you to step back and begin to question how you got to where you are in life: How man women scarified, laid it all on the line, gave up everything--including their good reputation--took chances and fought with valor so that you could live the life you have now?"

A small sample of ways to include women in the church body:
include women in our worship services
advocate for women serving as deacons, collecting offerings, distributing Lord's Supper elements
ask women to pray in public
invite women to read Scripture in the service
have women lead liturgical readings
ask women to write the liturgy, choose songs, and plan services
have skilled women leading service music and music teams
encourage women to be included in leadership decisions and planning teams
ask women for interpretive insights, illustrations, and applications when planning to teach
look for areas where our language and habits exclude women and change it

When discussing the account of the women with an issue of blood touching Jesus, "Please notice that this woman went outside the bounds of societal decorum by touching a man, especially in her unclean state. But she didn't ask for permission. She certainly knew that she was doing something that would have caused revulsion and censure. And yet, by faith she persevered. And she was rewarded for it. It was almost as though she stole her healing and Jesus was not only okay with it, he honored it. Women, what does this tell us? It tells us that Jesus welcomes audacious faith. It tells us that we can presume upon his love and press into his goodness without fear of his censure. It tells us that he's comfortable around us--even those of us the world or the church looks at as unworthy or unclean. Women, come to him in faith. You are welcomed."
"Brothers, what do you learn from this? You can know that you are welcomed by the Lord too. He isn't put off by your uncleanness or reputation for failure. Jesus never worried about being made unclean by us because he's go enough holiness to cleanse us all. So flee to him and encouraged the women you know to join hands with you and run to him. Don't push them away."

Regarding interpretation of Proverbs 31, "Rather than seeing it as an exhausting punch list of one day's work, we should view it as a portrayal of the relationships this woman of value fights and works for in her life. She isn't afraid to be strong and she looks at the days to come and laughs with confidence because of her faith in her God. Her words are full of wisdom, and by her kindness and industry she demonstrates the goodness of God."

"Being a wife and mom is lovely, but it's secondary to the Gospel."

"Is God's counsel, 'It is not good for man to be alone.' applicable only in marriage? Could it also be applicable in your church, in your ministry too?"

The position of the authors as stated "we accept that the ordained office of pastor is limited to qualified men alone; we believe that husbands are to be the leading servants in their home and that women and wives are to help pastors and husbands in their calling."

"In both the church and the home men are called to be the chief servants, imitating the character of their Savior, remember the words of the Lord ..."

"Women are to see themselves as worth, not because they've accomplished great things, or because they are married and have well-ordered homes, but rather because they are created in the image of god, redeemed by the Son, and gifted to fulfill his commission. They are not to denigrate or degrade themselves, thinking they're inferior as women, nor should they think they only have value if they have a husband and family. They are to see themselves as worthy in God's eyes and in light of that, seek to become wise and strong women who stand, in whatever sphere of influence they have, as ambassadors called and commissioned for Christ."

"One reason that I pray we get past the silencing of questioning or dissenting voices is my concern for the young women who are just no finding their place in the church. We've got to open a conversation with them, we must welcome their questions, respect their disagreements, and open the door as wide as possible for them to find places of ministry according to their calling. There are many ways they can serve, and we must let them."

"Telling me how to live out my faith in the face of abuse wasn't caring for my heart. I don't think that the church has served women in my position well."

"Christian faithfulness requires the courage to confess our errors."

"Opposing demeaning speech, asking for clear statements on gender, calling for consistency in the application of principles, and requesting the inclusion of women to the fullest extent possible is neither insubordination nor divisive behavior. Done in good faith and humility, such are the calling of a Christian."

"No woman ( or man) should, in any context, feel ashamed to ask that women receive the respect, dignity, value, and inclusion that is rightly theirs as human beings, and especially, as members of Christ's kingdom."

"Christian conviction requires courage. Courage is not raw and angry aggression. It is a confident conviction tempered with abundant, Christlike compassion."

"Christian conviction should compel Christian unity, not excuse Christian division."

[Anna Tobler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t read nonfiction because it’s my favorite, but because I know it’s good for me. Stories are powerful, but it’s healthy to mix it up every now and then with nonfiction. That’s why I picked up Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women.

Though it came highly recommended from people I respect, I must admit my expectations were pretty low. I’m often disappointed by what I encounter in books for women on Christian living or theology. Often, the prose is poor and the exegesis watered-down–as if I, a woman, couldn’t possibly understand anything of substance.

From the first page of Worthy, I was riveted. I read this book as if my life depended on it, and I suppose it does in a sense. If most of what I’ve learned from conservative evangelicalism about so-called biblical womanhood is true, my life lacks real meaning. If a woman’s “highest calling” is to marry and bear children, what am I doing in college, soaking up theology and honing my thinking for the sheer joy of it? Is my life outside the home also outside the will of God?

Worthy exposed ways that I’ve misinterpreted stories from the Bible and healed wounds I didn’t even know I had. Women, we are not called to wimpiness. We are called to live magnanimously for the kingdom, “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” of faithful ladies in Scripture some of whom…

- Endured scandal and trusted God as she gave birth to the Son of God (Mary)
- Drove a tent peg through a man’s head and delivered Israel (Jael)
- Offered hospitality to her church and a missionary, a single man (Lydia)
- Served her church as a deacon and also traveled a great distance to deliver a letter to Rome (Phoebe)
- Corrected a skilled male teacher’s lacking theology (Priscilla)

Those are just a few of the examples you’ll encounter in Worthy. But Worthy is not just about the courage of these women. More importantly, it’s about the grace of God to them. Jesus has compassion on us. He sees us wallowing in our blood, and He says to us, “Live!” (Ez. 16:6) We are not worthy because we check all the boxes of biblical womanhood but because God has created us and renewed us.

I’m giving this book five stars because I think it’s a book that will forever change the way I read Scripture and understand my role as a woman of God. That being said, there’s a few things I’d like to note. First, this book is really written for people who have spent a significant amount of time in conservative evangelical circles; if you haven’t, a lot of the assumptions Fitzpatrick and Schumacher make about the beliefs and experiences of their readers won’t ring true. Second, don’t expect this book to be comprehensive; there are plenty of notable women of the Bible who are hardly mentioned, and there are some important (and controversial) passages in Scripture about women that aren’t thoroughly explained. Third, even if you don’t agree with everything said in the book, keep on reading, as there’s so much to glean. I’m still not sure I agree with their interpretation of the story of Tamar, among other things. That doesn’t mean that this book wasn’t completely worth the read. Read with humility. Finally, perhaps you’re skeptical that this book will be “too liberal” (which is a term so overused and generalized it’s pretty much lost meaning, anyway). Don’t be. The authors identify as complementarians and affirm that the biblical office of elder is reserved for men. However, their concern is not to preach popular beliefs of conservatism but to be faithful to the truth. I must say they do so quite graciously yet unabashedly.

Read this book. Perhaps you’re a single woman like me who’s heard that nothing is more sanctifying than motherhood, and you’re wondering if God really cares about your holiness. Maybe you’ve been talked down to by male classmates about theology. Or many of the men you know seem uninterested and even afraid to have a conversation with you about anything substantial. Or you want to lead but are concerned you’ll be taking leadership that should belong to men or be viewed as a usurper. Or you’ve been accused of heresy for simply asking questions about biblical gender roles. Or maybe you’re the one who’s been guilty of condemning other women for their past, the sins of the men in their lives, or their interest in leadership or theological training.

Maybe, with the daughters of Zelophehad, all you’re asking is that there be a place for you in the kingdom of God.

This book is also for men. The authors address parts of the book to pastors specifically, but I think that all men would benefit from it. I wish I could give it to all the evangelical men I know without it being passive aggressive. Brothers, read this book with an open heart. And listen to what your sisters would say. The stories of 21st century Christian women in this book may be their own. Your sisters want to have fellowship with you in unity as the family of God, for here “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). We are your fellow heirs.

[Allison]

Just want to amplify that the need for this book speaks volumes to the fact that modern Christianity has not followed Christ’s example in deeming women “worthy”...

[Colette · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I appreciate the heart of the authors, there is way too much twisting of Scripture to make it fit their narrative, not to mention a great many assumptions and reading into the biblical stories, again, to make it fit the point they are trying to push. They downplay men in order to glorify women (which was wearingly familiar given our current culture of identity politics) and also repeatedly disregard clear teaching of Scripture to make the Bible fit our cultural norms. I don't recall Christians ever being called upon to fit into the world around them. In fact, it's quite the opposite! We. are. to. be. different. That does not happen when we engage in mental calisthenics to get the Bible to say what we want it to. My call as a Christian is to open the Bible and live by its words, NOT to make it fit my emotions or desires of what I wish it would say.
Two stars becuase there is some truth here and I do appreciate the heart of the authors, but I'm honestly shocked by this shoddy exegesis. How incredibly dangerous to teach things as coming from the Lord when they really don't!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading this book soon after completing a class at Dallas Theological Seminary on the Role of Women in Ministry. After reading the Introduction, I turned ahead to the chapter "The Worth of Women in the Church," eager to get the authors' interpretation of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15. I appreciated the chapter so much, as it echoed much of what I had learned in seminary about Phoebe, Lydia, and other women leaders in the New Testament. I got to the end of the chapter, where they assert (I think rightly) that when read in context, 1 Corinthians 14 does not mean that women are to be absolutely silent in the church. Then I turned the page and ... wait, what? The chapter was over. They never talked about what 1 Corinthians 14 does mean, and 1 Timothy 2 was never addressed at all.

I was a little disappointed, since I think these passages are often used against women and are important to interpret well, but I kept reading the rest of the book, and ultimately, I love it enough to give it 5 stars and to wish every ministry leader I know would read it. Elyse and Eric are unfailingly Bibical as they trace the presence of women throughout God's redemptive history. They emphasize again and again the worth that God gives to women, and that to despise women is to despise their Creator. They argue that the stereo setting of the conservative complementarian church has been turned to "M"--focusing on men--for too long, and though we shouldn't overreact with an overemphasis on women, we need to find a correct balance in order to "hear the music" as God intended.

The authors are conservative and complementarian, and I hope that gives them an audience with those who need the message of this book the most. They assert (without providing an argument) that women should not have the office of pastor (page 210)--I learned in my seminary class that pastor is not actually a biblical office and therefore not restricted by gender, but that elder is, so I would just substitute that word and then I would agree with them.

In conclusion, I think perhaps the authors intentionally avoided 1 Timothy 2 and stated (without argument) that women should not be pastors, since the focus of this book was not ultimately on what roles women should and should not have in the church, but instead on what is arguably a greater focus--that women should be valued, included, and respected. Specific policies may not matter as much if there is a wider church culture of treating women as worthy, recognizing them as important characters both in the Bible and in the 21st century church.

Elyse and Eric perhaps rightly predict that they will get criticism from all sides--both from the secular feminist culture and from the Church--for writing this book. But I for one am tremendously grateful for their courage in speaking truth on this important topic.

[Grace J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was incredible. I wish I'd grown up in churches that preached this kind of complementarianism; I'd be a different person. This book poked at wounds I didn't even know I had, and then set to work at beginning the healing. It discussed topics I've wrestled with since childhood, addressed harmful ideas I was raised on, and argued against beliefs that had left me feeling small and dirty.

The authors of this book describe themselves as “soft complementarianists”. They believe that men and women are equally made in the image of God and thus equally valuable, though there are some differences. The point of the book, however, is not to focus on what women can't do, but to discuss all the ways in which the Bible lifts women up.

The result is a very thought-provoking, encouraging, beautiful book. The authors primarily use women's stories from the Bible to make their arguments, but also spend time discussing some of the trickier Bible commands (such as Old Testament laws). The book goes beyond shallow, surface-level arguments and puts each story in its appropriate historical context. I learned so much and often found myself reaching for a pen to write things down.

I so appreciated this book; it is one of the best books on a Biblical view of women that I have yet read.

[Lianna Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a phenomenal book! I deeply appreciated the tone and tenor throughout—it was gracious yet bold. The authors did an excellent job addressing and unveiling abuse, while also highlighting the many Scriptural examples of women whom the Lord used mightily. I was especially grateful for the way common stereotypes of women in the church were cast aside and shut down with biblical clarity. An excellent and edifying read.

[Schuyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worthy is the third in a list of books I'm reading with a friend exploring the topic of women in the church. I think this book is the most grounded in Scripture of the ones I've read, and the one most likely to help conservative complementarians fruitfully expand their perspective on women's roles in the church and Christianity. As someone who believes in male ordination but doesn't feel comfortable with some of the lines conservatism drew around careers and church involvement, it helped me a lot. 

As mentioned in a previous reading update, Worthy explained a similar concept to the "gynocentric interruptions" in Aimee Byrd's book, but more helpfully. It uses a lot more biblical examples and looks not at "interruptions," but at principles about women deeply integrated into the entire Bible. This helped me accept the idea behind her argument without bumping up against the implications of misogynism in divine inspiration that I was struggling with after Byrd's book. 

Worthy offers a better interpretation of Genesis 1-3 and women's involvement in the dominion mandate/fall than RBMW, countering some of Piper's Adam-centric interpretations of Eve's naming and act of sin. I appreciated the definitions of image-bearing that Worthy took from Gentry and Wellum's Kingdom Through Covenant.

The chapters about Jesus's interactions with women as funders and companions in his ministry were especially encouraging. I appreciated Barrs' quote about how Jesus engaged with women intellectually. Also, Dorothy Sayers' quote (p.167/168) about how Jesus refused to use women for condescension, good-natured ribbing, and slander, was moving.

Some other things that were helpful: (1. Worthy's emphasis on the type of people God includes in his kingdom: often the weak, the unworthy, the stigmatized, the unlikely. (2. Jesus shifting the male-only priesthood and the male sign of circumcision to the both-gender encompassing sign of baptism and NT priesthood. (3. A discussion of how women's vocation changed from child-bearing to a broader Great Comission after Jesus's arrival. (4. Lists of excellent, practical suggestions for ways women's giftings can be included in the worship service without violating the principle of male pastoring. 

Some cons: (1. In the OT section on Israel, the argument about Tamar's righteous motives didn't strike me as a likely interpretation because it depended on Tamar preserving her family line in hope of a Messiah. While that's definitely happening, we're not told that's why she committed a disturbing sexual act to get a son. (2. I would have loved more detail on women in Israel's law to address some of the tough questions about female inequality that I struggle with. (3. Some readers might differ with some authors' conclusions (e.g. women in the military), but I hope that differing applications won't cause them to lose the vital benefits this book contains.

One of my criticisms of super-conservative complementarianism is its limitations for women of certain cultures, personalities, and giftings. It has restricted women from fruitful avenues of church service, career opportunities, and intellectual exchanges with men that are inconsistent with a biblical view of ecclesial authority and divine image bearing. Worthy offers basic principles that leave a lot of room for freedom within biblical faithfulness and urges its readers not to restrict women from their spiritual calling/identity for fear of slippery slopes.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s sad that a book like this would be necessary. Or controversial. But it’s a very worthwhile read.

I’m just going to drop a couple of quotes:

“Women are to see themselves as worthy, not because they’ve accomplished great things, or because they are married and have well-ordered homes, but rather because they are created in the image of God, redeemed by the Son, and gifted to fulfill his commission. They are not to denigrate or degrade themselves, thinking they’re inferior as women, nor should they think they only have value if they have a husband and family.”

“We agree that feminism and secularism are to be resisted, but they are not the dominant danger faced by the church. The foremost dangers modern evangelicalism faces are the idolatry of the family, the idolatry of political power, and the self-trust that comes from a message that offers three steps to self-perfection. We are not at risk of losing our morals. We risk losing the Gospel’s message. . . The majority of the church is in free fall down into the poisonous cesspool that the Reformers so valiantly stood against. Rather than looking to marriage and the family as our primary message, we need to get back to the faith once delivered to the saints.”

[Rainer Erani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Biblical theology of womanhood. If nothing else, the stories shared were helpful for understanding the challenges that women face in the evangelical church. Heartbreaking at times, but honest. I think a lot of young pastors would be blessed by this book. Sobering and challenging. I also think many women would find this book to be incredibly dignifying.

Also, just fun to read an Ames-based author :)

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When the value of women is rightly seen and celebrated, their Creator is honored and glorified” (27).

This book goes on a short list of books I think every Christian would benefit from reading. As the authors show, women are deeply valued by God in the Bible’s story, and their faith in Him often turns the pages of the story if redemption. But my experience has been that so much Bible teaching misses this part of God’s heart. I was so encouraged by this book. It’s valuable for women—and for all those who know women! (Much of it is specifically written to help men in the church consider whether their treatment of women reflects God’s heart—this is not a “women’s book.”)

Ultimately, this book is important because it points to the glory of the God who made women and men in His image.

[Jen Lovelace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for women and men alike. Especially the men.

[Joelle Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that will glue your soul back together

I cried so hard through this book, but it was so beautiful, I couldn't help but cry. Oh what a Savior we serve; how we have been redeemed, and called worthy. Women, and men, take heart! You are loved far more than you can ever fathom. This is the Gospel; this is the Hope that Satan has tried to pervert and twist and keep away from millions of women (and men, though they don't realize it.) Redemption. Pure, unconditional, all encompassing, all surpassing, all powerful, beloved, brilliant, redemption. Because Jesus believed we were worth it. All of us. Always.

[Amy Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 10 stars if I could. I think it may be my favorite book I’ve read on gender/women in the Bible and in church. It’s not a feminist manifesto by any means, and would fit nicely in the hands of complimentarians. But it does challenge engraved ways of thinking. It encourages some out of the box thinking. It gives helpful and practical ideas. I absolutely loved it.

[Leya Delray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow.

I have to say I was hesitant for a long time to read this book. Mostly because the title annoyed me. "Worthy" has become one of those words that gets thrown around so much these days it's cliche to me, and I hate cliches. There's a lot of talk about "You are worthy" without any modifiers, and it drives me bonkers. Worthy of what? Why? According to whom? You can't just post "You are worthy" on a sign or on a social media post. What is that even supposed to mean? Do you really think every single person who reads that post/sign is indiscriminately worthy of...anything and everything? That's literally impossible. Especially since "Worthy" isn't automatically positive when pulled out of context. A person might be "worthy of renown" or they might be "worthy of punishment." I know that's kind of old-fashioned phrasing and we don't talk like that much these days, but the word itself is actually fairly neutral.

Anyway. I'll stop harping on the cliche now. The point is, I still don't care for the title, but I LOVED the book. And I do understand what the authors were trying to do in choosing that title. The entire book is basically written to answer those exact questions. What ARE women worthy of? Why? And according to whom?

And I must say they do a fabulous job of answering those question, straight from the scripture. So fabulous, in fact, that I would venture to say if you are only going to read one book about Christian womanhood, this would be a very good choice.

Contrary to what some people will probably assume based on the title and subject matter, these two authors are NOT feminists or even egalitarians. They remain quite openly in the complimentarian camp (which I suppose could be considered either a pro or a con, depending on what view you come from as a reader), but this is not a book intended to argue or debate about gender rolls. Rather, it's about looking to scripture to see how God uses and values women in the great story of history and the gospel, and about how we as Christians need to model ourselves after Christ in the way we think about, talk about, and interact with women.

I found it to be extremely encouraging and informative. It made me think about things I have never considered before, and also gave voice to many things I HAVE considered but did not quite know how to put into words. Of course, I didn't fully agree with EVERYTHING they wrote, but I don't think I've ever read a book I agreed with in every particular (unless we are talking about the bible of course!). Still, the few places I disagreed were so minor, and their overall message so important and well-written, that I don't hesitate to give this book an emphatic fives stars! I especially appreciated the kind and respectful tone the authors used, and how they pointed back to the supremacy of the gospel and the need to stand arm in arm with all fellow believers in advancing that marvelous message, and not dissolve into vicious bickering over second and third tier doctrinal issues. Yes please, PLEASE, let's do that.

Anyway. If you've been hesitating over reading this because of the title like I did, STOP hesitating and read it. You can always decide you disagree with part of their message once you've actually read the book, but please don't write it off because you think it's too cliche, or too feminist, or not feminist enough, or whatever! Honestly, that's all I can say.

Just. Read. The. Book.

[Cat Caird · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so greatful for this book being written. Its biblically rich & deep, showing the worth & value women have in the bible. It taught me things I've not noticed before & it makes me yearn to see women & their gifts valued more in church.

It's a book for men & women, constantly challenging the reader on their view of women in the church & if it aligns with the bible. It's complementarian but different in the way I've seen complentarinism theology displayed before. It's freshing.

There are of course some unanswered questions, parts of the Bible I would love to see them delve into more, particularly the 1 Timothy passages. But that means we eagerly await a second book right? Seriously though, thank you Elyse & Eric for writing the book!

[Michelle Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have grown up in the church and my husband and I have been faithful attendees as well. My father and my husband have never made me feel "less than," because I was a woman. With that said, I did not begin reading the book with the feeling of being hushed or abused. However, I have had friends who have been hushed and the church has blamed them for failures in their own marriages, or for the way they have been treated. I respected this book's preface, to not lean too far to the left or too far to the right, but to line up with the Bible and what it says. I have read a number of books on women and their roles, but this one, this one points to the Savior that men and women need. This one points to the God who created both genders in his image and he values both equally. It was refreshing to hear the celebration of what our Savior has done since the beginning of time to show the value of what he created and loves.

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellently written book, that needs to be read. Taking us all the way through the Bible, from creation to new creation, the authors help us to dig deep into the Scriptures and gain a renewed vision for the worth of women.

Some chapters, like the one on the place of women in the law, made me sing with joy, as I saw how amazing our Lord Jesus is.

Whilst I may not agree with all of the exegesis, or all of the conclusions, I am 100% behind the tone of the book. And that is the key. Here is a book that will help us ALL think through the worth of women, And hopefully repent of any ungodly attitudes and actions.

[Katherine Wathen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book showed me it is possible to have a complementarion perspective AND a high view of women and their contributions to the church. I agree with Elyse and Eric that secular culture has turn the dial too far to the “W” but many conservative churches in the U.S. have turned the dial too far to the “M”. What would it look like if the church led the way in elevating the women the way Jesus did in his ministry? I will be thinking about this book and the worth of women in creation, the death/resurrection of Jesus, and even in the Old Testament laws for a while!