Editorial

This is a new day for The Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (JBMW). Not only does it mark the beginning of my tenure as editor, but it also marks a significant departure in the form of the journal. The new format reflects CBMW's concern that the noble biblical vision of sexual complementarity may win the mind and heart of Christ's church. We aim to provide a forum for complementarians to publish both scholarly and popular materials representing this view. We also hope to encourage the considered and sensitive application of this biblical view in all spheres of life.

To that end, JBMW intends not only to address technical issues of exegesis, history, and theology, but also to explore how the Bible's total message of manhood and womanhood should intersect the lives of Christ's followers. This new format should engage not only the technicians of the scholarly guild, but also the church more broadly. In other words, the new format reflects our effort to address a broad range of issues and people with content that promotes the complementarian perspective on gender roles.

So beginning with the issue that you are now reading, JBMW will include five regular sections:

Section 1: "Standard Fare" - This section will contain items that appear in every issue of JBMW: the editorial, letters from readers, and "odds & ends" from recent developments in the world of Christianity and from the culture that affect the editorial concerns of JBMW. We are pleased to begin our new "letters" section because of the forum it will open up with our readers. Not only do we welcome feedback from those who agree with the theological position of the journal, we also welcome direct engagement with non-complementarians. When non-complementarian works are cited or reviewed in JBMW, we hope to use the "letters" section as a forum for feedback and rejoinders. In the current issue, Kevin Giles contributes an extended response to a review of his book that appeared in a previous issue of JBMW. Chris Cowan follows with a brief response for the editors.

Section 2: "Essays & Perspectives" - This section will include short essays from writers who can effectively communicate the complementarian perspective and relate it to relevant areas of life and culture. The topics covered in this section will be as wide and varied as are the theological and practical implications of the complementarian view. The articles will be non-technical, compelling affirmations of the complementarian viewpoint. Endnotes in this section will be minimal, and articles will be accessible to any theologically astute reader.

We have several fine contributions to this section in the current issue. Ray Van Neste's "Pursuing Manhood" was originally an address to young collegians at Union University. But despite its original audience, the article will be of interest to anyone who is concerned to see a clear vision of manhood articulated for the next generation of young Christian men. In "Women in Ministry: Practical Application of Biblical Teaching," our own Randy Stinson and Chris Cowan flesh out how a complementarian view of gender roles might come to bear upon the various ministry contexts that are available in the local church and beyond. In "Young vs. Old Complementarians," Mark Dever explains why he thinks younger complementarians tend to be more earnest about the issue than older complementarians. In the final essay, Ligon Duncan explains "Why ‘Together for the Gospel' Embraces Complementarianism."

Section 3: "Studies" - This section will only include articles that are contributions to scholarship on the complementarian view of gender. The journal welcomes contributions representing the interests of all the theological disciplines (biblical, systematic, historical, and pastoral theology). Both short and long studies will be considered. This section will be refereed by external readers.

This issue includes two scholarly papers that were presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. In "Reconsidering the Maleness" of Jesus, Micah Carter offers a defense of the maleness of Jesus in light of feminist critics who have tried to refute the same. Ben Phillips's "Method Mistake: An Analysis of the Charge of Arianism in Complementarian Discussions of Trinity" defends against recent egalitarian charges that complementarians hold an Arian (and thus heretical) view of the Trinity. Phillips's work is very much related to the conversation that Kevin Giles himself addresses in the "Letters" section of this journal.

Section 4: "From the Sacred Desk" - JBMW has often published excellent sermon manuscripts that advocate the complementarian view. That tradition will continue in the "From the Sacred Desk" section. In this issue, John Piper offers a sermon on 1 Peter 3:1-7 from his 2007 series on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. The sermon is titled "The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission," and it is to be included in a forthcoming book on marriage.

Section 5: "Gender Studies in Review" -This section will include critical reviews of gender studies and a regular annotated bibliography of recent publications on gender issues. In the current issue, James Hamilton's "Pastors Are Not Elders: A Middle Way?" responds to a novel interpretation of Ephesians 4:11 that Harold Hoehner advanced in a recent issue of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. In "Reassessing Junia," Mike Burer responds to Eldon Epp's book Junia: The First Woman Apostle and argues that Epp has in fact not proved that the Junia of Romans 16:7 was a woman. Finally, Barak Tjader has compiled an annotated bibliography of gender-related articles for 2007.

Thanks are due to my outstanding predecessor, Dr. Peter R. Schemm Jr. I appreciate Dr. Schemm's distinguished service to this journal and all the talent that he brought to the task. We are happy that he will remain as a senior contributing editor to JBMW. I stand on his shoulders and on others' as I launch out into this new and stimulating journey as editor.