Editor's Column

Readers of The Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood will notice a different look, structure, and design, beginning with this issue. As the new JBMW editor, I wish to extend my heart-felt thanks to Rev. Timothy Bayly for his previous capable editorial work. As with so much in life, evaluation occurs and changes are made. In our case, perceptions of the needs and desires of our readership have led to decisions for a new approach, reflected in the 6.1 issue you now hold.

Because our Journal is issue-focused, we want to bring to our readers some of the finest scholarship and resources available anywhere on the broad area of the biblical roles of men and women. As a result, we have chosen to focus more of the Journal's attention to articles central to a biblical understanding of gender issues and roles. It is our hope to offer three or four substantive articles in each issue, some of which are reprints from sources to which our readers may not have easy access, and some first-run articles. In either case, we hope to present high quality scholarship so that the church can be helped in her calling to faithfulness, under the headship of Christ. This issue offers three articles dealing with the relevance of the doctrine of the Trinity to gender identity. And, we also commend to you the significance of the gender-neutral Bible controversy, as highlighted by the recent publication of the book, by that title, co-authored by Vern Poythress and Wayne Grudem.

Some other regularly-planned new features call for brief comment. We propose to offer a pastoral Bible study, biblical meditation, or sermon in each issue. Those involved in ministry may be helped as we see how another minister thinks about Scripture and applies it to various gender-related issues. Also, beginning with this issue, we plan to offer a significant bibliography of books and articles on the role of men and women. The Spring issue will record as close as possible to a comprehensive listing of articles published in the previous calendar year in this area. So, this issue, published Spring of 2001, includes a listing of articles on the role of men and women published in nearly every relevant scholarly journal during the calendar year of 2000. The Fall issue each year plans to include a bibliography of the books published in the previous calendar year. Both bibliographies (articles in the Spring issue; books in the Fall issue) will be annotated - with article annotations quite brief and succinct - so that readers will have some general sense of the articles' and books' overall contribution.

Finally a word about the frequency of our JBMW's publication. In light of the structure and design we wish for the Journal, we believe that we cannot publish four top-quality issues each year. Since each issue will be longer and more substantive than previously published, we also cannot afford four such issues annually. Consequently, we determined to publish instead two issues each year, the Spring issue in May and the Fall issue in November. The length of each issue of the journal will be close to twice as long as previously, so readers will actually receive about the same pages as they did formerly, just in two installments, not four. Our plan is to keep the same annual subscription fee for the two issues each year that you may request receiving. And, in order to be completely fair with our current subscribers, we will honor the number of issues you have paid for, so that until your subscription runs out, you will receive two years of issues (four issues) for the price you paid for one year (the previous four issues). When you renew, of course we will then offer to you the Journal's annual two issues for the annual subscription fee.

I wish to express special thanks to this issue's managing editor, Mr. Rob Lister. He has worked very hard in this transition to our new format, and he has contributed significantly to the substance of this issue. We hope and pray that the Lord will be pleased to bless these efforts to commend the biblical and wise plans of God for manhood and womanhood. May JBMW advance God's purposes and speak faithfully regarding this crucial dimension of life.