Annotated Bibliography for Gender-Related Books in 2000
Rob Lister and Todd L. Miles
In the most recent spring edition of JBMW, we introduced our readers to a new section in our journal, an annotated bibliography of gender related articles from the previous calendar year. Now, in the fall edition, we are similarly providing an annotated bibliography of gender related books published in the previous calendar year. As the Lord grants grace, this is a feature of JBMW that our readership can regularly anticipate.
We at JBMW are persuaded that this is yet another means of equipping pastors, laity, and scholars to help the church deal biblically with gender issues. Once again, the sheer quantity of literature published-and here the reader should note that even this is not a comprehensive compilation-on gender issues in the previous year should alert us to the fact that these matters are anything but dormant.
With that in mind, JBMW has again attempted to provide an appropriate classification and annotation of each of the following books. The annotations focus on reporting the content of the respective volume, but where appropriate, they also interact with the content in an effort to highlight valuable points or problematic thinking.
For the sake of continuity, we have followed the same classification procedure employed in JBMW 6/1. The books are classified according to their stance on gender issues. Complementarian, Egalitarian, Non-Evangelical, and Undeclared once again comprise the headings. Our readership will find the Complementarian heading self-evident. By Egalitarian, we intend to classify evangelicals who do not see male headship in the church or home taught in Scripture. Under the Non-Evangelical heading, we have classified important secular books as well as volumes that broach the subject of biblical gender issues from a non-evangelical point of view. Finally, under the Undeclared heading, we have listed those books that do not give sufficient indication of their fundamental stance for us to classify them more specifically.
It is also worth pointing out that our readers will soon have access to all of our bibliographical information on the CBMW website (www.cbmw.org). Check periodically to see when it gets posted, and then check back frequently as it will be an ever-expanding list. May God be pleased to use this compilation as a helpful aid as we attempt to think carefully and biblically through these vital matters.
Complementarian Authors/Books
Benton, John. Gender Questions: Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in the Contemporary World. Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 2000.
Benton offers a survey of several key points (e.g. manhood and womanhood at creation, gender and the family, gender and church authority ) in the on-going debate debate over the biblical teaching on gender worth and roles. In eminently readable fashion, Benton has provided a volume for those in the church (especially laymen) who need to understand the arguments and stakes of this debate, but who do not have the luxury of tracking its every development through the publications of academia. In addition to sound biblical interaction, Benton also engages in some helpful probing at the worldview level. Benton's volume is appropriately applicational throughout and offers several helpful sections specifically given to refuting common egalitarian objections.
Birkett, Kirsten. The Essence of Feminism. Kingsford, Austrailia: Mathias Media, 2000.
Kirsten Birkett examines the development and guiding thought-structures of feminism, and provides a devastating critique of the same. Interestingly, Birkett reports that she began her work on this volume as a "Christian feminist." Upon detailing the history and philosophy of feminism, however, Birkett goes on to demonstrate her conclusion that feminism has failed to deliver on what it promised and instead reaped a harvest of massive detriment for women. At its very root, argues Birkett, "feminism suffers from the disease of self, which the Bible calls sin. . . . " Moreover, according to Birkett, feminism counterintuitively establishes a criterion whereby the value of women depends on their behaving just like men.
Burke, H. Dale. Different by Design: God's Master Plan for Harmony Between Men and Women in Marriage. Chicago: Moody Press, 2000.
With a view to growing godly marriages, Dale Burke leads his readers through a study of the Bible's teaching on the marriage relationship. Peppered throughout with practical application, Burke interacts with the major texts on this issue and rightly concludes that God's intent includes equality and complementarity. Accordingly, he draws upon textual insights for demonstrating the respective needs and roles of husbands and wives, and he offers some great tips along the way for helping couples flesh out the biblical pattern in contemporary life.
Clark, Jeramy. I Gave Dating a Chance: A Biblical Perspective to Balance the Extremes. Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2000.
In I Gave Dating a Chance, Clark offers a response to I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris. Written by a youth pastor in a style aimed at youth, Clark argues that responsible dating can be a blessing to both parties if it is characterized by integrity, honesty, and a desire to honor God. He covers issues ranging from appropriate ways to ask a girl out to the boundaries couples should draw for physical involvement. The chapter entitled "Just for Girls, Just for Guys," where Clark interacts with issues such as defrauding, modesty, and the appropriateness of attire, is especially helpful. Ultimately, the subtitle and jacket promise more than the book is able to deliver. Clark acknowledges that ‘dating' is not specifically addressed in Scripture. The Bible does have much to teach in the area of relationships however. It is from these teachings that Clark builds his case for proper dating relationships. In so doing, Clark fails to persuade that the courtship model is "extreme" from a biblical perspective and that his model for dating is more true to the biblical text. The book includes chapter discussion guides for individual or group study.
Grudem, Wayne. The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today. Rev. ed. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2000.
While this book is not fully given to a discussion of the issues surrounding women and prophesying, several extensive sections of the book do devote attention to this matter. Insofar as that issue is concerned, Grudem understands Paul's teaching in 1 Cor. 11 and 1 Cor. 14 to be compatible and not contradictory. He concludes that the women of the New Testament were encouraged "to participate fully in giving prophecies in the assembled church." The prohibition then, concerns the "spoken evaluation of prophecies." In this way, women are encouraged to employ their spiritual gifts in a spirit that recognizes and honors God's pattern of male leadership in the church.
Harris, Joshua. Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courship. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2000.
In Boy Meets Girl, Joshua Harris writes the companion to I Kissed Dating Goodbye. In it, he outlines his recommendations for a successful courtship which were borne out in his own courtship and subsequent marriage. Easy to read, the book contains numerous anecdotes that illustrate its principles. Harris begins by examining the motives that one should take into a courtship. He recognizes that the distinctions between ‘dating' and ‘courting' are not as important as the commitment to honoring God in the relationship by laying a foundation of communication, edification, and respect, rather than shame and self-gratification. In the second section he focusses on courtship itself. His recommendations are general rather than detailed but are all sound with scriptural support. Among other things, Harris suggests strong parental involvement and the necessity for the wisdom and accountability of others in the church. He also writes with a strong sense of the differing roles possessed by men and women in the courtship relationship.
Hunt, Susan. Your Home: A Place of Grace. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2000.
In a clear and readable style, Hunt calls her readers back to the God's timeless principles for building God-centered and grace dependent homes and families. In a way that honors Scripture, and God himself, Hunt distills a wealth of applicational insights for raising the next generation.
Lewis, Robert. Real Family Values: Leading Your Family into the 21st Century with Clarity and Conviction. Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers: 2000.
Lewis analyzes the current culture that is engulfing and poisoning the American family. He also helpfully discusses specific social challenges (homosexuality, racism, and abortion) that Christian parents face in trying to provide a Christ-centered home for their children. He challenges parents to define and write their own family values for their homes.
Ortland, Jani. Fearlessly Feminine: Boldly Living God's Plan for Womanhood. Sisters: Multnomah Publishers, 2000.
Ortland addresses the fears of femininity that assault today's Christian woman. She then explains how women are to live out their femininity without fear fearlessly as a single woman, wife, and/or mother, by living according to God's design for women.
Patterson, Dorothy Kelley. BeAttitudes for Women: Wisdom from Heaven for Life on Earth. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2000.
Dorothy Patterson offers a devotional commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, with particular attention paid to application for women. Carefully exegeted and treated in context, Patterson moves through the text with a view to encouraging and challenging Christian women. Each of the chapters is laced with Scripture, capably illustrated, and helpfully applied. Then at the conclusion of each chapter, there is a set of recommended exercises aimed at aiding at a deepened understanding of the passage through personal study and reflection.
Poythress, Vern S. and Wayne A. Grudem. The Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy: Muting the Masculinity of God's Words. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2000.
Poythress and Grudem have provided the most helpful and thoroughgoing treatment on the issue of translating gendered language in Scripture. The findings of this effort are demonstrably rooted in manifold textual examples and careful grammatical observation. As a result of their findings, the authors convincingly reveal the failure of gender-neutral translations to preserve all the shades of meaning available to them from the original text. In so doing, Poythress and Grudem demonstrate that the driving factor behind appeals for gender-neutral translation is feminist pressure as opposed to sound grammatical argumentation. (For a fuller interaction with this book, see the overview in JBMW 6/1).
Prince, Derek. Husbands and Fathers:Rediscover the Creator's Purpose for Men. Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2000.
In an eminently readable style, Prince charts a biblical vision whereby men bless their wives and children as they fulfill God's mandate to be the Christ-centered leaders in their homes.
Thomas, Gary. Sacred Marriage. Grand Rapids: Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2000.
Subtitled, "What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy," Sacred Marriage investigates the sanctifying aspects of the marriage relationship. The primary emphasis of this well-written book focusses on how God uses marriage to strengthen his relationship with each of the participants. This is not a book of instructions on how to build a perfect marriage; rather, it covers a range of topics that demonstrate how the challenges of marriage can better foster a stronger relationship with the Lord. Based firmly upon biblical foundations, Thomas discusses how marriages can teach the participants to love, respect others, pray, build character, and become more aware of God's presence.
Wilson, Nancy. Praise Her in the Gates: The Calling of Christian Motherhood. Moscow, ID, ID: Canon Press, 2000.
Wilson discusses the calling of Christian motherhood from conception to the releasing of the son or daughter from the home. Her study includes chapters on teaching manners, establishing house rules, taking care of sick children, and the importance of education. The volume contains many helpful examples that represent the wisdom of a successful wife and mother. One caution is that the force with which some of the applications are recommended may outrun the biblical data.
Egalitarian Authors/Books
Belleville, Linda L. Women Leaders and the Church: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000.
It is interesting to observe, in this volume, that Belleville falls prey to the exact charges she levels against complementarians. She throws down the gauntlet in the Introduction, charging complementarians with essentially only considering two texts (1 Cor. 14:34-35 and 1 Tim. 2:11-15), or worse yet, starting "with a thesis securely in hand" so that they mute any texts that contradict their thesis. Belleville then, sets up 1 Cor. 14 and 1 Tim. 2 as the very difficult and highly controversial passages that ought only be examined at the end. To begin, such a claim is a massive misrepresentation of complementarians and thus, the construction of a mere straw-man. Yet, it appears by the way that she sets up the discussion and proceeds throughout, that Belleville herself is the one guilty of beginning "with a thesis securely in hand" and selectively arranging and interpreting the evidence to fit. In so doing, she draws some dubious conclusions, suggesting for instance, that worship in the early church was purely a function of the Spirit's indiscriminate prompting with no attention paid to roles limited to qualified males.
Cunningham, Loren and David J. Hamilton. Why Not Women?: A Biblical Study of Women in Missions, Ministry, and Leadership. Seattle: YWAM Publishing, 2000.
The author of the foreword suggests that the authors of this book are finally are able to give us what no one else has, namely, "the integrity and experience we need in exploring this volatile subject." After establishing Cunningham and Hamilton as the two most qualified men ever to broach this subject, Cunningham and Hamilton proceed to give the reader a solidly egalitarian interpretation. Not surpisingly, as egalitarians, they find it unconscionable that males and females can have full equality of personhood and yet be designated for different functions by God himself. Cunningham suggests that each of us only bears a portion of God's image. For according to him the complete expression of God's image is only found in the union of males and females. Both authors repudiate the notion eternal, functional subordination within the Trinity. And so they determine that God's "absolute principle" in the Trinity and in its bearing on the gender debate is "absolute equality." In the textual discussions the authors suggest reconstructed and speculated backgrounds rather than accepting the reasons and the conclusions specifically stated in the texts.
De Young, James B. Homosexuality: Contemporary Claims Examined in Light of the Bible and Other Ancient Literature and Law. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2000.
De Young begins his work by explaining from Scripture why homosexuality is wrong. In doing so, he identifies the root cause of the behavior as pride and defends the biblical condemnation of homosexuality. De Young then provides a lengthy and thorough examination of the testimony against homosexuality in the Old Testament, the Pseudopigrapha, the Apocrypha, the Septuagint, the New Testament, and an extensive list of religious and secular law codes from the Ancient Near East. In doing so, he interacts with and refutes the claims of those who are attempting to revise the traditional interpretations in favor of an acceptance of homosexuality. He pays particular attention to the claim that the sin for which Sodom was condemned was inhospitality. He is able convincingly to refute the argument and demonstrate from the Old Testament, New Testament, and other literature that such an interpretation is inconsistent and false. De Young's thorough analysis, his exhaustive examination of the ancient literature, and his interaction with the current revisionist claims make the volume a valuable resource. The last chapter is especially helpful. The thorough analysis of the preceding chapters is summarized in the form of twenty questions. De Young provides both the revisionist answer and his defense of the historic interpretation.
Erickson, Millard J. Making Sense of the Trinity: Three Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000.
Clearly, the primary aim of Erickson's book is not to address gender issues. Nevertheless, it is true that one's Trinitarian understandings will impact one's view of the gender debate. This is true in Erickson's case, even though he does not draw out the implications of his view for the gender debate extensively. Let it first be noted, that much in the book is helpful and right. What is most problematic, however, is his rejection of eternal, functional authority and submission within the Trinity. As this issue is too detailed to treat at length in the space of an annotation, the reader is referred to the three helpful articles (by Ware, Schemm, and MacArthur) addressing this issue in a detailed fashion in the previous issue (6/1) of JBMW, as well as Stinsons's article in this issue.
Everist, Norma C. ed. Ordinary Ministry: Extraordinary Challenge - Women and the Roles of Ministry. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.
Ordinary Ministry: Extraordinary Challenge is a collection of essays written by female ministry leaders about their respective ministries. It is not a book that asks the question of ministry roles; it assumes female ordination. Female ministers, ranging from clergy to lay leaders, share their philosophy of ministry on a variety of topics including preaching, outreach, and inner-city ministry.
Grady, J. Lee. 10 Lies the Church Tells Women:How the Bible Has Been Misused to Keep Women in Spiritual Bondage. Lake Mary, Fl: Charisma House, 2000.
Grady suggests that all who would deny women elder or elder-like roles are Pharisees guilty of "gender prejudice" and Scripture twisting. It would appear, however, that Grady is the one guilty of twisting the Scriptures. It is distressing to see the way he seeks (e.g., recreating dubious historical settings) to avoid the conclusions of the texts. Moreover, the book is rhetorically charged. The "lies" he has identified are often merely straw-men. On the whole, they certainly do not represent the intelligent arguments of any godly and thoughtful complementarians that I know. May God be pleased to allow Bible- loving pastors and the congregations the discernment necessary to see through the misdirected analyses of this book.
McMinn, Lisa Graham. Growing Strong Daughters: Encouraging Girls to Become All They're Meant to Be. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000.
McMinn takes up the topic of raising Christian daughters from an egalitarian point of view. At the outset, she suggests that both the postmodern and traditional Christian worldviews offer helpful insights as well as glaring oversights into the raising of our daughters. The failures of these two worldviews, suggests McMinn, stems from a predisposition to favor "male ways of knowing, being, and doing. . . ." In an attempt to solve this perceived dilemma, McMinn concludes from the fact that men and women equally bear the image of God, they should therefore indiscriminately have the access to the filling of identical roles. Accordingly, in her view, our daughters should be encouraged to do just that. Several of her sociological analyses appear to lack in charity and even-handedness.
Peterson, Eugene and Marva Dawn.Unnecessary Pastor: Rediscovering the Call. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.
Via an exploration of the pastoral epistles and Ephesians, Peterson and Dawn attempt to offer guidance that will help free pastors from worldly expectations for the purpose of conducting a more biblical ministry. While their primary intent in this volume is not to advocate for the availability of the office of elder to both genders-indeed, their comments are not unilaterally directed at those who hold the office pastor, but are frequently directed to the ministering laity as well-their supposition that the office is open to both genders does surface occasionally. In particular, Dawn, over the course of a few pages interacts with Ephesians 5:22-6:9. In the course of her discussion, she conveniently dismisses the complementarian interpretations of most of the relevant Pauline texts as hyper-literalistic understandings that fail to consider the historical context adequately. Interestingly, however, as with most egalitarian objectors, Dawn builds her case on a supposed historical reconstructions and not the groundings that are explicit in the text. (For helpful critiques of the prevailing egalitarian treatments of the Ephesus that supposedly stood behind 1 Tim. 2:9-15 for instance, the reader should see the chapter by S.M. Baugh in Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15 or his article "The Apostle Among the Amazons," in Westminster Theological Journal 56 (1994): 153-71. Copies of the article can be obtained by calling the CBMW offices and requesting the aforementioned title, reprinted with permission, in CBMW's Foundations Series.)
Skillen, James W. and Michelle N. Voll, eds. Women and the Future of the Family. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000.
This book is a product of Fox-Genovese's Kuyper Lecture and the three responses to it. In her four chapters, Fox-Genovese offers some commendable analysis of the detrimental effects of radical feminism, sexual liberation, and the rise of the autonomous individual. In her advocacy of self-sacrifice on behalf of the family, she offers some interesting data, and affirms, to some degree, that the measure of a woman in the home is not identicality with the man. Though the three respondents (Stanley Grenz, Mardi Keyes, and Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen) affirm that this radical individualism has had detrimental effects on the family, their chapters are, nevertheless, far more pronouncedly egalitarian in their treatments.
Thompson, Marianne. Meye The Promise of the Father: Jesus and God in the New Testament. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2000.
Thompson claims that the emphasis upon the relationship of God and Jesus as framed by the Father/Son relationship follows a theological trajectory more dependent upon the creeds than upon the scriptural narrative. After examining the biblical data and other Jewish literature, she concludes that the address of God as Father is not unique to Jesus or the church, but regularly appeared in ancient Jewish writings. In the Old Testament, uses of the name Father for God do not make any claim to ontological gender or a masculine essence. The name refers to the Father as the ancestor who gives life, the One who loves and cares for His children, and a figure of authority who is worthy of obedience. When Jesus addressed God as Father, He was placing Himself in the redemptive story of Israel - claiming to be the heir of the Kingdom and the Son of the Father through whom God would affect the redemption of Israel. Thompson concludes that to refer to God as Father is to confess God's redemptive and faithful love toward his people.
Wakefield, Norm and Jody Brolsma. Men are from Israel, Women are from Moab: Insights About the Sexes from the Book of Ruth. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Writing at the popular level, Wakefield and Brolsma suggest a number of insights from the book of Ruth that they believe will help foster healthier (by which they clearly mean egalitarian) relationships between men and women. Surely, the authors have a legitimate desire to see healthy relationships fostered, but they fall prey to the notion that such a vision can only be realized through an egalitarian enterprise. Wakefield and Brolsma rightly identify sin as the root problem in relationships that go awry. But, at the outset, they wrongly (quoting Gen. 3:16) identify the effect of sin on male-female relationships as the introduction of gender distinctions, rather than noting that sin caused perversions of the gender roles that God designed into his good creation.
Non-Evangelical Authors/Books
Batalden, Christian. Married in the Sight of God: Theology, Ethics, and Church Debates over Homosexuality. Lanham, MD: University Press of America: 2000.
Scharen chronicles the debates over sexual ethics in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), particularly as it is related to formulating a policy that requires celibacy of its homosexual candidates for registered ministry. He is critical of the present position and critiques the "order of creation" argument by utilizing Michel Foucault's analytical tools of "archaeology" and "genealogy." Scharen argues that the ELCA should adjust its theological and ethical position on marriage and ordination for gay and lesbian people. He supports his contention mainly by applying Martin Luther's writings on sexuality and the marriage rights of clergy to the modern gay and lesbian situation. Scharen's interaction with Scripture is limited to repeating the interpretations of the problem condemning passages by advocates of homosexuality. He also makes a misguided appeal to Luther's hermeneutics to explain away creation ordinances in Genesis 1-2. (e.g. "Luther's proclamation that we should delight in God's handiwork gives a theological support toot gay pride." p. 140)
Becker, Carol E. Becoming Colleagues: Women and Men Serving Together in Faith. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Becker advocates the concept of mixed-gender leadership in church and church-related organizations. The impetus for this volume stems from the author's research of twenty-three mixed-gender leadership teams from a variety of religious traditions. From her research, Becker distilled nine criteria for "effective" mixed-gender leadership. Throughout her book then, she interwove a discussion of these nine principles with the stories of nine leadership teams that she deemed effective from her research. The reader should note that this book is primarily a sociology of religion. It is assumed (not defended) at the outset that men and women ought to occupy identical levels of leadership in the church. Her conclusions are drawn from her observations of the aforementioned leadership teams. Becker disavows the use of masculine language for God. And, interestingly, one member of the first leadership team identified as "effective" in the book, suggested that white, male senior pastors are a part of the problem which "has to change."
Brenner, Athalya. A Feminist Companion to Samuel and Kings. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000
This collection of feminist essays on the Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings assumes an androcentric authorial perspective and utilizes aggressive historical and text criticism techniques to ask and answer questions behind the biblical narratives.
Brown, Teresa L. Fry. God Don't Like Ugly: African American Women Handling on Spiritual Values. Nashville: Abingdton Press: 2000.
Brown chronicles the transmission of spiritual values by African American grandmothers and mothers to generations of African American churches, families, and communities. In part autobiographical, the volume relies heavily upon the music, poems, and stories of African American women written in the last half-century. The book is written from a "womanist" theological and ethical perspective.
Browning, Don, Bonnie Miller-McLemore, Pamela Couture, K. Brynolf Lyon, and Robert Franklin. From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and the American Family. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 2000.
An appendix has been added to this penetrating and helpful look at the roles that churches and government should play in the strengthening of the American family. Although the authors support male responsibility in the home, they reject male headship in the home. There is little biblical interaction in the book other than to dismiss conservative interpretations of pertinent passages.
Cahill, Lisa. Family: A Christian Social Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress Press: 2000.
Cahill argues for a broadening of the definition of the constitution of a family away from the classical nuclear family created by kinship and marriage. While supporting the importance of strong nuclear family relationships, she believes that promulgating such an ideal discriminates against and punishes nonconforming families. She questions the ideal of the classical family from a historical and social perspective.
Callender Jr., Dexter E. Adam in Myth and History: Ancient Israelite Perspectives on the Primal Human. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2000.
Callender presents a historical-critical analysis of the biblical traditions surrounding the first human, Adam. Drawing from ancient near-East traditions, his work includes study of direct attestations to the creation of the "primal human" as a movement of history (Gen 1-3), indirect attestations used ahistorically for the purposes of analogy (Ezek 28 and Job 15), and vestigial allusions used for the shaping of other ideas (Ezek 28 and Prov 8). Callender argues throughout that the primal human traditions are important because in them the first human serves as the significant forerunner of humanity, defining the relationship between humans and deity.
Camp, Claudia V. Wise, Strange and Holy: The Strange Woman and the Making of the Bible. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press: 2000.
Camp first examines the female figures of personified wisdom and the strange woman in the Book of Proverbs. These figures become a construct by which Camp analyzes biblical literature, studying the social and political tensions that surrounded the formation of the Hebrew Bible. Camp then studies the narratives of Samson and Solomon in light of the motifs established previously. Finally Camp examines the narratives of Miriam and Dinah. She finds that these women were "made strange" by the common priestly interests which pervaded the transmission process.
Doe, Michael. Seeking the Truth in Love: The Church and Homosexuality. London: Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd.: 2000.
Doe examines the position of the Anglican church on homosexuality, particularly the Lambeth Resolution of 1998 which rejects homosexuality as "incompatible with Scripture." He explores the arguments from Scripture, tradition, reason and experience. Although Doe does mention the classical interpretations of the scriptural condemnations of homosexuality, he readily dismisses them, utilizing standard arguments of pro-homosexual advocates. He concludes by making an ambiguous call for the Anglican church to be more understanding, compassionate, and open to possible change.
Egendorf, Laura. ed. Male/Female Roles: Opposing Viewpoints. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000.
This collection of 27 essays offers contrasting viewpoints on issues surrounding gender roles. Most of the essays address a specific topic (causes of gender roles, oppression of women, favorable treatment of men in society, etc.) with a counter argument immediately following. There is little to no biblical interaction and most of the essays are utilitarian in their argumentation, but it does provide a balanced offering of the gender debate that is being waged in our society at large.
Fuchs, Esther. Sexual Politics in the Biblical Narrative: Reading the Hebrew Bible as a Woman. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press: 2000.
‘Fuchs' contention is that the Hebrew Bible promotes a male-supremist social and cognitive system. She reads the biblical narrative "as a political speech act, one that justifies the political subordination of women" (13). Seeing the biblical narrators as intentionally manipulative, Fuchs writes from the vantage point of one who is cautious, suspicious, and as one who maintains her right to refuse the authority of the Bible. Her chapters include analyses of the narrator's portrayal of the biblical mother, bride, wife, daughter and sister.
Hartwig, Michael J. The Poetics of Intimacy & the Problem of Sexual Abstinence. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2000
Hartwig's thesis is that the Christian commitment to abstinence for those not in a heterosexual marriage relationship is problematic and is actually harmful to those not who are forced to endure long-term or lifelong sexual abstinence. He applauds the relatively recent positive teachings on human sexuality and the importance of healthy sexual intimacy within the marriage covenant. However, in Hartwig's view, such teaching does not go far enough. He believes that holistic human health requires that one fluorish as a sexual person. Describing sexual fluorishing as a poetics of intimacy, Harwig claims that a chastity-based model of sexual virtue is inadequate and suggests that a covenental model of mutuality would better fit the long term well-being of the married, divorced, single adults, gay men and lesbians, and those with mental and developmental disabilities. The thesis of the book seems driven by Harwig's liberal social ethic and pro-homosexual agenda rather than thoughtful interaction with Scripture. His conclusion that mandated sexual abstinence for those outside of heterosexual marriage compromises many features of Christian morality is entirely unpersuasive given that his only reference to Scripture is to recite the pro-homosexual interpretations of Peter Boswell and Victor Furnish on a few of the passages referring to homosexuality.
Hazel, Dann. Witness: Gay and Lesbian Clergy Report from the Front. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.
Hazel tells the stories of gay and lesbian clergy and their struggles for acceptance in many denominations in American Christian churches. Part narrative and part polemic, Witness argues for the inclusion of homosexual clergy and the acceptance of homosexaulity in the church as natural. Hazel's logic is based entirely upon the experiences of gays and lesbians who see themselves as living the lifestyle God created them to live. Missing almost entirelty from Witness is the biblical witness. Only a few passing references to Scripture are made, usually to explain away the clear condemnation of homosexuality in the Bible.
Isherwood, Lisa. The Good News of the Body: Sexual Theology and Feminism. Washington Square, NY, NY: New York University Press, 2000.
The Good News of the Body is a collection of essays written from a decidely feminist theologian perspective. The anthology covers a range of issues that center upon the woman's body and female sexuality as the basis for incarnational theology. The volume is void of scriptural analysis or interaction.
Jordan, Mark D. The Silence of Sodom: Homosexuality in Modern Catholicism. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2000.
A self-professed Catholic homosexual, Mark Jordan authors a book in which he attempts to expose the contemporary Catholic church as being homophobic and homoerotic. That is, according to Jordan, the official position of Catholicism opposes homosexuality, while he asserts that it has invested its liturgy, symbolism, and closed-door activity with homoeroticism aplenty. Irreverent and unchristian, Jordan suggests, for instance, that the Catholic eucharist is shrouded in homoerotic symbolism as an "all-male clergy sacrifices male flesh before images of God as an almost naked man."
Kass, Leon R. and Amy A. Kass. Wing to Wing, Oar to Oar: Readings on Courting and Marrying. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame, 2000.
The Kasses have produced a fine volume on marriage and courtship. Pro-marriage and pro-courtship, they have compiled a variety of readings on these two subjects. The entries include both secular (e.g., Darwin) and religious (e.g., Genesis 24, the Song of Songs, and C.S. Lewis), literary (e.g., Homer, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy) and didactic (e.g., Aquinas and Plato). The Kasses have written a brief introductory section to each of the entries, and a lengthier introduction at the beginning of every major section. Their introductory essay at the beginning of the volume is a very fine piece of work. While it is clear that each essay is not tied to a biblical theology (intentionally so, according to the authors), and while it is therefore clear that our readers will not (and ought not) accord equal weight to every essay, this volume ought to be appreciated. It is very easily enjoyed.
Raab, Kelley A. When Women Become Priests: The Catholic Women's Ordination Debate. New York: Columbia University Press: 2000.
When Women Become Priests does not make arguments for the entrance of women into the Catholic priesthood. It is a collection of hypothetical insights into what would happen when/if women were ordained. In particular it addresses the issue of how women clergy will affect the celebration of the sacraments. Raab "wholeheartedly" supports the ordination of women into the Catholic priesthood. The implications, as she draws them, are large. For example, a woman delivering the eucharist in Catholic tradition calls for the revisioning of the gender of Christ. Seeking to provide a fresh perspective to the debate on the ordination of women, Raab depends primarily upon psychological methodology rather than an interaction with either Scripture or Catholic tradition. Influenced heavily by feminist theology, Raab is interested in how the presence of women priests would change the nature of the priesthood, the experience of the parishioner, the face of the church, and the content of theology
Reuther, Rosemary Radford. Christianity and the Making of the Modern Family. Boston: Beacon Press, 2000.
Religious feminist Rosemary Ruether explores the development and role of the family through the history of Christianity. Written from a strongly feminist perspective, Ruether begins by locating the "anti-family and alternative-family messages of the New Testament" during the first century and traces the history of the relationship between Christianity and the family through the Patristic era up to modern time. She is especially critical of the "family values" movement, describing its ideology as "generally coded messages about women and how they should behave in relation to men." She concludes by reimagining family roles, family policies, and the theology of marriage and family.
Sample, Tex and Amy E. Delong, eds. The Loyal Opposition: Struggling with the Church on Homosexuality. Nashville: Abingdon Press: 2000.
The editors and contributors lament the position of the General Conference of the United Methodist Church on homosexuality and the ordination of homosexual people. The title describes the strategy of opposing the official position of the church while remaining loyal to the church and the Christian faith. The book begins with a call to action to change the United Methodist Church's official position on homosexuality. Another chapter offers a critical look at the interpretation of the Scriptures used to support the church's condemnation of homosexuality. The author erroneously concludes that the Levitical prohibitions on homosexual activity are part of the holiness code, without moral considerations. He also dismisses the Pauline condemnations of homosexuality in Romans 1 because Paul's presuppositions about same-sex orientation were wrong and are currently discredited. Other chapters fall under the categories of resistance and social principles, resistance and humand rights, life in the church as resistance, resistance and ecclesial disobedience, and leaving the church.
Sands, Kathleen M. God Forbid: Religion and Sex in American Public Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
This collection of essays from the ‘religious left' explores the relationship between sexuality, religion, and public life. The volume is intended to challenge the control that religious conservatives hold over public morality in the current pluralistic society. In addition to offering alternative solutions to the current status of sexual ethics, the contributors often survey the history of both public opinion and public policy on specific issues, claiming that the conservative control of public moral policy is a recent phenomenon and is not consistent with public opinion, cultural values, or religion in a pluralistic society. Included in the challenge are essays on family values, the definition of a family, homosexuality, and a call for the decriminalization (not legalization) of prostitution. With the exception of one essay on homosexuality by L. William Countryman, the book is void of any Scriptural interaction. The positions are driven by a liberal social ethic, rather than biblical exegesis.
Scales, T. Laine. All That Fits a Woman: Training Southern Baptist Women for Charity and Mission, 1907-1926. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University, 2000.
Scales attempts to document the history of the Women's Missionary Union Training School as it fit into the context of women's struggles in the Southern Baptist Convention. Scales suggests that although the Training School gave Southern Baptist women some unprecedented opportunities, it was created to provide "both formal course work and a home life designed to socialize women students into roles considered by Southern Baptists to be appropriate for their gender." In advancing her thesis, Scales categorizes those Southern Baptists who did or would limit certain roles in the church to men as hopeless fundamentalists.
Scirghi, Thomas J. An Examination of the Problems of Inclusive Language in the Trinitarian Formula of Baptism. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Meller Press, 2000.
Writing for an ecumenical audience (e.g., the World Council of Churches), Scirghi defends the retention of the "traditional" language of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Trinitarian baptismal formula. He bases his argument, in part, on the fact that this language was revealed to us at the command of Jesus in Matt. 28:18-20. He further stresses that the traditional language provides us with a better understanding of the "perichoretic relationship into which we are invited through our baptism." With the exception of this issue, however, Scirghi is far too congratulatory towards feminists and feminist objectives.
Sommers, Christina Hoff. The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism is Harming Our Young Men. New York: Simon and Shuster, 2000.
Sommers documents the feminist attempt to subvert masculinity by warring against boys. She notes the fabrication of feminist claims that our school system caters to boys. In actual fact, Sommers demonstrates, the reverse is true both in the classroom and in the rhetoric of feminists who would have boys "rescued from their masculinity." Her suggested remedy is not a knee-jerk reaction that would have boys exempt from discipline riding roughshod in their classrooms. Rather Sommers, calls for a recognition of the fact that boys and girls are not identical, and ought not be forced into the same mold. The masculinity of little boys, according to Sommers, is not a sickness from which they require deliverance, but an integral component of their boyhood that needs constructive training and guidance.
Stevenson-Moessner, Jeanne, ed. In Her Own Time: Women and Developmental Issues in Pastoral Care. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000.
This collection of essays, written from the experience of female counselors, professors, and pastors, is based upon the premise that the gender differences between men and women necessitates different philosophies and methodologies in pastoral care for women. The book is broken into three general categories - developmental themes (broad themes such as body, socio-economic status, and early trauma), developmental passages (significant milestones in the lifetime of every woman), and developmental issues (specific issues that some women face such as race, sudden singleness, and disabilities).
Waite, Linda and , Maggie Gallagher. The Case For Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off Financially. New York: Doubleday, 2000
Written from a secular viewpoint, this book takes on the current myths that divorce is better for children when the parents are unhappy, marriage is essentially for the good of children, marriage is good for men but bad for women, promoting marriage puts women at risk of violence, and that marriage is a private choice, not a public institution. The book contains scientific studies, surveys, and personal interviews. The book concludes with recommendations to strengthen marriage as a national institution for the good of society.
Undeclared Authors/Books
Anderson, Kerby, ed. Marriage, Family, & Sexuality: Probing the Headlines that Impact your Family. Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids, 2000.
This volume critically analyzes the issues that threaten marriages and families in contemporary society. In most cases, this involves exploding the myths that are perpetuated by the liberal left. Edited by Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, the collection of essays addresses issues such as homosexuality, feminism, the sexual revolution, divorce, and gender differences. Written for the popular audience, the essays are short, easy to read, and strongly integrate biblical teaching with cultural understanding.
Anderson, Gary, Michael Stone, and Johannes Tromp, eds. Literature on Adam and Eve: Collected Essays. Leiden: Brill, 2000.
The compilation of essays is divided into two parts. The first analyzes the traditions surounding Adam and Eve following the fall. Both Jewish and Christian traditions up to the medieaval period are included. The second contains essays that were delivered at Leiden in 1998. These essays focus primarily upon "The Life of Adam and Eve."
Balch, David L., ed. Homosexuality, Science, and the "Plain Sense" of Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2000.
The organization of this collection of essays attempts to provide arguments from both sides of the debate over the church's response to homosexuality. The topics of the eleven essays are varied, including an ecclesiastical historical survey, Old and New Testament exegesis, the impact of scientific findings on the position of the church, theology, and hermeneutics. Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse write a very compelling essay on the use, misuse and abuse of science and its impact on the debate over homosexuality within the church. Robert Jewett includes a strong denunciation of homoerotic behavior based on his exegesis of Romans 1:24-27 and his understanding of the context in which it was originally received. The book also includes contributions which deny the primacy of Scripture in determining Christian ethics, deny the condemnation of homosexual behavior in Romans 1 (alleging the condemnation is against passion), and deny the normative teaching value of the creation narrative.
Behr-Sigel, Elizabeth, and Kallistos Ware. The Ordination of Women in the Orthodox Church. Geneva: World Council of Churches, 2000.
Behr -Sigel briefly traces the history of women's ministry roles in the Orthodox church. She also provides a summary of the major points of the debate regarding ordination of women in the Orthodox church and makes a call for careful theological reflection on the issue with sensitivity to the unity of the Church. Bishop Ware summarizes the ministry roles that women have filled and can fill in the Orthodox church. He is more cautious as he examines biblical and patristic anthropology set in the context of the strong traditions of the Orthodox church.
Caldwell, Elizabeth F. Making a Home for Faith: Nurturing the Spiritual Life of Your Children. Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press: 2000.
Caldwell gives advice to parents struggling to raise their children in the Christian faith. She encourages parents to be active in a local congregation, be committed to nurturing the spiritual life of the child, and be willing to struggle with the questions children ask about the mysteries of God. Caldwell gives examples of possible questions and answers, but her discussion on the gender of God and the Trinity is confusing.
Collins, Raymond F. Sexual Ethics and the New Testament. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2000.
Collins provides, not a systematic treatment of the New Testament teaching on sexual ethics, but an exegetical analysis of the major New Testament passages pertaining to sexual ethics. He employs a historical-critical method of interpretation that empowers him to search the motives of the New Testament writers and place heavy emphasis upon the cultural setting and rabbinical teachings of the day. Collins concludes that since all people are sexual beings, the disciple of Jesus is called to live out his sexuality in a manner different from the way that others live out their sexuality.
Because the sexual relationship can be both sanctifying and defying, there are relational, ethical, and moralistic implications involved. God will judge sexual misconduct and there is no place for sexual immorality within the Christian community. However, the story of the woman caught in adultery and brought before Jesus serves to demonstrate that "even the prototype of sexual sin is forgivable."
Gill, LaVerne McCain. Daughters of Dignity: African Women in the Bible and the Virtues of Black Womanhood. Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press, 2000.
Seeking to alter the misconceptions and stereotypes of African American women, Gill studies the virtues of justice, love, faith, wisdom and perseverance. For each virute, she tells the story of a contemporary African American woman who exemplified the virtue (e.g., Rosa Parks and Sojourner Truth), also drawing upon the examples of African women in the Bible (e.g., Hagar and Zipporah).
Grant, Brian W. The Social Structure of Christian Families: A Historical Perspective. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2000.
Grant traces the history of the Christian family and its praxis, from its foundation in biblical Judaism to modern times. Particular attention is paid to the sexual revolution and its impact on the family and the spiritual health of people. Grant asks many questions throughout the volume but offers far fewer answers. The book lacks a strong affirmation of many critical biblical teachings on the family, not the least of which is monogamous heterosexual marriage.
Holmes, J. M. Text in a Whirlwind: A Critique of Four Exegetical Devices at 1 Timothy 2:9-15. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2000.
Holmes argues that the majority of interpretive work on 1 Timothy 2 has been found wanting because it is based upon faulty cross referencing with other problematic texts, unconvincing historical backgrounds, speculation, or unwarranted assertion. Her study employs four exegetical devices (immediate context, broader context, parallel teaching, and theological foundation). Each of the four is explicated in a separate section of the book. Holmes rejects the idea that the passage is a culture-bound mandate based on the specific historical situation, understanding the teaching to be universally normative. However, she concludes that 1 Timothy 2:12 does not prohibit women from teaching and having authority over men in the church assembly. Rather, women are to learn obediently and tranquilly without constantly directing or dominating men. The prohibitions are not bound to the church assembly, but are about life in general. Holmes interacts with theologians of all traditions, but she fails to persuade that the results of her study are superior to those she criticizes. Two of her conclusions are especially unconvincing. First, she argues that 1 Cor 14:34-35 offers an opposing viewpoint to 1 Timothy 2:11-12. Second, she suggests that 1 Timothy 2:13-15 offers neither foundation nor an illustration of need to 2:11-12 but is a conclusion to the whole of chapter two focussing on both genders. The bibliography is very helpful, providing a broad and thorough survey of exegetical writing on 1 Timothy 2.
Hoosier, Helen Kooiman. 100 Women Who Changed the 20th Century. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000.
Hoosier provides a glimpse of 100 women who influenced the history of the 20th Century. Her representatives are spread out of a variety of fields of influence and traditions. The entries are fairly brief. They give some biograpical details, followed a discussions of their influence. Entries include women on both sides of the gender issue.
Jones, Stanton L. and Mark A. Yarhouse, Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000
Jones and Yarhouse provide a very helpful discussion of the scientific research pertaining to homosexuality. Throughout, they are careful to convey what the research demonstrates and what it does not demonstrate. Their findings show that the scientific evidence is not at odds with the teaching of Scripture on this matter. Jones and Yarhouse then conclude the book with a helpful survey of the biblical-theological landscape that lays out the parameters and guides our thinking in the development of a "Christian Sexual Ethic."
Kent, Keri Wyatt. God's Whisper in a Mother's Chaos: Bringing Peace Home. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press: 2000.
Kent provides encouragement to the mother of young children by providing aids and insights for the development of the spiritual life.
Kilner, John F., ed. The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality, Reproductive Technologies, and the Family. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans: 2000.
The Reproductive Revolution is a collection of essays that investigate contemporary controversies surrounding sexual ethics, bioethics, and human reproduction. Written by ethicists, doctors, and theologians, the essays ask challenging questions and deliver a clear biblical perspective on issues surrounding infertility, human cloning, birth control, the status of embryos and human sexuality. On the subject of whether birth control pills cause abortions, opposing points of view are represented.
Kitzberger, Ingrid R., ed. Transformative Encounters: Jesus and Women Re-viewed. London: Brill, 2000.
This collection of essays, byfrom both Christian and Jewish authors, focusses on the relation between Jesus and women as recorded in the New Testament and the Apocrypha. Special attention is given to a historical reconstruction of both the ancient near-East and the societal and religious roles of women during the second temple period. Topics range from investigation of particular biblical texts (Matt. 15:21-28, Mark 5:25-34) to the modern portrayal of Jesus and women in film. The essays fall into one of three categories: Literary approaches, historical reconstruction and contexualization, and actualization. These three categories can be explained as an investigation into the world in the biblical text, the world behind the text, and the world in front of the text. The final section in particular tends to place a strongly postmodern emphasis upon the experience and world of the reader, divorcing the biblical text from the intent of the author.
Luttikhuizen, Gerard P., ed. The Creation of Man and Woman: Interpretations of the Biblical Narratives in Jewish and Christian Traditions. Leiden: Brill, 2000.
The purpose of this compilation of essays is to look at the ways that the Jewish and Christian traditions have interpreted the creation of man and woman as recorded in the first two chapters of Genesis. Of particular interest is the first essay that compares the narrative structure of the Genesis creation account to other ancient near eastern traditions. There are also chapters on 1 Cor. 11:2-16, the aspects of woman typology in Genesis, and the utilization of the creation narrative in patristic literature.
Partner, Daniel and Margaret Partner. A Cloud of Witnesses: Readings on 50 Women of Faith. Grand Rapids: Fleming H. Revell, 2000.
The Partners have produced a book that combines devotional elements along with brief biographical sketches of fifty women of church history. Each entry begins with a quote from the woman in question, followed by the brief biographical sketch, and concluded with a suggested prayer and a recommended scripture reading. The women selected represent a variety of backgrounds and traditions.
Passno, Diane Feminism: Mystique or Mistake? Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2000.
Diane Passno briefly traces the history of the feminist movement in America by lauding its beginning, but lamenting its present state. She critically analyzes the feminist teaching on homosexuality, marriage, and motherhood. Filled with lively and penetrating anecdotes, Passno affirms male leadership in the home (although she finds the foundation of the patriarchal family in the fall) and provides hope and guidance for women in abusive situations.
Post, Stephen G. More Lasting Unions: Christianity, the Family, and Society. Grand Rapids: Eerdermans, 2000.
Social science affirms the need for marriage and family, but the present culture does little to support lasting marriages. Post examines the spiritual foundations historically affirmed as necessary for a long-lasting marriage bond and then demonstrates the need for those same Christian foundations if marriage commitment is to run deeper than the culture supports. Post examines the teachings of Jesus on marriage and family, and he makes a strong case for maintaining teaching on such themes as covenant, fidelity, and sacrificial love in parenting. Post's work has strong apologetic value for a Christian understanding of marriage and family. He helpfully documents society's need for long-term marriages and strong family units if individuals are to receive proper care throughout the entirety of the human life cycle. Concerns are a confusing ambivilance toward homosexual unions, a reference to imaging God as Father and Mother and his concern over the patriarchal biblical texts and patriarchal family structure.
Risk, William P. Dating and Waiting: LookingFor Love in All the Right Places. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2000.
Risk's highly readable volume is directed toward the particular concerns of single Christians. Throughout, his book is peppered with helpful insights. For example, Risk has a keen section critiquing the practice of Christians dating non-Christians under the rubric of "flirt to convert." Overall the book is very theocentric, evidenced by its frequent exhortations to trust God in his sovereignty. So far as that goes, it is a perspective that deserves our appreciation. In this reviewer's estimation, however, there are also a couple of weaknesses, the first of which, is that it appears, from the outset, simply to assume the validity of dating. While Risk does stress godliness during one's single years, his book gives very little attention to whether or not the "genre" of contemporary dating is a viable option for Christian singles. One final criticism: at the end of each chapter, Risk invites reflection with a few brief questions and at the end of chapter eight, he leaves the question of "how far is too far" far too open-ended saying, "Some Christians say that a couple should not even kiss before they are engaged; others say that almost anything short of intercourse is acceptable. What do you think and why?" Surely this could be misread to suggest that the parameters are left up to individual taste; a misreading that is all the more possible, since he did not go far at all in drawing out the implications of verses such as 1 Cor. 6:18 for the Christian dater.
Singh, Maina. Gender, Religion, and "Heathen Lands": American Missionary Women in South Asia (1860s-1940s). New York: Garland Publishing, 2000.
Singh explores the encounters between female missionaries and the women of South Asia. She plays close attention to the interaction that took place at schools and hospitals established by missionaries. Her cross-cultural study includes analysis of the both the sending societies and the receiving cultures. The volume is not concerned with the efforts female missionaries made in Christian coversion. It studies the impact that women missionaries had on both the sending and receiving "patriarchal" cultures.
Trevett, Christine. Quaker Women Prophets in England and Wales 1650-1700. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2000.
Christine Trevett's study focuses on the first half-century of Quakerism and explores the role that Quaker women played during this time of religious history. To those outside the Quaker movement, the role of women in the Quaker church as prophets and preachers was always controversial. Trevett reveals the depth to which the controversy swirled within the movement itself. The book treats the subjects of prophecy and the self-understanding of Quaker women as being like prophets and apostles. Trevett's volume also plays particular attention to the Quaker movement in Wales.
Watson, Francis. Agape, Eros, Gender: Towards a Pauline Sexual Ethic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Watson explores three biblical texts (1 Corinthians 11, Romans 7, and Ephesians 5) to begin a Pauline sexual ethic. The recurrent theme is that agape, not eros, must rule in the public sphere, particularly in the church assembly. Therefore, boundaries must be placed upon eros to ensure the participation of the sexes in agape. Watson employs a liberal hermeneutic, employing redaction theory and the reading of other texts from authors as varied as Luce Irigaray , Sigmund Freud, Augustine, and Virginia Woolf, to shed light upon the sexual ethic recommended by the Pauline texts. Watson's conclusion to his analysis of 1 Corinthians 11 is that head coverings are to be worn by women as a symbol to men of their authority to speak in the church assembly. The head covering is meant to ward off the erotic look of the male that would prevent her voice from being heard. In his treatment of Romans 7, Watson explores the impact of both the fallen nature and the new man upon gender and sexual ethics, calling for the mortification of erotic desires and the hope for the rule of agape. Finally, Watson concludes that the model of Christ's authoritative and sacrificial headship, and the apparent contradiction between the mutual submission of Ephesians 5:21 and the unilateral submission of 5:22 of wives to husbands points to the deconstruction, not the elimination, of patriarchal marriage, where agape is the rule and eros is transformed.
