Two Views on Women in Ministry (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology)

I am an MDIV student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. This book was a tremendous resource and will be an excellent reference for the future. The book was packed with thoughtful, engaging points and counter-points, with balanced perspectives from each contributor. This is definitely a book worth purchasing for your library. It will help articulate what the theological and hermeneutical issues are. There is no clear "winner" from this book, as each contributor makes a slightly different stand. But it does leave the reader in a position to make a well-informed decision. Jonathan

This was the first "counterpoint series" book that I've ever read, and I must say that I was very impressed. I'm the sort of person that likes to read all sides of the issue and come to my own conclusion. And rather than pick up 5 different books on the subject, I thought that I would pick up one like this and see if there was enough information to make a reasonable decision. I must say that my expectations were met. The issue is, what roles do women play in church ministry and what are the limitations? Though only two primary views are given, four authors contributed. I was impressed by this because each author offered unique perspectives. In particular, I was very impressed by Linda Bellville's egalitarian perspective because of the technical insight that was given. And judging from the other views that were given, Linda Bellville is probably the best that the egalitarian has to offer. Though the complementary contributors didn't offer the technical insight that Bellville gave, their arguments were solid and well established. At any rate, this is a book that is worth reading and worthy of in depth study. And I couldn't imagine a better resource than this book. From now on, when I am researching a controversial topic, the counterpoint series books will be the first on my list.

The book was in great condition and came very fast. Thank you!

I'm going to apply this commentary for the entire Counterpoint Series published by Zondervan Publishing Company. My compliments to that company for creating this series. I initially purchased "Four Views on the Book of Revelation" but soon realized it was only one in a series. I got so much out of that volume, that I decided to purchase the entire set to study and keep for reference. My spiritual growth has been remarkable as a result. Seminary students and professionals would probably enjoy this series, which seems geared for them. But this series is also excellent for those college-educated laypeople who feel inclined to enhance their understanding of Christian theology. That is, with one caveat: Buy a decent theological dictionary to refer to at first. It probably won't get used much after about the third book you choose to read, but initially you will be need it to be confident of some of the terms used among advanced theologians. Then, the Counterpoint series will give you a full understanding of many different concepts and concerns of the Christian faith which have been applicable from early on until the present. I've learned a lot, and the only way I think I could do better is if I were enrolled in Seminary. A list of all the titles I am aware of from this series is: Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? Five Views on Law and Gospel Five Views on Sanctification Four Views on Hell Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World Four Views on the Book of Revelation Three Views on Creation and Evolution Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond Three Views on the Rapture Two Views on Women in Ministry

I have read a few of the other reviews on this book, and I must respectfully disagree with the idea of it being biased against the complementarian view. On the contrary, I feel the main text is very balanced, with the large appendix by Blomberg (a complementarian) tipping the scales towards the complementarian position.I doubt if this work will change anyone's mind who already has a firm grasp of where he stands on this issue. It does, however, provide a fair and accurate presentation of both viewpoints so that they can be thoroughly examined. There are actually a total of five essays here; two essays by egalitarians, two essays by complementarians, and one large appendix by Blomberg, which is somewhat of a hybrid between the two positions.As a complementarian, I have developed an even greater appreciation for the role of women in ministry as a result of reading this work. The spirit of Ann Bowman's remark (as a complementarian) is particularly memorable for me: "Rather than focusing on what women should not be doing, I believe it's important to focus on what they should be doing."This work is the third title I have read in the Counterpoints series. Although the scholarly tone may be rather heavy for some laymen, pastors and teachers will be greatly benefited and enlightened by the presentations found here. I recommend it highly as a good, concise summary of today's viewpoints on the issue of women in ministry.