Recommended Books
God of the Possible by Gregory A Boyd
Myth of a Christian Nation by Gregory A Boyd
Present Perfect by Gregory A Boyd
The Shack by William P. Young
Jesus and the Undoing of Adam by C. Baxter Kruger
The Great Dance by C. Baxter Kruger
Experiencing the Trinity by Darrell Johnson
Flame of Love by Clark H. Pinnock
Finally Feminist by John G. Stackhouse, Jr
The Wounding and Healing of Desire by Wendy Farley
The Misunderstood God by Darin Hufford
Recover Your Good Heart by Jim RobbinsFrom Eternity to Here by Frank Viola
Jesus Manifesto by Frank Viola & Leonard Sweet
The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
Reviewed Books
Review of What’s With Paul and Women: Unlocking the Cultural Background to 1 Timothy 2 by John Zens (Ekklesia Press)
To the vexed and wearisome wrangling over the “women” issue, comes a fresh voice to this jaded debate. Jon Zens' scholarly qualifications are equal only to his passion as he mines the mother lode of the argument used against the equality or mutuality of women in the Body of Christ.
His treatment of the thorny passage of 1 Timothy 2: 12 is crisp, clear, and comprehensive. As one would expect in such a postulation, he covers the history, the context, and the cultural relevance of the restrictive pronouncements regarding the role of women in the early church. From the then dominant cult of Artemis to the current cult of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood as defined by John Piper, and the inconsistencies of interpretation in between, his reach is rigorous, comprehensive and convincing.
One enlightening note he makes regarding the headship argument is this: Most people are glaringly ignorant of a vastly significant historical reality. Paul indeed used the words ”head” and ”submission” with reference to husbands and wives. There is, however, a huge chasm between what Paul likely had in mind with those words and how they were subsequently misappropriated and merged into the “mind-body dualism of classical Greek philosophy” by the early church fathers in order to elevate their own authority while utterly suppressing women in home and church.
What distinguishes this author from most other writers on the abuse of women in the church, is the ardor by which he advocates women’s freedom; his use of strong, active verbs and unequivocal adjectives, stirred the blood of this reviewer who has pretty much “heard it all’’ in a lifetime spent butting against the glass ceilings of religious institutions.
Jon Zens' willingness to do one more book on this tedious (to the woman’s ear!) topic using his distinct voice full of love and respect, speaks volumes and is a worthy codicil—even a unique one—to the library of women who continue to be abused by the misplaced, ignorance of the patriarchy.