Why Not Women : A Biblical Study of Women in Missions, Ministry, and Leadership

At last, here's an in-depth look at what the Bible really says about women in ministry, and it's not what a lot of people would want you to think.
Why Not Women is enlightening, encouraging, thoughtful, thorough, Spirit-filled, and Biblically accurate. Instead of trying to prove some liberal or conservative agenda, the authors simply set out to tell the truth.
I highly recommend this book to women and men alike!

I have to say, this is possibly the most helpful, energizing, powerful book I've ever read. I've been forcing myself to read only one chapter at a time, because I want to be able to savor it for as long as possible.
I would recommend this book to Christians and non-Christians alike, because I think both groups could benefit from understanding more fully what the Bible means and how fundamental Christianity is NOT anti-women in even the slightest way. God is a fair and just God, and He laid this out clearly in the Bible. Where we've confused it is simply in human translation and interpretation based on our personal and social biases. This book helps take you back to the basics - explaining the culture during Biblical times, the meanings of Greek words from the original text, etc. - and is so enlightening!
I would give it more than 5 stars if Amazon would let me. Read it. I can't recommend it highly enough.

This book is amazing. I'm overwhelmed by the deep and serious study David Hamilton did on this topic. It is an extract from David's Master Thesis, where he spent 8 years of extensiv research and study.
I recommend any person to discover, what God's plan really is with women in ministry. This book is a very good help.

This book depicts the historical and theological reasons why women have been left out of ministry. This book shows how the Greeks, Romans, and the Jews felt women should not be allowed to minister. Their views were a curse which lasted several thousand years. However, authors Loren Cunningham and David Hamilton shared scriptures which speaks volumns of who God has called to share the gospel in the many dark places of the world.
This book was an easy read from page one. It really captured my attention! I started recommending the book even before I finished reading it.

Let me preface this review - I have read and done much research on both sides of the camp on this issue. There are many issues of our faith on which our English Scriptures are consistently clear and easily interpreted (ex John 3:16). There are others, of which this debate is one, which are difficult to interpret and understand, and are shaded by our own cultural influences. These issues require a significant amount of study and research if we intend to be truthful and honoring to Scripture.

The first half of this book is written by Loren Cunningham (a man) who founded Youth With a Mission along with his wife Darlene. He speaks from the contemporary side of the issue, mostly his observations and thoughts over the years as the founder of a highly influential worldwide mission organization. The second half of the book is written by David Hamilton, a respected theologian, and it is here we get the hard, factual research into the languages of the Scripture and their meanings.

A few "tidbits" to give you an idea of how this book addresses the issues:

The word used in Genesis to describe Eve, which the King James Version interprets "helper", is composed of two Hebrew words - "ezer" and "kenegdo." "Ezer" is usually interpreted "help", and is used in Scripture many times. However, this passage in Genesis is the only time it is used in reference to a human - the rest of the times it is used in reference to God. Much of its usage is in Psalms, for example, where we read "God is my help." The connotation of the word in its other contexts throughout Scripture is the support, aid, or power of another person (God) to save, rescue, bail us out from a problem too big for us to handle. It suggests a God who is bigger, stronger, more capable than us, able to do something we are incapable of doing for ourselves. If this had been the only word used for Eve, women would have been created more powerful than men! However, "ezer" is followed by "kenegdo", the literal meaning of which was "to walk next to." Not in front of, not behind, but right next to. What a beautiful description of a woman!

A second illustration: In Paul's writings, he frequently uses the Greek word "diakonos" when talking about members of the churches he is writing to. Our English interpreters usually render this word "deacon." The other possible interpretation is "servant." However, our English translators render "diakonos" as "deacon" ONLY when it is used in reference to a man. In Romans 16:1, Paul uses "diakonos" in reference to "our sister Phoebe", and our English translators choose "servant" here. Do you see the problem? A word should be translated consistently no matter which gender it refers to.

My experience has been that the "equality" camp (of which this book is a member) expresses their arguments and evidence by digging deeply into the original languages of Scripture (exegesis). They look at words usage, sentence structure, and contextual understanding of the Scripture passage as a whole which the "troublesome" verses are found in. Their main conclusion is that the English interpretations of Scripture have failed to express the true meaning the Greek or Hebrew speaking writers of Scripture intended. Understanding what the original languages intended to convey allows them to conclude that women are created to be equal partners with men in marriage, and serve in any leadership position in a church that a man would serve in.

On the other hand, the "submission" or "headship" camp books I have read and sermons I have heard, focus their arguments and conclusions on the English versions of Scripture, and on anecdotal evidence. Their main argument is that you should read the English Scriptures, and then look around you at times when a man and woman were in disagreement and the man made the decision and things turned out perfectly when the woman's idea would have led to tragedy.

As an intelligent, college-educated professional working in the financial industry, who has served and led in my church since I was small, there is no question which type of argument I favor - not for its conclusion, but for its process. Languages are complex, and understanding the languages of our Holy Scripture is vital to the implementation of our faith. Anecdotal evidence can be found to support any idea of your preference -take evolution as a great example of this - so this argument holds no water for me. I have heard moving anecdotes from both sides of the camp on this issue. However, that is not what I understand my faith by.

Men and women both, please don't miss this book when wrestling through this issue in your lives, marriages, and churches. The calling and effectiveness of more than half the Christians in the world is at stake.

Too many women struggle with this question and too many men and women have upheld the view that women should not be leaders. Cunningham and Hamilton probe this question with contemporary experience, historical insight, and biblical orthodoxy. This is simply the best there is on the subject.

I highly recommended it for every pastor, every man, and every woman seeking answers about who God chooses as leaders.

I have never read such a comprehensive study theologically, culturally, and biblically on this subject. Amazing truths that have never been brought to light even by college bible classes. Very beneficial, full of information, and absolutely brilliant writers.

One of the greatest blunders of the feminist movement, "Christian" or otherwise, is that "equal" means "equivalent." Nice-sounding philosophy but unreal. After having read the book and all its footnotes 3 years ago, it appeared that David was carrying Loren along; they provided a good read for us. But it was obvious that a deceiving spirit got in the works when I read that God the Father and God the Son are mutually submissive to one another, i.e., there's no hierarchy within the Godhead. Huh? Sorry, Loren, I've heard you preach numerous times and this is out of order: the Father always directs His Son, never never the reverse, and for good reason. Jesus said that He always does the will of His Father. Jesus didn't reject His given role, and is He not our role-model?

Cunningham, et al, have done a masterful job of addressing a topic which too often is tackled based on traditionalism, scriptural "sound bites," and emotionalism. Stripping away our preconceptions, they have examined this issue in the light of the full counsel of God's Word (the Bible), careful study of the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), cultural context, and the historical and comtemporary record of women in ministry. This book is now a "must read" recommendation from me to peers in ministry. As truth will always do, I found this book to be liberating!

A common misconception in modern protestantism is that everyone can be their own theologian.

Yet, is the bible a simple read? Can any language be perfectly translated? Can ancient cultures known only from fragmentary evidence be understood with absolute insight?

Often we see fallacious arguments, such as "inspired", being derived from "God-breathed" proves "infallibility" of a particular English translation (usually the King James version). By the same "logic" we may as well say "all left-handed people are sinister" or "pharmacology is witchcraft".

"Why Not Women" is a refreshing reminder of the challenges faced by those who dedicate a lifetime to studying ancient culture and texts, a challenge to anyone under the illusion that they can "do it all themselves" on little education, no research and an English translation. It highlights a world of difference between scholarly translation and traditional interpretation.

It indirectly (and perhaps unintentionally) illuminates another major issue within the church at this time -- a deadly anti-intellectualism that encourages piecemeal delivery of idolised scripture one paragraph at a time, illustrated by anecdotes and simplistic homilies and the automatic labelling of any contrary opinion to one's own "hand-me-down" and wholly untested "wisdom" as "satanic" and "deceptive".

So insidious is the influence of peer dogma on personal interpretation of scripture, this book will have you slapping your forehead wondering why you never saw what was plainly written in front of your face for all these years.

This book settles for me a long standing discomfort with church teaching which I knew to be absolutely wrong, both in "spirit" (or, some would say, by "intuition") and by personal observation. Whenever anyone asked me, "Should women be allowed to be priests?", I would reply "Well, it can't be any less scriptural than having male priests, but I think we should do away with all the male priests instead."

The only point at which this book can be put down is once, after the initial chapter, which draws attention to the "silent holocaust", which for many will require some time out for tears, contemplation, prayer, coffee, and perhaps a shot of whiskey.

If you are aiming for a small collection of core theology on your shelf, devoid of all the usual crud that is passed off as Christianity, this book is a jewel.