Book Review: Beyond Reasonable Doubt

T. Scott WOMBLE. Beyond Reasonable Doubt: 95 Theses Which Dispute the Church’s Conviction Against Women. [No City] Xulon Press, 2008.

This review appears in Stone-Campbell Journal 12 [2009]: 142-144 and is reproduced here with permission.

At least for two branches of the Stone-Campbell Movement (the so-called independent” Christian Churches/Churches of Christ and the Churches of Christ), the role of women in the life of the church continues to be a live and controversial topic. (The wing of the Movement known as the Christian Church [Disciples of Christ] made its peace with the women’s issue long ago.) Among those churches where the issue still looms large, this book takes on special importance as one voice in the current debate. There is no uncertainty where the author stands: “There is no doubt that the church which embraces the ministry of women will be a more complete church which more accurately shows forth the image of God and is also better equipped to fulfill the mission of God” (p. 38).

Womble joins the debate by invoking the imagery of a courtroom. Women have been wrongly convicted in the past and need a new trial. The first section of the book introduces the “parties and facts of the case”: the plaintiffs (complementarians), who restrict leadership roles in the church to men, versus the defendants (egalitarians), who believe that women can and should be ministers and leaders in the church. The author executes his role as defense attorney by taking up the egalitarian cause and presenting ninety-five theses that, in his view, cast reasonable doubt on the church’s prior conviction against women and force a new trial. For Womble, professor of biblical studies at the “independent” Christian Church-related Saint Louis Christian College, this book is a gutsy and admirable move, one certainly not without its risks.

The second section of the book presents the “opening statement,” which lays the theological and hermeneutical foundations for the kind of inclusive ministry the author envisions. Here the ninety-five theses begin, though they function more as subject titles than propositional statements. Of foundational importance is the first: looking at the larger picture that the Bible presents rather than focusing on isolated proof-texts to decide the case. Part of that bigger picture is a relational understanding of the Trinity that posits mutuality in the Godhead rather than hierarchy. Womble is keen here to remove a key foundational plank from the argument of the complementarians by arguing for the temporary (incarnational) rather than eternal (ontological) subordination of the Son to the Father. Rather than establishing gender hierarchy within the created order, God’s trinitarian nature actually sponsors a partnership of mutuality between the sexes who bear the same relational image.

Section three “cross-examines” the complementarian position and exposes a number of its vulnerabilities. The author continues his line of theses by bringing to the surface a number of statements and excuses that ministry-minded women often hear that preclude them from reaching their full potential in the church. The inconsistencies that Womble uncovers (women can “speak,” but not “preach”; women can write Sunday School curriculum but not teach a Sunday School class; women can teach vulnerable children but not self-actualized adult males) offer a glimpse into the mindset of the average church and constitute “the driving force behind the entire book” (p. 97). The author uses this section to address three ecclesiastical functions usually denied to women: ordination, eldership, and the office of pastor. Womble admits the lack of a clear biblical example of female elders but leaves open the possibility that they did exist.

Key texts in the biblical debate about women appear in the fourth section of the book under “presentation of the evidence.” Here Womble tackles the crucial texts in question: Genesis 1-3, Galatians 3:28, 1 Timothy 2:9-15, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, and 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, along with the related texts Ephesians 5:22-24 and 1 Peter 3:1-7. His investigation touched on all the key exegetical issues but, overall, was lacking in critical perspective. Womble assumes, for example, that Paul is the author of all the texts bearing his name, though much of mainstream biblical scholarship questions Paul’s authorship of Ephesians and the Pastorals, which changes the nature and scope of the argument in significant ways. Womble also fills in the gaps in the historical record by too easy of an appeal to Acts without taking Luke’s own literary and theological agenda into account. Most important perhaps is Womble’s assumption that the same historical occasion lies behind all three of the Pastoral letters, which aids his case considerably in dealing with the troubling 1 Timothy 2 text.

“Additional evidence” supporting the author’s biblical case appears in the fifth section of the book. Womble divides this section into two—one dealing with women of the Old Testament and other with women of the New Testament. The latter is clearly more relevant to the author’s case as he surveys a number of significant examples of women who exercised notable ministries in the early church, including Priscilla, Phoebe, and the interesting case of Junia, “outstanding among the apostles” (Rom. 16:7).

The author reserves his “closing statements,” the sixth section of the book, for a look at Jesus’ treatment of women, lamenting “how often our Lord is left out of this debate” (p. 305). Even a passage like the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20), not often at play in the complementarian-egalitarian courtroom drama, assumes particular importance here since the discipling activities of baptizing and teaching are clearly not restricted to men! The verdict? Women should be released into ministry.

This book will achieve its best result in the specific context in which it was written—the conservative evangelical wing of the church. Churches struggling with the role of women in their midst will find in this book a thorough, well-documented, challenge to some longstanding beliefs and practices. The subject matter, of course, could prove controversial, but the author evinces a winsome hermeneutical humility throughout that greatly minimizes the risk. The inconsistencies that Womble exposes are sure to generate lively Sunday School class discussion, such as when the author asks: “How many times have elders and deacons mulled over issues for hours in a meeting, only to go home and consult their wives who have a better handle on some areas of church life?” (p. 327).

At the end of the trial, however, both complementarians and egalitarians fall prey to the same legal strategy—assuming a unanimity in Scripture without sufficiently appreciating its diversity. That both sides can garner scriptural arguments for their respective positions is telling. Is it possible, for example, that a later author of the Pauline school modifies Paul’s earlier egalitarian teaching about women to address a new socio-cultural situation? How we deal with such diversity is an invitation to do theology and to render a verdict that is just and compassionate to all.

Review by David Lertis Matson, Ph.D.

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Dr. David Lertis Matson is Professor of Biblical Studies at Hope International University.

The views in this book review are not necessarily the views of Hope International University.

Library Sustained Minimal Water Damage

The Library sustained water damage on Sunday, October 25. When the student Library Assistants arrived to open shortly before 2:00pm, they discovered water had been pouring from one of the HVAC closets on the first floor.

Thankfully the water came from underneath the shelves rather than from above. Since the books are 3-4 inches above the floor there appears to be no damage to books or periodicals. The only damage could be to the carpet under the shelving which is bolted down and cannot be moved. The Janitorial staff estimated it would take 2-3 days to dry out, the carpet will then need to be treated to eliminate odors.

Kudos to Operations, Janitorial Services, and the Student Library Assistants for handling the situation with mininimal problems.

For the time being, patrons will need to ask for books and periodicals in that area to be retrieved by Library Assistants.

Extended Hours Begin Sunday, October 25th

The Library will remain open until midnight Sundays through Thursdays and will open from 12:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturdays October 25th through December 10th.

For complete hours of operation including holidays and exceptions, go to the Darling Library's Frequently Asked Questions page (http://library.hiu.edu/faq.html#two)

Hope Librarian Honored for Service

On Friday, September 25th Hope's Reference and Instruction Librarian, Terri Bogan, traveled to Golden Gate University in San Francisco for her final meeting as a member of the board of directors of the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium (SCELC). At the meeting she was honored for her six years of service to the consortium.

Next month Hope International University marks eleven years of membership in this powerful consortium of nonprofit academic and research institutions. Through SCELC our institutional dollars go further and our collective voice is heard by publishers and database service vendors. Our membership enhances our effectiveness for achieving our mission.

Congratulations and thanks to Terri for her part in steering this organization during an exciting time of growth and maturity.

Banned Books Week

Did you know September 26−October 3, 2009 is Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.

American Library Association. (2009). Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm.

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A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials.

• See a list of the Top ten most frequently challenged books of 2008.
• See a list of classic novels that have been banned or challenged in the 20th Century.

Book Review: The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman

Title: The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century
Author: Thomas L. Friedman
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Year: 2005

First line: "No one ever gave me directions like this on a golf course before: "aim at Microsoft or IBM."

The World is Flat is a look at the monumental changes that have happened to the world to seemingly reverse medieval proofs that the world is round. After telling how he discovered that the world is flat, Mr. Friedman spends the next section of the book outlining the accelerating progress of globalization and the ten flatteners that he credits with being the biggest agents of change. Without spoiling the whole ten, the first two are the day that the Berlin wall came down and the day that Netscape, Inc. went public.

What do these and the other eight flatteners have in common? They opened almost the entire world to global communication and commerce. No longer was a huge portion of the world's population behind the Iron Curtain and cut off from the rest of the world. With the introduction of Netscape, the first "killer app" for browsing the web, everyone was not only free to travel, but also to obtain the knowledge that was becoming widely available on the Worldwide Web.

After outlining the flatteners, Mr. Friedman discusses what he terms the "triple convergence." This convergence enabled the flatteners to spread and take root with one another. This then spurred what he terms the great sorting out. In the sorting out, the status quo is being challenged and people will have to absorb change. For some, this change will be learning a new job, since theirs has been sent to India or China. For people in India or China, it's the rise of a middle class and how to cope with the new available material wealth. At this point, you're about halfway through the book.

The rest of the book covers impacts that the changes are having or will have on America, developing countries, companies of all sizes, and geopolitics: all affected by the flat world. These all include specific suggestions for each sector.

I found the section on the impact of flat world on the countries that are now harboring and encouraging terrorism very enlightening. Mr. Friedman has a very insightful view of how the flattening is affecting people in countries that are closed off and where the free-flow of information and goods is not allowed. Mr. Friedman ends up with a section on imagining what the difference will be in the world, should this flattening be continued.

While this is a sizable book at 469 pages, I found it flowed well and the information to be useful in understanding world events and international relations. It's well worth the read.

Review by Russ Stevens, M.B.A.

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Russ Stevens teaches in the Management department of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies here at Hope International University and is currently pursuing a doctorate at Northcentral University.

The views in this book review are not necessarily the views of Hope International University.

Book Review: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Title: Gilead
Author: Marilynne Robinson
Publisher: Picador
Year: 2004
Won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005

First line: "I told you last night that I might be gone sometime, and you said, Where, and I said, To be with the Good Lord, and you said, Why, and I said, Because I'm old, and you said, I don't think you're old."

Gilead is an epistolary novel written by a Congregationalist minister to his young son. John Ames came to fatherhood rather late in life and regrets that he won't be able to watch his son grow to manhood. There are so many things he wants to tell the boy that can't be told to a six year old, and so he begins to write his letter in a journal.

"Your mother told you I'm writing your begats, and you seemed very pleased with the idea. Well, then. What should I record for you?"

As a minister who comes from a long line of ministers, John Ames is concerned with the human condition and the deeper things of the soul. There is much about the nature of love, friendship, faith and prayer in Gilead. Even the hard questions of Christianity are addressed as Jack, the son of John's lifelong friend, posits the philosophical query:

"Do you ever wonder why American Christianity seems to wait for the real thinking to be done elsewhere?"

John has kept pages and pages of sermons he has delivered over the years in which he "[tried] to say what was true." It is this pursuit of truth and personal integrity that seems to haunt John in his twilight years. The relationship between John and Jack has been strained for a very long time. These two men repeatedly attempt to understand each other and John feels deeply his failure, as both a minister and an elder, to comprehend and forgive the younger man. As John struggles to right this relationship, he reaffirms that redemption is neither simple nor easy.

The pace of the writing is very meditative and requires the reader to slow down and take up the tempo of an old man. While this was an effective device most of the time, I found my mind wandering far from the novel at other times. There are no chapter breaks, but there are "thought" breaks in which the author may pick up the same thread or shift to a new one. This format took a bit of getting used to, but once I adjusted it seemed appropriate for the teller of the story. The writing is spare and straightforward, which fits the setting and time -- a small prairie town of the 1950s populated by those who have seen much hardship.

"To me it seems rather Christlike to be unadorned as this place is, as little regarded."

Gilead is beautifully written and will, at times, take some work to read. The religious tone of the book should not be disturbing to those who follow a faith other than Christianity or follow no faith at all. What the author truly addresses in her pages is the human condition of which we are all a part.

Review by Terri L. Bogan, M.L.S.

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Terri Bogan is the Reference & Instruction Librarian here at Hope International University. In her spare time, she reviews books for various publishers and maintains a book blog called Tip of the Iceberg.

The views in this book review are not necessarily the views of Hope International University.