Pursuing Partnership: New Light on Timeless Texts – Week 22
The Historical Research of Dr. Sandra Glahn
By Wendy Wilson, Missio Nexus, Mission Advisor for Development of Women
This article is part of the series Pursuing Partnership: Men and Women in Ministry.
More Resources for Revisiting Gender in the Church
A note from Wendy Wilson, MissioNexus, Mission Advisor for Development of Women:
As we finish our series highlighting the research and writing by Dr Sandra Glahn of Dallas Theological Seminary, it’s easy to see that we’ve actually just begun a fascinating and inspiring journey into the riches of God’s Word . . . and the implications for what He is doing in His church in our day. I hope this series has been interesting and challenging to you as you follow Jesus and fall more in love with the Living Word! This last article points you to both a source of more articles by Dr Glahn and to some wider reading that she recommends as you continue your own exploration . . . and transformation. And when her book comes out next year, we’ll do another article to let you know about it!
The link to the blog article is below . . .but here is an excerpt from “More Resources for Revisiting Gender in the Church”:
“For more than a decade, I’ve taught a course on gender in the church. And especially since #MeToo and #ChurchToo combined with Christian leaders saying women have to endure abuse to be biblical and also that women shouldn’t teach in seminaries, I’m seeing a shift in attitudes. Some of the more moderate folks are saying, “Stop already. That misrepresents us.” I’m hearing pastors get up and say, “I was wrong” in slut-shaming Bathsheba. I’ve been told by radio hosts, “If I had talked with you a year ago about this, I would not have heard you, but now….” Something has changed. I’ve been inundated by requests from churches and parachurch organizations wanting guidance on how to revisit the very nature of womanhood along with its ramifications for women’s public ministry… many boards are taking a fresh look with less idealism about the past. And they’re seeing how inconsistent it is to have formulated policy about women without, well, consistently applying their commitment to “God made men and women different by design, so that means we need to partner with them in having dominion.”
Additionally, many are realizing for the first time that the biggest debates are taking place within the complementarian camp. Indeed, within that camp, a lot of folks are moving away from traditionalist views of women and their role in ministry. There is a growing willingness to state outright that violence in a marriage is what severed the marriage bond, not the departure of the person seeking safety. And there’s also a recognition that if a sign of the Spirit in Acts 2 includes old and young women prophesying, it cannot somehow violate a grounded-in-creation mandate if a man listens to and learns something True from a woman.
Are you and/or your team wanting to revisit gender in the church?
While there is no one book I can hand anyone about which I can say “this,” I can recommend some sources . . .”
Read the whole article: More Resources for Revisiting Gender in the Church
Be sure to enjoy the recording of Dr Glahn’s recent Missio Nexus webinar on new understandings about 1st century biblical culture that assist us in interpreting confusing texts: The Cost of Missing Half the Church: Let’s not Fear a Re-look
Dr. Sandra Glahn is Professor of Media Arts and Worship at Dallas Theological Seminary. She is an author, co-author, or general editor of more than twenty books including Vindicating the Vixens: Revisiting Sexualized, Vilified, and Marginalized Women of the Bible. Learn more about her at her website: aspire2.com.
This article is submitted by Wendy Wilson of Missio Nexus and of Women’s Development Track. Women’s Development Track is a Missio Nexus member. Member organizations can provide content to the Missio Nexus website. See how by clicking here.
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