The role of women in ministry and leadership in the church is a controversial question about which much has been written. Two main poles of teaching and practice can be observed. In some circles, women are not permitted to hold any leadership position or perform any official ministry in the church except among children or other women — teaching that implies women are never called by God to lead, and that leadership is an exclusively male domain. In other circles, women commonly hold the highest positions of authority, on the view that women should share equally with men in leadership roles, including the highest ones: when it comes to gender, leadership is a 50/50 calling. Between these two poles, of course, lie many nuances and shades of gray, and strong emotions run on both sides. This is a vital question that directly affects every member of the church. In this book we examine the role of women in Christian ministry and leadership from the perspective of the Bible.
