Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Introduction / Rebecca Merrill Groothuis and Ronald W. Pierce -- Setting the stage (the historical backdrop) -- The changing roles of women in ministry : the early church through the 18th century / Ruth A. Tucker -- Evangelical women in ministry a century ago : the 19th and early 20th centuries / Janette Hassey -- Contemporary evangelicals for gender equality / Ronald W. Pierce -- Looking to scripture (the biblical texts) -- Equality with and without innocence : Genesis 1-3 / Richard S. Hess -- From Old Testament law to New Testament gospel / Ronald W. Pierce -- Women leaders in the Bible / Linda L. Belleville -- Jesus' treatment of women in the Gospels / Aída Besançon Spencer -- Praying and prophesying in the assemblies : 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 / Gordon D. Fee -- Learning in the assemblies : 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 / Craig S. Keener -- Male and female in the new creation : Galatians 3:26-29 / Gordon D. Fee -- Mutual love and submission in marriage : Colossians 3:18-19 and Ephesians 5:21-33 / I. Howard Marshall -- Teaching and usurping authority : 1 Timothy 2:11-15 / Linda L. Belleville -- A silent witness in marriage : 1 Peter 3:1-7 / Peter H. Davids -- Thinking it through (logical and theological perspectives) -- The priority of spirit gifting for church ministry / Gordon D. Fee -- The nature of authority in the New Testament / Walter L. Liefeld -- Biblical priesthood and women in ministry / Stanley J. Grenz -- God, metaphor and gender: is the God of the Bible a male diety?/ R.K. McGregor Wright--"Equal in being, unequal in role" : exploring the logic of woman's subordination / Rebecca Merrill Groothuis -- The subordination of Christ and the subordination of women / Kevin Giles -- Addressing the issues (hermeneutical and cultural perspectives) -- Biblical hermeneutics : basic principles and questions of gender / Roger Nicole -- Hermeneutics and the gender debate / Gordon D. Fee -- A redemptive-movement hermeneutic : the slavery analogy / William J. Webb -- Gender equality and homosexuality / William J. Webb -- Feminism and abortion / Sulia Mason and Karen Mason -- Living it out (practical applications) -- In search of holy joy : women and self-esteem / Joan Burgess Winfrey -- Marriage as a partnership of equals / Judith K. Balswick and Jack O. Balswick -- Nature, culture and gender complementarity / Cynthia Neal Kimball -- Helping the church understand biblical equality / Mimi Haddad and Alvera Mickelsen -- Toward reconciliation : healing the schism / Alice P. Mathews.

Discussions surrounding the roles of men and women--whether in the church, the home or society at large--never seem to end, often generating more heat than light. Such debate is still important, though, because this issue directly affects every member of Christ's body. What we believe the Bible teaches on these matters shapes nearly all we do in the church. In addition, these questions deserve further thought and reflection because neither side has won the day. In an effort to further discussion, Ronald W. Pierce and Rebecca Merrill Groothuis (general editors), with the aid of Gordon D. Fee (contributing editor), have assembled a distinguished array of twenty-six evangelical scholars firmly committed to the authority of Scripture to explore the whole range of issues--historical, biblical, theological, hermeneutical and practical. While dispelling many of the myths surrounding biblical equality, they offer a sound, reasoned case that affirms the complementarity of the sexes without requiring a hierarchy of roles. - Publisher.