The battle lines are being drawn between complementarians and egalitarians and it has sadly become the new Shibboleth dividing evangelicals. In my travels I meet a lot of complementarians who are unwilling to accept that Bible-believing Christians can possibly believe that women can lead in churches. I also meet many egalitarians who fail to present biblically informed reasons for their position. Roger and Faith Forster have robbed both camps of their excuses by engaging with the biblical texts on the issue and presenting a cogent case with a very helpful historical framework. The 103-page book contains short yet rigorous chapters on Eve, Old Testament oppression, Jesus’ approach to women and Paul’s teaching. Women and the Kingdom is gracious, articulate, biblical and short! As more and more churches are revisiting their views on women in leadership, it may have been helpful to provide advice on how to have this conversation graciously. But wherever you stand on the crucial questions surrounding the role of women in the Church, this is a vital book for you to read.
In his introduction Andrew Walker calls the Forsters ‘a modern day Priscilla and Aquilla’ and after a lifetime in church planting and theological education this is a fair description. Their book is a genuine gift to the Church. Let’s refuse to draw battle lines and begin a conversation that is full of grace and truth.
