BOOK REVIEW: Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for WOMEN
Lucy Peppiatt (Ph.D.) co-leads an Anglican church with her husband and is the principal of Westminster Theological Centre. Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for WOMEN is her latest book on the subject of women in the church. Having recently read Peppiatt’s 2015 book, Women and Worship at Corinth: Paul’s Rhetorical Arguments in 1 Corinthians, I was very interested in reading her most recent work. I have not yet read her 2018 book, Unveiling Paul’s Women: Making Sense of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16.
Introduction
In the introduction, Peppiatt describes a current, worldwide movement in the church away from Christian male dominance to an increasing openness to ministry roles for women, including leadership roles. She believes the movement has gained traction, both from the world’s overall stance of male and female equality and from new interpretive insights gained from engagement with Scripture. In short, many are rethinking the belief that the Bible prescribes patriarchal order—rethinking that a Christian narrative prescribes male dominance in the church and the home.
Defining Terms
Peppiatt, in addition to other scholars like Michelle Lee-Barnewall, suggests that the terms complementarian and egalitarian be used with caution because they do not clearly and consistently explain the perspectives to which they are applied. Complementarians state that women and men are equal (soteriologically) before God but distinct in function or role (sociologically). But, the “complementarity of these relations will only endure for as long as a woman agrees to renounce authority, power, and autonomy in favor of a man…a precarious harmony where the flourishing of both men and women depends on an unequal submission of one to another—of women to men—and not best described as complementarity (p. 7).” Though women are described as complements, they are permanently subordinated to men; therefore, Peppiatt suggests complementarians be renamed hierarchicalists. Turning to egalitarianism, she writes that this term refers to “flat structures in all systems (p. 8).” In describing men and women and their service within the church, she suggests the term mutualists. Within this view, gender is not a determining factor for establishing church structure. Instead, male and female interactions and decision-making in the church and the home are shared and centered on mutually benefitting both genders.
Book Sections
Organized into eight chapters, this book includes a lengthy bibliography and scripture index. Chapter one answers the question, “What do we do with God as Father and God as “He” (p. 19)?” There are significant ramifications for women if God is viewed as a gendered being—as a masculine God. Chapter two is titled “The Place of Women in God’s Great Plan,” and describes women like Mary, mother of Jesus, and women functioning as disciples and witnesses. Chapters three and four covers the creation story in Genesis 1–3, a discussion of 1 Corinthians 11, and a cross-comparison of these texts related to headship. It includes the various translations for kephale, meaning “head” in Greek. Chapters five and six cover marriage—a hierarchical view and a mutualist view. Male bias in Bible translation and interpretation makes chapter seven an important read. The final chapter contains an in-depth analysis of 1 Timothy 2:8–15, with the conclusion that Paul was addressing a specific situation, not a universal basis for the prohibition of women in ministry. Paul was dealing with select wealthy women who had converted from the Artemis cult but brought heretical thought and practices from the cult into the church.
Artemis of the Ephesians
Of special note in chapter eight are the research findings from two authors and scholars, Gary H. Hoag (Ph.D.) and Sandra Glahn (Ph.D.), on Ephesus and Artemis of the Ephesians. Peppiatt cites Dr. Hoag’s findings from his book, Wealth in Ancient Ephesus and the First Letter to Timothy: Fresh Insights from Ephesiaca by Xenophon of Ephesus (2015). Ephesiaca is a first-century Greek novel, “a window into Ephesian life, the cult of Artemis, the function of the Artemisium, codes of shame and honor, attitudes to wealth, women, slaves, and benefaction (p. 147).” Interestingly, Hoag notes that almost every word in 1 Timothy 2:9–10 is also in the novel. Hoag proposes that Paul was prohibiting women from dressing to imitate Artemis or suggests they are serving Artemis. Peppiatt cites Glahn’s doctoral research in the form of two articles, which were published in Bibliotheca Sacra 172 (July–September 2015) and titled, “The Identity of Artemis in First-Century Ephesus,” and “The First-Century Ephesian Artemis: Ramification of Her Identity.” Glahn notes that Artemis of the Ephesians was considered a “savior” to women laboring in childbirth; Paul was exhorting prominent, wealthy women to dress modestly in the church rather than display their high social status. Hoag’s and Glahn’s research support one another’s conclusions and contributes significant cultural context for understanding 1 Timothy 2.
1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 11
In conclusion, Peppiatt surmises both 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 11 are the influential passages used by churches to establish practices that exclude women. In describing the texts used to limit women, she writes, “I believe it is not only possible but also correct to read texts in ways that tell a story about the way the Christian faith and the Bible can free women to lead, minister, and serve in whatever capacity they feel called to (p. 140).” She firmly believes Paul did not intend to prohibit women from serving as leaders in the church. On the contrary, she concludes that the prohibitions stated in 1 Corinthians 11:2–10 and 1 Corinthians 14:3336 are Corinthian views intent on oppressing Christian women. For example, the Corinthians were trying to get all women in the church to veil. Contrary to Cynthia Westfall’s view (a fellow theologian and author of Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ) that Paul advocated for all women in the church to veil, Peppiatt asserts that Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians to rebuke their practices, which were contrary to the need of men and women for each other, and contrary to the newness of life in Christ (Col 3:10).
Conclusion
Peppiatt is a mutualist. She points to prevalent biblical themes and significant evidence from Christian history that hierarchicalists ignore in promoting their view’s validity. This quote seems to summarize her view: “Christian men and women are called to live in reconciled, renewed, and Christlike relationships with one another that subvert patriarchal patterns in all spheres (p. 8).” Peppiatt writes with charity, conviction, and clarity that makes her book understandable to non-seminarian readers and appealing to those interested in studying women and the church.
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