Women and God

Melissa B. Kruger

Kathleen Nielson proficiently unpacks difficult passages of Scripture that we sometimes want to avoid. On every page, she helps us wrestle with complex questions, while inviting us to embrace this beautiful truth: God is good to women. This is an excellent and needed book—I highly recommend it for both men and women.

Don Carson

In our day, debate over the treatment of women, especially in the church, is one of the hot topics. I hope that many readers on all sides of this debate will take the time and invest the energy to listen carefully and respectfully to Kathleen, a woman who has a keen mind, a heart devoted to Scripture, and the courtesy to treat other viewpoints fairly even while she marshals the evidence that supports her understanding of key passages and themes.

“Solid biblical truth”

I've heard lots of views on women in the bible... Some say Paul was not for women, and more untrue claims. This book is helpful in making sense of some passages about women in the bible.

“Encouraging and helpful”

I appreciate the discussing of this subject with scripture and not opinions. Being taught in some hard nosed ways in the past, I have struggled with this subject. The continuity of this book makes it easy to follow and including the scripture references helped me stop and contemplate what was being said. I have been encouraged and greatly helped through these pages. Thank you!

“Warm, clear, compassionate, gracious”

Kathleen Nielson's writing reflects her speech - warm, clear, compassionate, gracious. In this book she seeks to show the wisdom and beauty of God's plan for women throughout history. She begins with creation and the fall, then works through some of the gritty Old Testament "Texts of Terror" to show God's tender-hearted care towards women. She invites her readers to wrestle with hard questions about God's design and purpose for women, and points to the beautiful truth found in his word. I've read books that offer a more comprehensive treatment of the topic, but what makes this one particularly encouraging is Kathleen's enthusiastic and persuasive conviction that God is good, and that embracing his design for women brings joy and fulfilment.

“Not as good as I’d expected!”

I did enjoy this book but did struggle with it a bit. It seemed to hop around a lot and was inconsistent at times in its themes. I’m not sure it told me anything new in this field and wasn’t quite what I had expected. I’d still recommend it to people though if they were interested in this area of theology.

“Incredibly helpful and thought provoking”

I was so happy when I saw that this book was being released! I've been trying to explore the field for the last couple of years, as I come from a background where it was never questioned that women were ministers, but when I went to university I was met with a whole new set of ideas about this - and knew that I needed to explore it for myself to come to a decision on what I believed. This book has been one of the most helpful on that journey - my one complaint would be that sometimes the application seems to leap a bit far from the rest of the text, like a step or two is missing. However, most of the argument and discussion is logical, and I found it very helpful in presenting a good, clear and academic case for complementarianism. Thank you!

“Nielson delivers sound theology in a loving, patient and clear way.”

Discussing women's role before God always seems to attract controversy – especially if it's explained by a man! This seems to be more and more the case with every passing year. Therefore, it's so good for a woman to wonderfully explain tricky passages of scripture, delight in complementarianism, and show how much value God places on women.

Nielson shows understanding of, and compassion about the abuse of women that has happened within religion, from elevating women as fertility gods, to reducing them to sacrifices. She also empathises with why people may take issue with how woman's role is explained in the Bible.

These issues have led to many women questioning why God made them with unique pains, struggles and a supposedly lesser value.

But she answers pretty much every question one can think of – why learn about marriage roles if I'm single? How can I worship Jesus the man? Is the 'informal' teaching of Priscilla and Aquila of any less value (answer - no!)? Were commands just for the culture or for all time? Why must women struggle with unique burdens like childbirth? Are Christian sexual standards repressive?

Nielson always takes the reader back to the Bible with her answers. She is always quick to point out that abuses and struggles come from sin and she always returns to the creation of man and woman in the Garden of Eden. A woman's body, role and gifts exist to give God glory.

Women and God was expertly written, and its goal is to direct people to worship of God. With worship of God as the priority of all people, then tricky passages become easier to understand, the complementarian position becomes a joy, and women can give glory to God.

While it was written for women, it was useful to read as man!

“A thorough and worthwhile book”

This book is not just another addition to the discussion of the role of women, but a challenging and thorough look at scripture. We are forced to start by looking about what God says about women throughout the Bible - and whatever our view at the outset we are challenged to think more deeply and grapple with issues that might otherwise be left aside.

“A Book Worth Waiting For”

Really pleased this book has been written. It is a gracious contribution to the often difficult and sometimes divisive subject of women's ministry. Kathleen Neilsen has made a real attempt to address the difficult passages, to understand those who come from a different position and yet to portray the value of what a woman can uniquely offer in her complementary role.I hope many will read it.

“Disagreed”

Easy to read - some excellent chapters - disagreed with her view in part - preferred Trevor Morrow's approach in "Two are equal" which is beautifully and humbly submitted too.