Women, Slaves, and the Gender Debate: A Complementarian Response to the Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic

The redemptive-movement hermeneutic is a new and seductive egalitarian argument. It is also a fascinating hermeneutical discussion as it relates to issues such as slavery. This book deals thoroughly with these issues from a complementarian perspective. ---The debate over the role of women in the church is not diminishing. Complementarians argue that men and women are equal but have distinctive roles, while egalitarians argue against role distinctions.The egalitarians’ redemptive-movement hermeneutic has gained support. Advocates concede many of the exegetical conclusions made by complementarians about relevant Bible passages, but then argue that elsewhere the Bible moves us beyond these specific instructions—e.g., the Bible commands slaves to submit to their masters, and yet basic principles in the Bible point toward the abolition of slavery.Is the issue of women’s roles the same?This is a timely examination of the exegetical and hermeneutical questions, demonstrating the inconsistencies of adopting the egalitarians’ hermeneutical approach—and the dangerous consequences.“Whether complementarian or egalitarian, you need to read this book. The complementarian author interacts with egalitarians respectfully by letting them speak for themselves and responsibly by pointing out the underlying issue for all, i.e., whether God says what he means and means what he says.”—Dorothy Kelley Patterson, Professor of Theology in Women’s Studies, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary“Well researched, well written, and well reasoned . . . significant guidance in navigating what the Bible says and does not say on these issues and how we are to understand and interpret them. This book should become a standard in this area of study. It already has a place my library. I highly recommend it to yours.” —Anthony J. Carter, Pastor, East Point Church, East Point, Georgia“Some have argued that a Christian vision of gender complementarity will one day seem as horrifying as antebellum slavery views. In this careful scholarly work, Ben Reaoch examines this trajectory hermeneutic as it relates to both slavery and gender. The contemporary generation of Christians should pay close attention to this debate.”—Russell D. Moore, Dean, Southern Baptist Theological SeminaryBenjamin Reaoch (Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is pastor of Three Rivers Grace Church (SBC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.