3 Legendary Ladies: Judith, Thecla, and Catherine of Alexandria
Judith, Thecla, and Catherine of Alexandria are three heroines whose stories of conviction and courage are part of our history and heritage.
May 7, 2018
19 Comments
Category: All Posts on Equality
Authentein in 1 Timothy 2:12, in a Nutshell
This short post looks at the verb authenteō (authentein) in 1 Tim. 2:12. My claim is that “to have, exercise, usurp authority” is an inadequate and misleading translation.
April 21, 2018
24 Comments
The Witch of Endor, the Dead Prophet, the Doomed King
It is remarkable that the witch of Endor, who dealt in the occult, is portrayed in a sympathetic light in 1 Samuel 28. What’s going on here?
April 19, 2018
30 Comments
John Paul II on Mutual Submission in Marriage
The stance of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to mutual submission in marriage is much more egalitarian than the stance of many evangelicals.
April 7, 2018
6 Comments
Huldah’s Public Prophetic Ministry
Was there a difference between the ministries of male and female prophets in the Bible? Did male prophets minister publicly and female prophets privately?
February 19, 2018
38 Comments
Deuteronomy 22:28–29 and Marrying your Rapist
Though it sounds heartless, even preposterous, to modern Westerners, the Deut. 22:28-29 law, for a rapist to marry his victim, may have benefitted the raped woman. Here’s why.
January 15, 2018
46 Comments
Ezer kenegdo does not mean “a helper subordinate to him”
Does helping someone mean you subordinate yourself to that person? 3 men whose essays I’ve read recently answer this question with “yes”.
December 30, 2017
43 Comments
All About Elizabeth (Luke 1)
Elizabeth was a faithful woman of God who was given a remarkable son, John the Baptist. She was also given a prophetic voice.
December 16, 2017
15 Comments
Lydia of Thyatira: The founding member of the Philippian Church
Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:14ff), and women like her, were vital and strategic players at the forefront of the expanding Christian mission.
November 30, 2017
46 Comments
Three Scholars with Two Views on Eve’s Role as Helper
What did Eve do to help Adam? Here are two very different views from three top scholars about Eve’s role as helper in Genesis 2.
October 26, 2017
21 Comments
A Gentle and Quiet Spirit is not just a Feminine Virtue
What do the New Testament and other early Christian and Jewish documents say about meekness and gentleness? (cf. 1 Peter 3:4)
October 8, 2017
17 Comments
Pontius Pilate’s Wife Knew Jesus was Innocent
Matthew 27:19 mentions Pontius Pilate’s wife and her dream about Jesus. What do we know of this woman? Was she a Jewish convert? A Christ-follower?
September 29, 2017
13 Comments
An interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12 that joins the dots of 2:11-15
Here is a coherent interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:12 that takes into account surrounding verses as well as documented heresies in the 1st-2nd century church.
August 30, 2017
58 Comments
4 reasons “head” does not mean “leader” in 1 Cor. 11:3
The Greek word for “head” rarely, if ever, meant “leader” in works originally written in Greek in Paul’s time. Here are four facts that support this claim.
August 14, 2017
55 Comments
Aemilia Lanyer: A 17th-Century Christian Feminist
Aemilia Lanyer was an English author and professing Christian who advocated for equality for women in a poem published in 1611.
July 29, 2017
3 Comments
A more beautiful picture than male headship and female submission
Is male headship and female submission the best way for husbands and wives who are in Christ to live by New Testament and New Creation principles?
July 22, 2017
18 Comments
The Elder and the Lady: A look at the language of 2 John
In this article I look at the text of 2 John, especially at the words the letter writer uses to identify the people he is writing to, including the “chosen lady.”
July 16, 2017
32 Comments
Goodbye New Life
After 8 years, this is my last post from newlife.id.au. My next post will be from my new address MargMowczko.com. I hope you will join me there later this week.
July 11, 2017
27 Comments
The meaning of authentein with a brief history of authent– words
Here is a close look at the word authentein (translated as ‘to usurp authority’ in 1 Tim. 2:12 KJV). A brief history of how authent- words and their meanings developed is included.
June 29, 2017
119 Comments
Women’s Hair in Corinth and in Sydney
Was Paul concerned about women’s hair or veils in ancient Corinth? Would he be concerned about it in 21st-century Sydney? I wrote this piece in response to teaching at the Equip 17 women’s conference.
June 5, 2017
36 Comments
Is a Gender Hierarchy Implicit in Genesis 2?
Here’s a paper I presented back in 2015 and which is included in the book “The Gender Conversation.”
May 9, 2017
63 Comments
“Paul and Gender” by Cynthia Westfall
Here’s a short review of Cynthia Westfall’s superb new book, “Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ,” published by Baker Academic.
May 2, 2017
15 Comments
Wealthy Women in the First-Century Roman World and in the Church
Not all first-century women fit the stereotype of being hidden and housebound. Some were influential and prominent in society and in the church.
April 19, 2017
9 Comments
Complementarians Single Out Single Women
Complementarians say men and women are equal in Christ, but the finer points of their beliefs reveal something different, especially regarding single women.
April 2, 2017
32 Comments
Adam was created first and this means …
Does Adam being created first mean that men have greater authority than women? Does primogeniture have a place in Christian relationships?
March 3, 2017
56 Comments
Are Gender Roles Rooted in Creation?
Complementarians believe that men have authority over women and that this principle is rooted in creation and timeless in application. Cynthia Westfall exposes the flaws in this thinking.
February 25, 2017
4 Comments
Video Series: Should Women Teach in Church?
Here are four short clever videos which look at 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14 and intelligently discuss whether women can teach in church.
February 18, 2017
28 Comments
The Anonymous Man and Woman in 1 Timothy 2:11-15
In this article, I look at the language of 1 Timothy 2:12 and discuss the idea that this verse concerns an anonymous couple in the Ephesian church rather than men and women more generally.
February 4, 2017
50 Comments
Were there women elders in New Testament churches? (Part 2)
This is a somewhat technical look at the word presbyteroi (“elders”) in New Testament letters, including the presbyterai (“women elders”) 1 Timothy 5:2.
January 20, 2017
35 Comments
Were there women elders in New Testament churches?
Three times this past week I’ve been in online conversations where a person has stated that women were not leaders or elders in early churches. Was this really the case?
January 9, 2017
83 Comments
Were Priscilla, Phoebe and Junia friends?
Priscilla, Phoebe, and Junia were Christian ministers who sometimes travelled. The NT shows that, at the very least, their paths crossed one or twice. Were they friends?
December 29, 2016
22 Comments
Is it he, she, they or we who crush the serpent’s head? (Gen 3:15)
Who will strike the serpent’s head? Some translations of Genesis 3:15 have “he,” “she,” “it,” or “they.” Is it us?
December 20, 2016
40 Comments
The Queen of Sheba and 3 more Female Rulers in the Bible
There were powerful women in Bible times. Some were godly, others were not. This article looks especially at the Queen of Sheba and at Berenice who is mentioned in Acts.
November 15, 2016
18 Comments
Apphia: Philemon’s Wife or Another Phoebe?
Apphia, a woman, is greeted by Paul in his letter to Philemon. What was her role or position at Colossae? Was she Philemon’s wife or another Phoebe?
October 29, 2016
12 Comments
1 Corinthians 11 and Subverted Hierarchy
In this very short post, Matthew Malcolm shows that Paul has a keen interest in setting up hierarchies of human honour and then subverting them by subjecting all humans to God.
October 7, 2016
6 Comments
Does Teshuqah mean Desire or Devotion in Genesis 3:16?
Is the Hebrew word teshuqah, traditionally translated as “desire” in Genesis 3:16, better translated as “single-minded concentration” or “devotion”?
October 4, 2016
22 Comments
Did Jesus address only men in Luke 14:25–27?
In Luke 14:25-27, Jesus told his disciples have to hate their father & mother, wife & children, brothers & sisters. Was Jesus speaking to only men here?
September 17, 2016
7 Comments
Tertullian on Equality and Mutuality in Marriage
Tertullian wrote about equality and mutuality in marriage; he did not regard the household code in Ephesians as comprehensive or prescriptive.
September 4, 2016
15 Comments
1 Timothy 2:13: Another reason 1 Tim. 2:12 isn’t as clear as it seems
Is 1 Tim 2:13 (“For Adam was formed first …”) a reason for 1 Tim 2:12? How is the created order significant? What does “gar” mean?
August 6, 2016
46 Comments
6 reasons 1 Timothy 2:12 is not as clear as it seems
Not understanding the context and challenges of 1 Timothy 2:12 can lead to flawed interpretations. Here are 6 factors that should be considered when interpreting this verse.
August 3, 2016
63 Comments
The Regalia of Artemis Ephesia
This essay looks at the distinctive appearance of Artemis of Ephesus, and at what her items of clothing symbolise. A short history of the goddess is included to help explain her importance and power.
July 23, 2016
24 Comments
Two Brave Women in 2 Samuel 17
This post is about two brave unnamed women mentioned in 2 Samuel 17 who each risked their lives to help King David’s, and God’s, cause.
June 28, 2016
11 Comments
The Samaritan Woman of Sychar (John 4)
Eve, Delilah, Bathsheba, Mary Magdalene, and the Samaritan woman have often been thought of as immoral. What’s with that? This article looks at the Samaritan woman without negative prejudices.
June 10, 2016
75 Comments
The Roman woman who instructed her husband in the Faith
Here are a couple of lines from the Acts of Peter about Candida, a woman who instructed her husband in the faith in the first century.
June 9, 2016
4 Comments
Jesus on Divorce, Remarriage and Adultery
What is the context of Jesus’ words on divorce with the Pharisees? Did he teach that all second marriages, with a former spouse still living, are adulterous? Probably not.
May 24, 2016
40 Comments
God on Divorce (Malachi 2:16)
Here are some better translations of Malachi 2:16 that faithfully reflect the Hebrew grammar and do not have God saying, “I hate divorce.”
May 21, 2016
109 Comments
1 Timothy 2:12, the Created Order, and Bible Women who Led Men
Does the creation of Adam first mean that only men may teach? Is the created order a reason for the prohibition in 1 Tim 2:12?
May 4, 2016
42 Comments
The Church at Smyrna and her Women (Part 2)
This is part 2 of a series which looks at the women in the church at Smyrna around AD. This article focuses on Gavia and the Virgin Widows.
April 22, 2016
5 Comments
The Church at Smyrna and her Women (Part 1)
In Christian writings known as the Apostolic Fathers, we discover that women were active in ministry in the church at Smyrna. Part 1 looks at Alke (or Alce) of Smyrna.
April 21, 2016
5 Comments
Perhaps Feminism is not the Enemy
Michael Jensen: “It is no surprise to learn that many of the early feminists were evangelical Christians. … Feminism is a response to a deeper problem in human relations – not the problem itself.”
March 30, 2016
12 Comments
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