Equal: What the Bible Says about Women, Men, and Authority

Katia Adams has done an outstanding job in adding her own research weight and insight into a very controversial topic in many Christian circles, yet a topic that most certainly needs to be discussed afresh. I found it extremely helpful to have some of my own long held beliefs about women in church leadership either confirmed or challenged at various points in the book, and I have felt inspired to check out some of the new information I was exposed to because ignorance is not bliss - especially in this case!The one thing I really appreciated (apart from the systematic and thorough research, layout, and fresh insights that I haven't heard before) was the way in which Katia approached the topic of discussion. All through the book she laid out opposite views to her own, yet didn't dishonour, shame, and verbally bash those views. Instead, she stated her case and why she doesn't agree with those opposing views, but she didn't leave the reader feeling like an absolute idiot for having those perspectives if they weren't the same as hers. It felt like she was sharing what she is for, rather than what she is against, and I didn't get to the end of the book feeling like she believes that women are better than men, or that men are stupid, but rather, we are both equal in God's eyes - both in value and in authority.I encourage everyone to read the book and to allow their preconceived ideas, long held beliefs, or cultural norms to be put to one side in order to fully engage with the information in the book from an open minded learning perspective, and then re-engage with their long held personal beliefs and see if they still hold as much weight as they had prior to reading the book. You may be even more firmly convinced of your personal convictions, or you may find that they no longer stand in the face of the information Katia has shared in her book. Regardless of where you land with what you believe after engaging with her views, it is certainly one of the most well thought out, well researched, logically and systematically explained discussions on this topic that I have encountered so far.I'll leave you to decide which side of the fence you choose to be on, but either way, I encourage you to expose yourself to the various thoughts and perspectives in this book so that you can make a more informed decision of what you believe about women in ministry, and whether they ought to have equal authority/leadership in Church or not.

I actually support women in ministry and there is plenty of evidence to support that view not used in this book. That is it's failing as it tries to make passages from the Bible fit into the discussion that were never intended to be used that way. If these sections had been left out it would have become far more convincing as a book but as it stands it does the subject a disservice. For example the book attempts to make Eve's role with Adam something different to what it is in reality and weakens the main theme. If you can see past this approach, there is a half decent book here which could have been so much more.

The book is radical, yet carefully considered exegesis of gender theology.Whilst occasionally flippant, Katia Adams carefully considers the established reasoning, looks through the lens of biblical truth and reaches conclusions with far reaching implications. A must read for our current Church context

Such a well written book with so many useful details that really helped me understand and articulate the Biblical basis for equality in all areas within the church.

I was fully expecting a book that wrestled with the biblical dynamic of this difficult subject. That isn't what I got. What I got is something that starts with the premise and then attempts to justify that premise with interpretations that fit the idea and dismissing the ideas that do not fit the idea. I am not any more informed on the subject, it was no different from the books that attempt to justify any other behavior. Seems to be a book attempting to modernize the church from what the author views as an archaic belief system. This book probably accomplished more in pushing me the opposite way by its pushy tone and didactic methods instead of legitimate study.