This is not just another book on the perennial issue of male headship. In contrast to those who regard Christianity as the great source of male domination, this book argues that authentic Christianity
This is not just another book on the perennial issue of male headship. In contrast to those who regard Christianity as the great source of male domination, this book argues that authentic Christianity does not teach that husbands have spiritual superiority over their wives, and its authors listen to and engage those that still claim that it does.
Written by distinguished Protestant and Roman Catholic scholars, the book first demonstrates how deep strands of the Christian tradition have always taught an ethic of gender mutuality. Though patriarchy was pervasive in the ancient world surrounding early Christianity and sometimes influenced the church, new research shows that the earliest layers of Christianity both resisted and worked to transform it. They also sowed the seeds of the "equal-regard marriage."
Not every author in the book agrees with this point of view; dissenters have their say too. But the two positions are not simply allowed to pass each other by. As a whole, the book constitutes a robust, respectful debate that, finally, invites readers to decide.
Contributors:
Don S. Browning
Lisa Cahill
Allan C. Carlson
Daniel Mark Cere
Maggie Gallagher
W. Robert Godfrey
Bonnie Miller- McLemore
John W. Miller
Carolyn Osiek
Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen
John Witte Jr.
Review of Biblical Literature
"This book will become a benchmark in discussions of marriage and family structure. This is a must read for everyone serious about a Christian marriage structure in contemporary times."
J. Bradley Wigger
"These pages challenge conservative Christians to soften their emphasis on male headship in favor of mutuality in adult love; they also challenge liberal Christians to worry more about keeping men attached to their families and children. How wonderful that the gospel challenges us all to wrestle with how to better love one another."
David Popenoe
"This book casts brilliant new light on the long-troubling issue of male headship in the family. If the book doesn't fully resolve the issue, it certainly presents a first-class scholarly debate and provides everything a reader would want to know in order to have a reasoned opinion."
W. Bradford Wilcox
"Around the world — from Nairobi to New York, from Boston to Bangkok — men are spending ever-larger portions of their adult lives apart from their families, as evidenced by increases in divorce, out-of-wedlock births, and abandonment. This provocative volume takes the discussion about male headship in new and fruitful directions by asking if theologically grounded soft patriarchy is the price we must pay to reverse this rising tide of male misbehavior. While most of the contributors maintain that patriarchy is not the answer, all of them grapple in innovative ways with the fundamental theological and sociological issues Christians must face if they hope to encourage men to embrace the sacrifices associated with family life in the twenty-first century. "
William Edgar
"There appears to be an impasse in discussions about gender issues among Christians. This timely book is a significant step forward. Its thoughtful chapters take us beyond the usual caricatures made of different positions and into some real depth. An affirmation of 'equal-regard marriage' is followed by dissenting views. This strategy introduces readers to the complexities surrounding the issues and should encourage judgments that are well informed. Does Christianity Teach Male Headship? is required reading for anyone looking for clarity on this front-burner concern. "
View Review quote
Don S. Browning (1934–2010) was Alexander Campbell Professor Emeritus of Religious Ethics and the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago Divinity School and director of the Lilly Project on Religion, Culture, and the Family. He coauthored
From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and the American Family Debate and served as coeditor of the Religion, Marriage, and Family series (Eerdmans).
Mary Stewart Vanleeuwen is professor of psychology and philosophy at Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania.
