A Biblical Study Guide for Equal Pulpits

Book excerpt: The transformation of patriarchal church culture begins with gender equality in the pulpit. For too long, the Christian pulpit has been monopolized by men. This pattern is especially pronounced in evangelical Asian American and Latinx congregations, where women's voices are marginalized and male dominance is reinforced in the church as well as the family. The consequences are enormous: oRobbing the church of the fullness of the gospel oSilencing the voices of women preachers oMasculinizing Christianity oLosing younger generations of women leaders oModeling structural power inequality oIncreasing violence against women Making academic hermeneutical work accessible for the pulpit, A Biblical Study Guide for an Equal Pulpit reappropriates a gendered approach to biblical texts. Among the perspectives investigated, Kay Higuera Smith's "Two Mothers--Two Promises" takes a perspective-shifting look at Sarah and Hagar; Eunny P. Lee's "Valorous and Wise: Women Who Build Up the House of God" depicts Ruth and the woman of Proverbs 31 as builders of the household; and Sophia Magallanes-Tsang's "Listening for Your Voice; Let Me Hear It: The Prophetic Feminine Voice in Songs 8" interprets the Song of Songs as a prophetic female voice.