Search — Theology Explorer

Craig Blomberg Burer-Wallace paper (2001) Richard Bauckham

Richard Bauckham's rebuttal in Gospel Women

Mike introduces the main scholarly pushback against Burer-Wallace.

Burer-Wallace paper (2001) Richard Bauckham Gospel Women

Bauckham's key criticisms of Burer-Wallace

Mike summarizes Bauckham's main points.

church fathers Richard Bauckham scholarly methodology

Bauckham reevaluated examples but brought no new counter-evidence

Mike notes a limitation in Bauckham's rebuttal.

Romans 16:7 Linda Belleville Romans 16:7 Michael Burer

Michael Burer's 2015 response paper with new evidence

Mike introduces a third round of scholarly debate that he thinks is underappreciated.

Romans 16:7 Romans 16:7 Michael Burer Burer 2015 paper

Burer's 2015 paper brings 71 new supporting texts

Mike details the new evidence Burer marshals.

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom Michael Burer Richard Bauckham

Burer responds to Bauckham's specific example critiques and addresses Chrysostom

Mike evaluates Burer's defense against Bauckham's objections.

Galatians 3:29 Galatians 3:29 heirship Abraham's offspring

Sonship benefit #1: Being an heir — equal inheritance in the kingdom

Mike begins listing what Paul specifically says sonship status means.

Galatians 3:26 Galatians 3:26 in Christ justification by faith

Sonship benefit #2: Full participation of being in Christ — equal standing regardless of background

Mike identifies the second element of Paul's sonship teaching.

1 Corinthians 7 Ephesians 5 1 Corinthians 7 Cynthia Long Westfall Ephesians 5

Four problems with Westfall's 'representing Christ in any function' argument

Mike systematically lists objections to the bridge Westfall has built.

Galatians 2:11-16 Peter justification by faith Galatians 2:11-16

Peter's withdrawal was about soteriological status, not social discrimination broadly

Mike recontextualizes Galatians 2 to show it supports his reading, not Westfall's.

1 Peter 3:1-7 1 Peter 3:1-7 Sarah Abraham

1 Peter 3 proves full heirship status with continued role distinctions

Mike uses 1 Peter 3 as a decisive counter-example to the egalitarian reading.

Galatians 3:28 Tom Schreiner Galatians 3:28 Two Views

Tom Schreiner on the fundamental purpose of Galatians 3:28

Mike cites Schreiner's succinct summary of the verse's meaning.

Mike Winger idea 2022-07-18

Egalitarian scholars echo each other's errors, tracing back to Bedale's short article

Mike critiques the pattern of egalitarian scholars citing each other rather than primary sources.

Stephen Bedale scholarly echo chamber citation practices

Mike Winger idea 2022-07-18

Lexham Theological Wordbook: kephale refers to 'those who are of high status' — no mention of source

Mike surveys the Lexham Theological Wordbook.

kephale Lexham Theological Wordbook high status

1 Peter 3:5-6 Genesis 18:12 Sarah Abraham 1 Peter 3:5-6

Sarah obeying Abraham as an example that rules out purely evangelistic interpretation

Mike argues the Sarah example confirms submission is a general godly pattern, not culturally bound.

Sarah obedience in marriage Western individualism

Submission involves a 'sense of obeying' but not micromanagement obedience

Mike nuances what Sarah's obedience looked like practically.

Genesis 18:12 Sarah Genesis 18:12 kyrios

Sarah calling Abraham 'Lord' (Genesis 18:12) and what it means

Mike examines the only verse where Sarah calls Abraham 'Lord.'

cultural double standard husband as leader

Sarah casually saw Abraham as the leader -- cultural offense of this concept today

Mike draws out the principle behind Sarah's language.

Genesis 18:12 Sarah Genesis 18:12 Peter Davids

Davids claims Peter references the Testament of Abraham, not Genesis, for Sarah

Mike examines and refutes Davids' argument about the Sarah reference.

Genesis 1 Peter 3:5-6 Genesis 1 Peter 3:5-6 Peter Davids

Rebuttal: Every element about Sarah in 1 Peter 3 is found in Genesis

Mike refutes Davids' reliance on extra-biblical sources.

Peter Davids Testament of Abraham E.P. Sanders

Problems with Davids' reliance on the Testament of Abraham

Mike conducts detailed analysis of the extra-biblical source Davids relies on.

Genesis 21:12 Genesis 16:2 Craig Keener Genesis 21:12 Genesis 16:2

Craig Keener's addition: Abraham also 'obeys' Sarah (Genesis 16:2, 21:12)

Mike examines Keener's argument for mutual submission in the Abraham-Sarah relationship.

Titus 2:1-10 word of God not reviled Titus 2:1-10 cultural vs transcultural

Titus 2 as test case: 'that the word of God may not be reviled' doesn't make things merely cultural

Mike provides extended analysis of whether evangelistic purpose equals cultural binding.

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

Byrd claims Deborah's words about a woman getting the honor are not a rebuke — Barak wasn't after his own glory.

Byrd's spin on the shame element

Judges 5 Deborah Barak Aimee Byrd

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

The biblical context shows glory/credit goes to Jael (not God instead of Barak) — Barak gets one verse while Jael gets a whole section in Judges 5.

Proving the shame element is about Barak vs. Jael, not Barak vs. God

Judges 5:12 Judges 5:6 Judges 5:24-27 Barak Jael Judges 5:12

Mike Winger idea 2022-03-28

In their culture it was embarrassing that a woman beat Sisera — glory to Jael, shame to Barak — but this is not God's commentary against women leaders.

Interpreting the shame in the Barak-Jael narrative

Barak Jael male leadership

1 Corinthians 11:5-6 1 Corinthians 11:5-6 shaving analogy argument from shame

Paul's first argument: shaving analogy (verses 5-6)

Mike identifies five distinct arguments Paul makes to support head coverings.

Esther 6:12 Septuagint Preston Massie kata kephales

kata kephales in verse 4: Septuagint evidence from Esther 6:12 confirms cloth covering

Mike examines another Greek phrase supporting cloth coverings.

Plutarch Elaine Fantham Valerius Maximus

Plutarch's error about older customs doesn't invalidate his knowledge of his own time

Mike addresses Plutarch's misunderstanding about pre-150 BC customs.

Plutarch Elaine Fantham Roman vs. Greek worship

Plutarch and Elaine Fantham confirm: Romans covered heads when worshiping gods

Mike adds textual confirmation of religious covering practices.

Numbers 6 Craig Keener Samson Epictetus

Exceptions to hair length rules: Nazirite vows, philosophers, and the principle behind exceptions

Mike discusses how exceptions to the general rule were understood.

1 Corinthians 11:10 1 Corinthians 11:10 angelic observers worship context

Mike's preferred view: holy angelic observers who delight in seeing God's order in worship

Mike presents his conclusion on the angels question.

1 Timothy 2 1 Corinthians 14 1 Corinthians 11:3 women in ministry complementarianism eldership

Final conclusions: male headship is biblical, complementarian, and to be celebrated

Mike delivers his overall conclusions for the passage.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 biblical authority 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 women's silence in church

Introduction of 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 as a highly controversial passage

Mike reads the passage and acknowledges modern readers will find it offensive, but states his main concern is understanding what it actually means in context.

1 Corinthians 14:36 quotation-refutation view 1 Corinthians 14:36 e/eta (disjunctive particle)

Greek hinge point: The disjunctive particle 'e' (eta) in verse 36

Mike examines the Greek word translated 'what' or 'or' in verse 36 that carries the entire weight of the refutation argument.

quotation-refutation view Pauline refutation style

Paul never addresses the specific content he allegedly refutes

Mike highlights that if Paul is refuting verses 34-35, he never actually addresses any of the specific claims.

1 Corinthians 14:35 education view 1 Corinthians 14:35 asking husbands at home

Advantage of the education view: it explains the 'ask husbands at home' phrase well

Mike acknowledges the education view has one genuine strength.

Craig Keener universal scope women elders

Education View Hinge 2: Why ALL women in EVERY church?

Mike presses the problem of universal scope for the education view.

egalitarianism scholarly methodology social justice

Egalitarians treat their position as a moral mission, not just a theological view

Mike describes the activist nature of egalitarian scholarship.

Judges 2:16 Judges 2:18 Judges 4-5 Deborah Barak Judges 2:16

Deborah as the chief counter-example to patriarchalist restrictions

Mike presents a detailed analysis of Deborah as judge.

1 Timothy 2:12 1 Timothy 2:12 Billy Graham Greg Laurie

Stage evangelism (Billy Graham style) overlaps into elder function — applies 1 Timothy 2:12

Mike distinguishes casual evangelism from large-scale public proclamation.

Christ and the church grudging complementarian heart transformation

It's not good enough to grudgingly believe complementarianism — must see it as good and beautiful

Mike addresses the heart posture needed beyond intellectual agreement.

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham Pearl of Great Price

Introduction to the Book of Abraham as the key test case for Mormonism

Setting up the argument

Abraham Joseph Smith 1835

Joseph Smith claims divine gifts as seer and translator; acquires Egyptian mummies and papyrus scrolls in Kirtland, Ohio

Historical background of the Book of Abraham

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

Joseph Smith purchases the mummies and scrolls for $2,400; claims one scroll was written by Abraham's own hand

The acquisition and initial claims about the papyri

Joseph Smith Book of Abraham 1835

Smith's diary entries document ongoing 'translation' work on Egyptian alphabet and grammar in late 1835

Documentary evidence from Smith's own journals

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

LDS Church president's diary corroborates that Smith translated Abraham's own handwriting using the Urim and Thummim

Secondary LDS historical witness to Smith's translation claims

Abraham Joseph Smith Book of Abraham

The LDS Church officially canonized the Book of Abraham as translated from the papyrus by Joseph Smith

The canonical status of the Book of Abraham in LDS theology