Search — Theology Explorer

women in ministry series introduction

Mike Winger introduces his Women in Ministry series, explaining he spent months studying the topic and it hurt his YouTube channel output.

Series introduction

women in ministry biblical scholarship

The series will cover all biblical issues related to women in ministry; this first video serves as an introduction to the debate.

Series introduction

thinking biblically Mike Winger

Mike's stated goal is to teach people how to think biblically rather than just declaring what is true, enabling independent biblical reasoning.

Series introduction — Mike's teaching philosophy

Rebecca Merrill Groothuis equality of personhood role differences

Mistake #4: Believing that equality of personhood philosophically rules out differences in roles. Mike introduces Rebecca Merrill Groothuis and her work.

Mistake #4: Equality of personhood rules out role differences

church hurt story-driven theology Beth Allison Barr

Beth Allison Barr's 'The Making of Biblical Womanhood' as a prime example of story-driven theology — the book frames the entire discussion through personal pain and church hurt.

Mistake #5: Critique of Beth Allison Barr's book

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Introduction to part 2 of Women in Ministry series, framing it as a month-long research project engaging deeply with egalitarian views.

Series introduction and framing

Gen 1-3 creation and fall

Overview of Genesis 1-3 as the focus of this video, covering the fall and creation and what they say about men's and women's roles.

Series introduction and framing

Philip Payne Man and Woman, One in Christ Gen 2:23

Philip Payne's egalitarian argument: 'bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh' emphasizes shared essence and kinship, never subordination.

Egalitarian interpretation of Genesis 2:23

Tom Schreiner Two Views on Women in Ministry Gen 2

Introduction to Tom Schreiner's six reasons from Genesis 2 for Adam having a leadership role, from 'Two Views on Women in Ministry.'

Transition to complementarian case from Genesis 2

Genesis 3:16 -- the ultimate debated passage: 'your desire shall be for/contrary to your husband, and he shall rule over you' -- translation differences examined.

Introduction to Genesis 3:16 debate

Gen 3:16 teshukah mashal

Gen 3:16 Gen 2 post-fall conflict

Mike's view: before the fall there was harmonious, tensionless leadership; now the curse introduces conflict -- the solution is alleviating abuse, not eliminating the nature of authority.

Mike's synthesis of Genesis 2-3 on authority

Eph 5 voluntary submission self-sacrificial love

Ephesians 5 as the solution to the curse: self-sacrificial love from husband, voluntary submission from wife, both acting in service to God.

NT solution to the Genesis 3 curse dynamic

complementarianism Gen 2 Gen 3

Full summary of Genesis 1-3: Genesis 1 = equal image/dominion; Genesis 2 = different roles with husband's limited leadership; Genesis 3 = the fall makes these roles much harder and introduces abuse.

Comprehensive summary of the video's conclusions

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Introduction to the Women in Ministry series part 4

Mike introduces this as part 4 of his exhaustive series on women in ministry, covering everything the Bible says and engaging every egalitarian argument he can find.

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Linda Belleville's claim: no lack of women leaders in the early church

Mike introduces egalitarian scholar Linda Belleville's claims about women leaders.

Romans 16:1-2 Linda Belleville Discovering Biblical Equality Two Views on Women in Ministry

Mike Winger idea 2022-04-13

Egalitarian argument: letter carriers were expected to teach the letter; Phoebe taught Romans

Mike introduces the letter-carrier-as-teacher argument.

Romans 16 Craig Keener N.T. Wright Romans 16

complementarianism egalitarianism women as apostles

Series overview: Were women apostles in the New Testament?

Mike introduces part 5 of the Women in Ministry series, focused on the claim that women were apostles.

Romans 16:7 Junia Romans 16:7 Andronicus

Romans 16:7 text and the translation debate on Junia

Mike reads the ESV translation of Romans 16:7 and introduces the translation controversy.

Romans 16:7 egalitarianism Craig Keener Romans 16:7

Craig Keener's three arguments for Junia as apostle

Mike introduces egalitarian scholar Craig Keener's case.

Junia Tom Schreiner women's ministry

Tom Schreiner's view: Junia as missionary focused on women's ministry

Mike introduces Schreiner's nuanced addition to the discussion.

Romans 16:7 Daniel Wallace Romans 16:7 Michael Burer Daniel Wallace

Burer and Wallace 2001 paper defending exclusive reading of Romans 16:7

Mike introduces a key scholarly paper challenging the consensus.

Craig Blomberg Burer-Wallace paper (2001) Richard Bauckham

Richard Bauckham's rebuttal in Gospel Women

Mike introduces the main scholarly pushback against Burer-Wallace.

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 Mary Magdalene N.T. Wright Romans 16:7

N.T. Wright's claim: Mary Magdalene as 'apostle to the apostles'

Mike introduces and plays a clip from N.T. Wright's lecture.

complementarianism egalitarianism

Introduction: Mike feared he had not heard the best egalitarian arguments

Mike explains why he avoided answering women-in-ministry questions for years — he worried he had not been exposed to strong egalitarian arguments due to his complementarian upbringing.

Acts 8 N.T. Wright Acts 8 persecution argument

Argument 1 preview: The persecution argument from N.T. Wright

Mike introduces the first argument: N.T. Wright claims that Paul persecuting women (Acts 8) proves women were leaders in the early church.

eldership universal priesthood of believers

Argument 3 introduced: Universal priesthood of believers

Mike introduces the argument: since all NT believers are priests, and priestly functions include teaching and leading, women should be able to be elders.

Discovering Biblical Equality Stanley Grenz priestly character of eldership

Some complementarians argue eldership is priestly in character, therefore reserved for men — Mike rejects this

Mike introduces and then rejects a complementarian argument that the pastoral office is priestly and therefore male-only.

prophecy argument women prophesying

Argument 4 introduced: The prophecy argument — if women prophesied, they can teach and be elders

Mike introduces the fourth and one of the more challenging arguments. Women prophesied, prophecy is a high role with authority, therefore women can teach and be elders.

spiritual gifts argument teaching gift leadership gift

Argument 5 introduced: The spiritual gifts argument — God gifts women with the same gifts as men

Mike introduces the fifth and final argument, which he considers the strongest of the day.

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Introduction of Galatians 3:28 as the egalitarian 'silver bullet' verse

Mike frames the entire video around a single verse that many egalitarians treat as decisive for their entire case on women in ministry.

Galatians 3:28 egalitarianism Galatians 3:28 silver bullet argument

Mike Winger idea 2022-06-20

Cynthia Long Westfall's use of Galatians 3:28 as an interpretive rule

Mike introduces Westfall's argument as representative of how egalitarians leverage the verse.

Galatians 3:28 creation order Galatians 3:28 interpretive framework

kephale egalitarianism male headship

Introduction: The Bible clearly states husbands are the head of their wives

Mike introduces the topic of male headship, stating this is a deeply researched video on whether husbands being the head of their wives is truly biblical.

medical argument ancient Greek medicine head-body metaphor

Medical argument introduced: ancient Greeks believed the heart, not the head, controlled the body

Mike introduces the first egalitarian argument — the medical claim.

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom church history argument Kathleen Kroeger

Church history argument introduced: Chrysostom supposedly shows kephale doesn't mean authority

Mike introduces the second egalitarian argument — Kathleen Kroeger's use of Chrysostom.

1 Corinthians 11 Ephesians 5 1 Corinthians 11 Ephesians 5 contextual argument

Bible study argument introduced: Paul's context in 1 Corinthians 11 and Ephesians does not imply authority

Mike introduces the third egalitarian argument — the contextual/exegetical claim.

kephale lexical argument battle of the lexicons

Greek/lexical argument introduced: kephale means 'source' in Greek, not authority — the 'battle of the lexicons'

Mike introduces the fourth and largest egalitarian argument — the Greek lexical claim.

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom Kathleen Kroeger Christians for Biblical Equality

Church history argument: Kathleen Kroeger, founder of Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE)

Mike introduces the church history argument and Kathleen Kroeger's significance.

kephale Lynn Cohick lexical argument

Lexical claims introduced: Lynn Cohick says lexicons in the 19th-20th centuries suggested 'source' but not 'leader'

Mike introduces the final and largest section — the lexical/Greek argument.

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Introduction to Craig Keener's analysis of Ephesians 5

Mike introduces the scholar whose work will dominate the Ephesians 5 discussion.

Ephesians 5:18-6:9 Philip Payne Linda Belleville Craig Keener

Mike Winger idea 2022-08-15

Introduction to the slavery objection

Mike introduces the final major egalitarian argument.

Craig Keener slavery objection Paul, Women and Wives

women in ministry complementarianism egalitarianism

Introduction to part 3 of the Women in Ministry series, covering an exhaustive study on all the Bible teaches on the topic.

Series introduction and framing

Genesis 3 Genesis 3:16 creation order Genesis 3 Genesis 3:16

Genesis 3 recap: the curse does not initiate role distinctions; it brings difficulty into pre-existing ones.

Detailed summary of video 2 conclusions on Genesis 3

Exodus Moses Miriam prophetess

Introduction to Miriam: sister of Moses, a prophetess with an important role — not just a 'hood ornament.'

Beginning the examination of Miriam

2 Kings 22:14 Linda Belleville Huldah prophetess

Introduction to Huldah the prophetess (2 Kings 22:14) — Belleville emphasizes the king choosing Huldah over other prophets.

Beginning examination of Huldah

Judges judges Deborah Judges judges

Deborah is a strong case for occasional high-level female leadership in the OT by God's appointment; all other judges are male.

Introduction to the Deborah discussion

Judges 2:16 Judges 2:18 Deborah divine appointment Judges 2:16

Judges 2:16-18 is a blanket statement that God raised up all the judges — including Deborah.

Establishing Deborah's divine legitimacy