Does Christ submit to the church? Should Christians submit to each other? What about husbands and wives? In this volume, theologian Alan Padgett offers a fresh look at the ethics of submission, gender roles, the history of biblical interpretation, and servant leadership in the New Testament. Through his careful interpretation of Paul's letters and broader New Testament teaching, the author shows how Christ's submission to the church models an appropriate understanding of gender roles and servant leadership. As Christ submits to the church, so all Christians must submit to, serve, and care for one other. Padgett articulates a creative approach to mutual submission and explores its practical outworkings in the church today, providing biblical and ethical affirmation for equality in leadership. Professors and students in practical theology and gender courses, pastors, church leaders, and thoughtful lay readers will appreciate his new approach to a controversial topic.

ENDORSEMENTS

"As Christ Submits to the Church is an insightful, compelling, and much-needed work, not only on the specific issue of women in leadership but also on the distinctive nature of Christian leadership in general. Combining theological and exegetical skills, Padgett has given us a scholarly yet broadly accessible book that moves us beyond some of the impasses the discussion on this hot topic has been bogged down in. Regardless of one's stance on the women-and-leadership issue, As Christ Submits to the Church is a must-read for all who care about Christ like leadership."—Greg Boyd, coauthor, Across the Spectrum

BAKER ACADEMIC, 2011
5.5 x 8.5 inches 151 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8010-2700-0

Alan Padgett (DPhil, University of Oxford) is professor of systematic theology at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the author or coauthor of several books, including Christianity and Western Thought (volumes 2 and 3), But Is It All True? The Bible and the Question of Truth, and Science and the Study of God. His scholarship ranges over philosophy, theology and science, and New Testament studies. Padgett is also an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church.