Because of Eve: Historical and Theological Survey of the Subjugation of Women in the Christian Tradition

A Book Overview by George Bullard

Find this book on Amazon HERE.

Joe Knows. Open His Book and Your Mind.

Prediction Alpha: Many people who read this book already have a personal viewpoint on the role of women and men in the Christian tradition. Some a very strong and non-negotiable viewpoint. Some less strong and are open to learning more that will clarify their viewpoint.

Prediction Beta: A minority of the people who read this book will change their personal viewpoint on the role of women and men in the Christian tradition. Some will refine their viewpoint. Some will become more confused about their viewpoint. Some will get more clarity.

Prediction Gamma: Many people who read this book will wonder if the author already decided what the sub-title would be before he did his research. Did he write with this subjective viewpoint solidly determined in a non-negotiable way? Many others will look at the footnotes and the bibliography and admit that even if his viewpoint was predetermined that he sure did his due diligence in researching and writing this book.

Trivia: The primary text of the book’s nine chapters is 306 pages. Within those pages are 1397 footnotes or more than 4.5 per page. The bibliography at the end is 32 pages. I’m tired just thinking about this.

My viewpoint is that Joe knows more about this subject now than 99 percent of the rest of us. You cannot fool Joe. Or doubt Joe. You may not even be able to stump Joe with a question on this subject. Joe knows.

I first met Joe seven years ago when I spoke at the university where he teaches. Soon thereafter I heard about his writing of this book. I even talked with him about helping him get it published. That was when he only thought it would take him a couple of years to have it ready. That was a bad prediction.

Six years later the book is finally out.

Not because Joe slow-walked the research and writing. It was more because Joe kept digging to get as complete as possible the accurate historical and theological information from the Christian tradition about women. No obvious place to stop digging revealed itself for multiple years.

The rumor is that he finally ran out of space in his dining room to stack another book. When his wife demanded to have her dining room back, he finished writing this book.

His purpose is clearly stated in the Preface on page xiv. “To provide a thorough examination of how the Church and Christian men sought to define women and the roles women must play with the church, home, and society for more than two thousand years.”

Joe does this in nine chapters as follows: Old Testament, Greeks concepts, New Testament, Patristic Era, Middle Ages, Reformation, 17th and 18th centuries in England and America, 19th century America, and 20th and 21st centuries.

As he moved toward closer to the current day, his focus was very Anglicized. Some would call that a limitation of the book. Others would say it suggests a study of this subject from a differing national and cultural perspective.

A few would recognize that access to or even the existence of historical and theological material outside of Joe’s framework is a greater challenge than even six years, the size of his dining room, and the extent of his book budget would allow.

The book closes with Joe’s personal and professional conclusions in three sentences on page 310: “As gender roles and spheres developed over nearly two millennia, control over women boosts the self-confidence of weak men. As a man, I can affirm that we are fragile. My research, however, has taught me that this condition is neither inherent nor biblical, in much the same way that women are no less worthy than men in God’s eyes and are capable of serving Him in whatever leadership position God gifts and calls them as has been the case throughout history.”

As I was writing this review, a friend and ministry colleague posted on social media the following saying: “Books, minds, and umbrellas only work if they are open.” May you open this book, open your mind, and stay dry as other viewpoints seek to pour cold water on your reflections.

Copyright 2022 by George W. Bullard Jr.