From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says About Women in Leadership

by Preston Sprinkle

Starting from a place of genuine searching, bestselling author Preston Sprinkle challenges assumptions and models gracious theological inquiry in this thoughtful exploration of what the Bible says about women in church leadership.

What does the Bible really say about women serving in positions of leadership in the church? It’s one of the church’s most debated and divisive topics. Many Christians read Scripture in light of preconceived conclusions, rather than engaging in a patient and thorough study of what the Bible actually says.

From Genesis to Junia offers something an honest journey through Scripture that begins with questions rather than answers. With theological rigor and a pastor’s heart, Preston Sprinkle opens the Bible with fresh eyes and invites us along as he examines key passages from Genesis to Revelation—weighing historical context, interacting with a variety of scholarly perspectives, and holding familiar views up to Scripture. This informative and spiritually profound book

A respectful challenge to both complementarian and egalitarian assumptions Insightful analysis of texts such as 1 Corinthians 11, Romans 16, and 1 Timothy 2 A model for navigating controversial topics in the church This open-hearted approach to a complex issue offers a healthy example for dialoguing about tough theological questions. Listeners will walk away not with superficial answers but with biblical confidence, deeper understanding, and a gracious posture for engaging with others.

Contains extensive audiobook-exclusive bonus commentary by the author.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Nonfiction, Christian, Womens, Faith, Church

304 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2026

About the author

Preston Sprinkle (PhD, Aberdeen) is a teacher, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author. He has written several books including People to Be Loved, Living in a Gray World, Charis, and Erasing Hell, which he co-authored with Francis Chan. Preston has held faculty positions at Nottingham University, Cedarville University, and Eternity Bible College. He and his family live in Boise, Idaho, and he currently helps pastors and leaders engage the LGBTQ conversation with thoughtfulness and grace.

Reviews

[John Pawlik · Rating 3 out of 5]

From Genesis to Junia is a book by Preston Sprinkle that was released a few days ago, where he invites the reader to follow him on a fresh theological journey as he explores the issues of the complementarian / Egalitarian debate. I want to give a few reflections as I’m sure it will make a brief splash on the internet and the life of the church.

I know this review is a little long, but one important thing first:

1. Tom Schreiner’s review of this book at TGC is pretty accurate.
2. Anyone who wants to understand the nitty gritty of the texts that consume this argument needs to read Women in the Church by Kostenberger and Schreiner.

First, I have never read a book with the style of this book. It had a podcast, even YouTube reaction style to it which was pretty new to me, but I expect will become more popular for lay level books in the future. This did make it fun and engaging, but also gave an air of novelty that also characterized the thin level of engagement with opposing views throughout the book.

Second, unfortunately, if you came to this book to hear new arguments that move the conversation forward, you have come to the wrong place. Sprinkle does admit that his conclusions come from being relatively new to the issue (3 years), but I think part of me still expected that he was going to advance something that split the difference between existing camps.

The arguments were predictable, and once you knew what he said on one passage, and the tone he approached it with, you knew where he was going with other later passages.

The book admits some really good and crucial things for this issue. Namely, that whatever reading we make of Genesis, OT prophets, or other narrative texts in the gospels, and even Romans 16 (none of which settle the issue) the weight of decision has to depend on how you read several key texts in Paul: 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 11, and Ephesians 5.

He takes a traditional egalitarian approach to Paul, and unfortunately resorts to the three typical readings that someone needs to take in order to justify women as elders in the New Testament:

1. Reinterpreting Paul’s apparent meaning in the text (Ephesians 5)
2. Relegating the text to a distant and irrelevant situation of the past (1 Tim 2)
3. Or ignoring the ramifications of the text because of the complexity of surrounding verses (1 Corinthians 11)

He shows something which I think is almost undeniably true in the New Testament: women are the best examples of faith, humility, and Christian virtue in the Old Testament, Gospels, and letters. But what he misses is that holding authority by nature of resembling Jesus’s loving character (as Stephanus does in 1 Corinthians 16) is not the same thing as formal authority that comes from the office of elder in the New Testament.

The thing that leads to so much confusion in this book is that he equates the idea of “leader” with formal positions of leadership in the church.

Basically, “would you say Phoebe is a leader according to a Christian definition of leadership?” If yes, then she can hold any position of authority in the church. But that’s just not what the Bible says on these issues. Phoebe is a deacon, deacons are leaders. It doesn’t mean they possess all of the teaching authority of elders. “Able to teach” is not even one of their biblical qualifications.

What’s interesting is that he admits that the words for formal authority aren’t used of women in the New Testament:

“Pastor, elder, teacher, overseer”

But because Paul does use “servant, co-worker, working hard, managing” then women are “Leaders” which means they can hold offices regardless of whether the text seems to prohibit them.

I would rate this book lower, but it’s so important that books more and more do what Sprinkle did here, which is focus on the actual texts that make or break these arguments. One challenge is that we don’t have a lot of good resources on this subject that do this, so I pray that more honest looks at texts become more common.

If anyone wants to chat with me at this book, shoot me a call or text!

[Shane Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026 reads: 13

Rating: 4 stars

This book is super accessible for what it is. As others have pointed out, Sprinkle doesn't progress the field/debate in any shape or form, but takes on an adjudicating role of some sorts. Some minor critiques up front: 1) I found the introduction to be naïve and disingenuous—despite his claims to the contrary. 2) Additionally his tone came across as flippant and casual at times, which, while it might help readers to not feel alienated from the complexity of the issues, came across as too self-centered; there was just too much focus on things being "fun" and "exciting," as if we were at an amusement park. Odd critique, I know. But whatever. 3) Sprinkle again and again asserts that his approach is exegetical but then always frames his conclusions through the complimentarian/egalitarian lens—it was a little confusing. Content wise, I thought Sprinkle was pretty consistent and fair with his hermeneutic. There are times where the debate is fraught by painstaking word-studies that I think can miss the woods for the tree. But that is the nature of these things. A key part of his argument, which is probably the most novel aspect of his contribution, is the framing of leadership. Sprinkle challenges the notion of coming to the texts with a modern, authoritarian, and highly-structured conception of leadership (think mega-churches). Instead, the consistent message of leadership in the NT is that of service and sacrifice. I appreciated this insight and thought it does move the conversation somewhat, or at least opens up other doors or windows of inquiry. In this light, the overwhelming picture of both the OT and NT is one where women are celebrated and held up as virtuous and in possession of their own agency—and yes—in matters of leading, instructing, teaching, and providing theological reflection. Sprinkle handles opposing views well, though I think there were a couple dots that weren't connected that could have been, as well as a deeper investigation into the logic of certain views. I believe it was Bobby Gilles who pointed out that women's "theological" words are actually inscripurated (Exod 15; 1 Sam 2; Judges 5; Luke 1)—possessing and exerting authority over men and women for all time. But I digress. Overall, this is a good resource to get into that blends exegesis, historical backgrounds, and biblical theology. It is measured and careful and hopefully folks engage it at the same level of text and context.

See also: Nijay Gupta, Tell Her Story; Beth Allison Barr, Becoming the Pastor's Wife ; and Sandra Glahn, Nobody's Mother.

[Wes Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC: Preston writes clearly and in an accessible tone. He wades through nuance thoughtfully and argues with a ton of compassion for those who disagree. His conclusions are compelling and consistent. This book is a gift to the church I would highly recommend for anyone wrestling with the interpretation of Scripture on this issue.

My biggest issue is that it feels like he trimmed out a lot of his research, which I know was necessary to make the book accessible, but I’m the kind of person who wants you to hold my hand through some things a little more. He definitely does this better in the second half of the book on the passages that are most important though, so it really is just more of a preference thing. Make sure you read his free online essays referenced a couple times in the footnotes though, since those give a ton of good meat to his argument!

[Ashley Chesnut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and well written. This is probably the best book I’ve read on the texts of Scripture that concern women in church leadership. Wherever you land on the subject, whether you agree or disagree with Preston’s conclusions, this is a worthwhile read. I appreciate Preston’s charitable tone as he agrees and disagrees with scholars on both sides.

[Brad Sarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2021, I went on a similar journey, wrestling with the question of women in church leadership—particularly the role of elders. I ended up reading more than twenty books on the topic, studying both sides in depth, and eventually wrote a short book for the church I lead, offering a biblical explanation for why I was no longer complementarian and had come to identify as a mutualist/egalitarian.

Preston Sprinkle’s From Genesis to Junia is an excellent contribution to this conversation. He carefully engages the major arguments on both sides and brings serious biblical scholarship while maintaining a posture of humility and grace, all while keeping the book highly readable. It’s clear he didn’t enter the debate needing one side to win, and that kind of intellectual honesty is refreshing.

Because of the honesty of his assessment and the depth of his biblical analysis, this will now be my go-to book for anyone who asks about this topic. Whether or not readers ultimately agree with his conclusions, the book models how Christians can wrestle carefully and respectfully with complex biblical questions. After reading a work like this, it becomes even harder to justify the kind of division that sometimes surrounds this issue in the church.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preston Sprinkle began his research into this topic as someone who did not believe in women in church leadership. I appreciate that level of intellectual humility. I've been (skeptically) interested to see where his research would lead him, listening to many of his interviews with scholars (including female scholars I deeply respect). So I've been waiting for this book!

Concerning whether we need men to write about women in leadership: As a woman in theological/ministry spaces, it’s exhausting having to use up so much of my energy defending my place. So while I believe we need to give more attention to the women who have done deep work in this area, I don’t think women should be doing it alone. Additionally, I think that saying only women can talk about the topic of women in church leadership can be another way we pigeonhole the genders. For some people, a book like this is what they need before they will be open to reading the work of more knowledgeable women.

I read a physical copy while listening to the audiobook. I enjoyed that the audiobook included Sprinkle’s additional reflections after each chapter.

Though he cites many scholars in his footnotes, I wish he included a “recommended reading” list, especially in light of the people (especially women) who’ve dedicated many more years researching this topic.

Who I would recommend this book to:
- Complementarians who grew up in spaces where women were forbidden to have leadership in the church and who would probably not read a book on this topic written by a woman (or, at least, not at first)
- People who have already read multiple books on this topic and would like to read one more from a different angle, especially if you want exposure to more arguments from both sides of the debate
- People interested in seeing the thought process of someone who has changed their mind

Who I would NOT recommend this book to:
- People who are currently feeling pain from patriarchal spaces/systems (This book would only frustrate you!)
- People who want to read a book where you’ll agree 100% with everything in it

[Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter one's predispositions (or conclusions), this is a great read that should help us interpret scripture with humility. As Sandra Glahn said of it: "[readers will] find themselves drawn afresh to the humble Christ and grateful for the conversation."

What else can we ask for?

[Brayden Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced Copy! An intellectually honest, accessible, and deeply thorough examination of the biblical theology surrounding women in church leadership. Sprinkle is one of my favorite scholars because of the way he navigates controversial topics with nuance, confidence, clarity, and intellectual integrity. We need this type of book for so many issues the church has been debating and talking past one another about. If you want to take a big step towards understanding what the Bible says about the egalitarian complimentarian divide, read this book!

[Hannah McNeilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankful for the advance copy of this book!

Dr. Preston Sprinkle has finally finished his long awaited study on the question of women in church leadership. I kept myself from peeking at the final section where he “lands the plane” and clearly articulates his own position, but as I neared the end of the book, I had a sense of where he was headed. I deeply appreciated the confidence with which he presented his conclusion. I was inspired by his clarity.

Sprinkle carries the reader through thorough scholarship and exegesis, and footnotes every question, doubt, and additional opposing viewpoint. He’s fair and charitable, but also firm. He challenges problematic interpretations on both sides of the debate and doesn’t settle with easy answers. ‘From Genesis to Junia’ is not only exceptionally researched, but accessible and readable. You’ll definitely want to pick up a copy for yourself and your church!

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly readable for such a dense and complex topic. It takes a lot of skills to condense years of research and skilled argument into such a compact book. I’m looking forward to a re-read when I get the paper copy.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m going to put my rating in two different camps. 5 stars for style of writing, attitude towards topic, and humility towards the end (Preston makes it abundantly clear in the end that he is very open handed towards changing his view because of the complexity of this topic). 3.5 stars for methodology - and those who agree with where he lands in this book hear me out -

As a complimentarian reading this book there were too many times he connected dots that didn’t seem connected to me. I can tell he has done research and I do believe in him having integrity in his work, but he needed to do more math for me on why A + B = C. I know he kept saying he had to keep this shorter, but I kept wishing there was more. I wasn’t persuaded in his arguments for the most crucial passages & I think this had to do with I didn’t agree with a large portion of his methodology that was the starting ground for his argument to be built on. Much of his argument was built on a foundation I wasn’t compelled by - definition of leadership. Not that I disagree with what Jesus has to say about leadership, but I believe there is a difference between general leadership and church office/governance. On a topic like this I kept expecting for him to turn the corner and devote a chapter to the difference between an office authority in the church and general leadership. & it never happened. As someone who listened to the audiobook, on the chapter over Romans 16 addressing Phoebe as a deacon he made the comment, on his reflection writing the chapter, that many scholars don’t find the office of diaconate a literal office. Comments continued to be made about how our current church structures do not necessarily reflect home churches or isn’t what Paul had it mind with little reflection on explaining why this is so. I’m aware that the early house churches do not look like today, obviously due to Christianity was beginning and now as widespread throughout the world as it is now. But if he disagree with the concept of current church leadership/authority structures, I thought there needed to be a chapter addressing what the Bible and even early church believed about church offices and structure, because it does influence much of this conversation. Either way, I wasn’t necessarily persuaded by his views on the word for authority. Mostly because I don’t agree that authority and servant leadership are necessarily pitted against each other. and was kinda surprised that 1 Timothy Chapter 3 has only 10 minutes in the audio book discussing it and no discussion on the later passage on the diaconate which I was waiting for. This may be a niche view that I take and to be honest I’m only writing this review for my own personal notes to jog my memory if I pull this book back out one day.


Regardless of landing in a different place than he does I deeply appreciated the type of work this is (I’ve enjoyed all his books similar in style from People to be Loved, Engendered, and now Genesis to Junia). I think more people need to write books like this and I appreciate his integrity to continue to say there is credit to the complimentarian view and he could change his mind and write another book if he does. I appreciated his last chapter a whole lot in even explaining how he still holds previous views from his other books and explains why he lands in the place he does and how and it doesn’t impact his views on the beautiful differences between men and women. I know he said his editors wanted to take it out, but I’m glad he kept it in. I learned a lot!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was nothing too new here for me, but I still appreciated this book for the following reasons:

1) I like his approach of recounting his own search, and it really does feel like he’s genuinely dealing with every argument. He doesn’t just land on the most egalitarian argument every time. This is refreshing. It makes me trust his conclusions more.

2) I also quite enjoyed his dive into what NT leadership looked like. It’s definitely an important conversation to have when asking if women were leaders.

3) I loved that he started with narrative and then conclude with the “problem passages.” I think that’s a more helpful approach than attempting to explain away people like Deborah and Priscilla based on one possible (& I think quite stretched) interpretation of approx. 2 verses mainly 1 Tim. 2)

This is definitely the book I would recommend to people who want to dip their toes into this discussion without having to wade through lots of academic tomes. Sprinkle writes in an easy to understand manner and, from all the reading I’ve done, presents the arguments for differing interpretations quite well.

His book is an encouragement, and I hope more people will revisit this discussion with an open mind. There are many of us who have landed on the “egalitarian” side who are not in the slightest attempting to undermine orthodoxy.

Also, every time I read one of these books, I’m just all the more pleased that we named our daughter Junia. We may not know much about the original Junia, but from the little we do know…what a woman to look up to!

[Tori Boone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was happy to receive an advanced copy of this book as I have been curious about his ultimate conclusion for several years. As with all the Preston Sprinkle books I’ve read, I appreciate the tone and humility of his writing. He does not attempt to tear people down but rather seeks to understand and be thorough in his study. Preston does a good job of being both scholarly and accessible to lay people.
The topic is complex and involves only a handful of passages with rarely used words. Therefore even well-studied conclusions rely on a good amount of speculation. I was hoping that Preston would offer a middle ground or some qualifications on his conclusion but instead he joins one existing camp. I do appreciate that even in his conclusion, he offers grace to those that disagree and acknowledges the limitations of his study.
Preston also references two word studies that he already released on his blog. Rather than including the entire studies, he provides a link to read the blog posts and explains in the acknowledgements that this was done in the interest of making the book shorter and more accessible to lay people. I would have liked to see these included in appendices, however, so that I could have easily referenced them or glanced through quickly.
All in all, this is a good read that I will recommend to those trying to get their feet wet in the conversation about women in church leadership.

[Keith Skrdlant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preston Sprinkle's style is so persuasive! So many theologians start their books at the end of their intellectual journey, beginning with an argument. But I'm prone to skepticism. I want to work through the process without feeling like I'm being pulled in one direction or another; if there's a right way to think, then I shouldn't need your aggressive tactics to get there (shoutout to evangelicals). So when I get the chance to ponder ALONGSIDE Preston (who, by the way, is so humble and quick to admit that something is "what he thinks" or best "in his opinion"), I'm willing to be more receptive. It's a neat little trick I suppose.

Not only did I love the way this book was written, but I love this book. Probably the most helpful compilation of all the relevant information to this topic that I've come across so far.

[Graham Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Idk what happened to my old review. Here's a short version.

TGC doesn't like something, my ears perk up.

Schreiner says Preston doesn't give us anything new, but also criticizes him for succumbing to contemporary culture and implores readers to adopt an old/historical/traditional view. What? Huh? That's weird, Tom.

Good job of bridging academia and the church. Technical yet accessible.

He definitely could've cited more complementarian scholarship. But it makes sense that he didn't. He also cited Kostenberger and Schreiners work three times during the appropriate section.

Preston worked hard on this book, whether or not you agree with him.

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about this topic. I learned a lot reading this.

[Andrew Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're on the fence with this debate, and genuinely curious about the text, Preston's latest book will likely be enough to push you over to the other side. It's exegetically sound, readable, and academically rigorous. I appreciated his thoroughness especially with notoriously tough passages.

[Joy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC.

Dr. Sprinkle did extensive research regarding this topic, and the book is surprisingly accessible for such a well researched topic. Even if you don't land where he does on the debate, this book does a great job of showing how he came to his conclusions.

[Connor Petrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book on women in ministry I've come across yet. To be clear, this is not the deepest, most thorough, or even most convincing book on women in ministry out there—its strengths are more subtle than such claims.

Even-handed, theologically humble, and far from triumphalist, this book acts as a sort of chronicle of Dr. Sprinkle's journey through the relevant texts of Scripture. If I had to identify the primary strengths of this work, I would focus on these two qualities:

1) The author is very familiar with complementarian instincts. Overall, egalitarians seem woefully ignorant of the "red-flags" that go up in many a complementarian's mind when someone insists "that verse doesn't say what you think it does" or "that may be a scribal addition" (the complementarian hears, did God really say?). Thus, egalitarians often trip alarm bells in their audience without even knowing the minefield they're walking through. This book largely avoids such blunders, allowing the reader (wherever they fall on this issue) to simply engage with Scripture and the arguments honestly.

2) The author rightly identifies the core arguments for each position, pointing out when oft-discussed topics/passages/arguments are indeterminate and thus, less significant than others. In my experience, proponents of both sides tend to be noodle-slingers, throwing out any piece of information or theory that might stick to the wall. Thus, the hyper specifics of the debate (e.g., noodles) are treated as vastly more important than they truly are. Consider, for example, a complementarian's argument from a male-only priesthood in the OT or the egalitarian's argument from the word authentein in 1 Tim. 2:12. What Dr. Sprinkle identifies is that neither position falls or stands on these points! Throughout the book, he agrees with interpretations from both sides of the debate, but then (most importantly) contextualizes whether that interpretation is core to the argument. Too often, critics from both sides act as if they've kicked the legs out from under the other position, not realizing what they've done is only dismissed a secondary or tertiary support rather than addressing the crux of the matter.

Personal Note/Testimony: I listened to Mike Winger's behemoth of a series two years ago. As a lifelong complementarian, I finished the series utterly convinced of my original position. I had journeyed with Mike through all the data and concluded, just as he had, that egalitarianism had NO ground to stand upon; their arguments were weak and easily dismissed once closely evaluated. Yet two years later, I'm firmly convinced of the opposite; yes, I'm egalitarian now. How? Because Mike's approach was fundamentally flawed, I believe. It is my opinion that Mike unintentionally mishandled the topic. By addressing each and every noodle (shred of information), Mike lost the plot, missing the forest for the trees. By spending 6 hours on authentein, Mike never stopped to ask, does egalitarianism stand or fall on this? My journey away from complementarianism began with a simple questioning of both Mike's and my assumption that any differences located in Genesis 2 between Adam and Eve must reflect a difference in their natures or roles. But after reading Genesis 2 over and over and over and over again, I've been convinced otherwise. I believe the author of Genesis shows differences between Adam and Eve, not to draw attention to their inequality, but precisely the opposite—to highlight their sameness (e.g., something was wrong: "It is not good that the man should be alone" [vs. 18], hence why God brings the animals to Adam [to show him none were like him], hence why God created Eve from him [to show she is of the exact same substance as Adam], hence why Adam cried out in joy, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" [vs. 23], hence why Adam and Eve are considered "one flesh" [vs. 24]). I'm convinced an ANE audience would be struck by the sameness of Adam and Eve here, not entrenched further in their lower view of women. In my journey, this was the first stone to fall, the first interpretation I realized was only assumed and not concluded. As I began to see such a reading was possible, I decided to embark on my own journey to steel-man a Mere Egalitarian argument, one that does not rely upon the Cult of Artemis or the word authentein. And two years later, I'm convinced.

All in all, this was a good book. I may reread it again to ensure it was as good as I thought. For now, however, it is this humble reviewer's opinion that Dr. Sprinkle accomplished what brother Mike only attempted. I beseech you to give it a try.

5/5 Stars

[Grace Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wait for this book has been worth it. Completely. With gentleness and grace, Preston Sprinkle courageously charts a robust exegetical course through Scripture. I couldn’t put it down. I’m so grateful for the godly and academically trained men who have stepped into this ‘debate’ with us.

His conclusion (albeit ‘more reflective than strictly exegetical’) had me in tears…..

‘Imagine Junia stepping into her first household gathering, her body branded by the scars of a Roman prison. Her experience as a woman compounded her suffering-dealing with menstruation in a filthy cell packed with depraved men, under constant threat and perhaps even a victim of rape and sexual assault, beaten and broken, harassed and humiliated. Through it all, she clung to the blazing hope that Jesus is King. No dungeon or empire could deter her from announcing his reign to the nations.
When she stood again among the faithful, her very presence hushed the room. The church saw not just a sister returned but the gospel incar-nate. Her body proclaimed Christ's triumph—every scar a sermon, every breath a testimony. For the sake of the gospel, she defied the empire as a woman in a male-dominated world, and she won.
These are the fires in which true leaders are forged. To forbid men from sitting at Junia's feet—from her wisdom and witness and instruc-tion, authenticated by her resilience as a woman-would strip us of the breadth and depth of Christian discipleship.
And I would be robbed if I never let myself be led by Junia today.’

[Campbell Lakatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sprinkle is technical, honest, and humble in his evaluation of the role women can play in church leadership. Sprinkle sincerely engages with both sides of the 'argument' giving his opinion of which arguments he finds persuasive as well as those he doesn't. I appreciated how he fair he tried to be to both complementary, soft-complementary, and egalitarian views. He was quick to point out issues and holes in arguments even with the conclusion he arrived at. On the flip side he affirmed the strengths of arguments that he wasn't convinced by. In the end, Sprinkle paints a picture of a complicated issue that demands us to be humble in our conclusion. Asserting 100% confidence in our own conclusion is probably naive at best and arrogant at worst. There are very smart, well researched, and God loving people on both sides of this argument. We'd do well to hold our conclusions with an open hand, obviously never using them to put people down but rather build each other up in love.

[Lydia Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Pre-release copy received from publisher) This book is the best of both world: extremely readable, but also full of academic footnotes, resources for further study, and in depth exegetical research. My favorite, thought-provoking line is, "If Priscilla was never mentioned and all these glowing descriptions were applied only to Aquila, would anyone doubt that he was a leader?" I'm very appreciative of Sprinkle's honest and humble approach and his extreme careful handling of difficult and confusing subjects. He "steelmans" every opposing argument and gives credit where it is due. This book is a gift to the modern church. "Let all with ears to hear, let them hear."

[Радостин Марчев]

Прочетох кнгата малко преди да бъде публикувана - по "случайност" едно копие ми попадна в ръцете.
Както винаги Престън Спринкъл е сериозен екзегет, с внимание към детайлите и в същото време със стил, който позволява да се чете от неспециалисти. Въпреки това оценкаа ми за мнигата би била дила доста ниска. Причината за това не е, че авторът не си е свършил работата или дори че намирам нещо, с което да не съм съгласен - напротив като цяло мнението ми съвпада с неговото. Въпреки това аргументите, които Спринкъл изрежда вече са били повтаряни толкова много пъти, че не мога да не се чудя защо е необходимо това да се прави още веднъж. Доколкото мога да преценя той практически не внася в дебата нищо особено ново - всичко е добре рециклирано вече казано. Това може да е добро упражнение за човек, който търси отговр на въпроса и се опитва да мисли по-добре докато пише. Признавам това и самият аз съм го правил понякога. Авторът казва, че донякъде това е история нанеговото търсене. Но аз като читател, който претендира, че познава доста добре материята просто не намирам нищо ново в книгата.
Казано по друг начин - езегетически отговорна, честна в своите аргументи, но не предлагаща нищо ново книга.

[Dianna Bartel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In From Genesis to Junia, Preston Sprinkle addresses one of the most debated questions in contemporary Christian theology with clarity and genuine curiosity. The book is highly enjoyable, and well structured, yet it does not sacrifice depth for readability. Even when he’s digging into complicated passages, it doesn’t come across as academic for the sake of being academic. The result is content that feels substantial without becoming overwhelming.
One of the book’s strengths is its tone. On a subject that has generated decades, if not centuries, of disagreement, Preston Sprinkle remains measured and respectful toward differing viewpoints. He presents alternative interpretations fairly, articulates their strengths, and explains why he ultimately reaches his own conclusions. It feels like he genuinely wants to understand the issue, not just win an argument, or give the reader talking points to win their own arguments.
The work is grounded consistently in the biblical text. While there is thoughtful and often insightful commentary throughout, the analysis returns repeatedly to Scripture in context. There is no condescending posture toward readers. Complex theological issues are explained clearly, with balance, without oversimplification and without assuming ignorance.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading and will go back and read it again! It is thoughtful and approachable and manages to be deep without being draining, and serious without losing its sense of balance.

[Riley Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and very engaging. Pop level Bible study, yes: that’s a good thing, people.

He points out the difficulties with being complementarian (there are many, most ecclesiastical and practical)—then essentially says, “I prefer these problems to those problems.” In biblical study, this is a well attested way to arrive at conclusions for hard topics. (See: rapture, end times, spiritual realm, and other knotty passages.)

Overall the book is a good hang. Will it convince people one way or another? Yes actually I think it will.

I do wish he tackled my main questions: that of church history. Why has one view been so dominant through history and the other not? This is pop exegesis, but still—that’s a HUGE omission in the debate. At least for me.

[Alissa Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so grateful for the wisdom, posture, and compassion Preston Sprinkle writes with. The topic of women in church leadership has plagued me since I was 13, and I feel like this is the first time where I was able to really grasp an understanding of the different arguments, and the reasoning behind those different arguments.

His exegesis of scripture prioritizes its authority, original language, and historical context. And he’s able to write it in a way that’s digestible for someone who hasn’t been to seminary or doesn’t have a PhD in theology.

Sometimes theology books take a while to get through but this book was so engaging and easy to follow that I flew through it! And yet I know I could easily spend weeks and months diving into all the footnotes and resources he mentioned throughout the book.

Highly recommend!!

[Elizabeth Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this! What a gift to the church. I appreciate that Sprinkle writes this in an accessible manner so that his reasoning can be widely read and understood. Also, his humble posture is such a non-threatening invitation. I seriously hope that this book will be widely read and considered by Christians everywhere. Also, the audiobook has chapter by chapter verbal reflections from the author, which is super fun and makes it feel more like a conversation with him.

[Caitlin Barrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you agree or disagree with his conclusions, there’s no denying that Preston Sprinkle put his heart and soul into researching and writing this book. I really appreciate his humility shown throughout his writing and the fact that he is so open to going wherever the biblical words actually take him. As someone who has also been wrestling with this topic for some time, I related to his approach and style in this book.

[James-Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastically argued journey through the issues and texts involved in the Complementarian-Egalitarian debate. Accessible to popular audiences, but built upon scholarly engagement. I will absolutely be recommending this book to viewers.

[Zayne Connatser · Rating 5 out of 5]

wowza.... Go girls

[Levi Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charitable, easy to read yet scholarly, deep, eye-opening, and informative. Big fan of Preston