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Women and the Gender of God Paperback – October 4, 2022

by Amy Peeler (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 45 ratings
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A robust theological argument against the assumption that God is male.

God values women.

While many Christians would readily affirm this truth, the widely held assumption that the Bible depicts a male God persists—as it has for centuries. This misperception of Christianity not only perniciously implies that men deserve an elevated place over women but also compromises the glory of God by making God appear to be part of creation, subject to it and its categories, rather than in transcendence of it.

Through a deep reading of the incarnation narratives of the New Testament and other relevant scriptural texts, Amy Peeler shows how the Bible depicts a God beyond gender and a savior who, while embodied as a man, is the unification in one person of the image of God that resides in both male and female. Peeler begins with a study of Mary and her response to the annunciation, through which it becomes clear that God empowers women and honors their agency. Then Peeler describes from a theological standpoint how the virgin birth of Jesus—the second Adam—reverses the gendered division enacted in the garden of Eden.

While acknowledging the significance of the Bible’s frequent use of “Father” language to represent God as a caring parent, Peeler goes beneath the surface of this metaphor to show how God is never sexualized by biblical writers or described as being physically involved in procreation—making the concept of a masculine God dubious, at best. From these doctrinal centers of Christianity, Peeler leads the way in reasserting the value of women in the church and prophetically speaking out against the destructive idolatry of masculinity.

The Michael Ramsey Prize Longlist (2023)

Previous page
  1. Print length
    286 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Eerdmans
  4. Publication date
    October 4, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6.05 x 0.76 x 8.96 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802879098
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802879097
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From the Publisher

What People Are Saying

1

2

3

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Publisher's Weekly

Nijay K. Gupta

Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

Emily H. McGowin

Wheaton College

Madison Pierce

Associate Professor of New Testament, Western Theological Seminary

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Expository Times
“The book makes a valuable contribution to Christian theological reflection on fundamental yet complex questions of sex and gender arising from the New Testament. . . . Although the underlying theoretical model of gender remains backgrounded at points where explication of terms would have strengthened the case, the exegetical excellence of the work nevertheless shines brightly throughout. It deserves a wide readership among scholars, students, clergy, and all who are interested in gender-related theology and praxis.”

The Living Church
“Peeler affirms both God’s transcendence beyond the created order and the personal and direct way that God relates to us, inviting us to call him Father as a sign primarily of his goodness and compassion toward us. Her arguments deserve careful examination, both from scholars entering a long history of debate and from parents seeking to respond to their children’s curiosity about the nature of God.”

“This is a daring book. Amy Peeler tackles a controversial issue: the gender of God and its implications for women. For some, to raise these questions at all is objectionable. For others, Peeler’s high view of Scripture will suggest that she herself is captive to patriarchy. However, readers who take the time to engage her argument will find that neither critique has merit. Peeler patiently shows why these questions are worth asking and how the Bible itself offers a robust response that both affirms women and glorifies God, without making God male. Peeler’s grasp of the secondary literature is impressive. Her arguments are sophisticated and theologically astute. She is attentive to nuance in Scripture, and her faithful reading yields an illuminating vision of a good God who invites women to be full participants in God’s work in the world. I’m so grateful for her work. I expect it will be an essential resource for years to come.”
— Carmen Joy Imes
Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

“In Women and the Gender of God, Dr. Peeler states, ‘one can affirm the triune God’s supremacy without calling that masculinity.’ In supporting this claim, Dr. Peeler speaks life over women in general, and over Mary in particular—not only in the story of history but also in the very story of God. Unexpectedly, I walked away from this book with a richer, more worshipful picture of God through an encounter with Mary! For me, as a woman, Protestant, and theologian, this book was a breath of fresh air, though any reader simply born of a woman would be challenged and encouraged by this powerful work.
— Christa L. McKirland
Carey Baptist College, New Zealand
executive director of Logia International

“The story of God is the story of Jesus Christ, and the story of Christ is also the story of Mary of Nazareth. No story of the Christian God can be told without the story of Mary. Incarnation through a woman reveals who God is. Pause with that thought as you consider most Protestant theologies, most Protestant sermons, most Protestant approaches to Christian formation, and most Protestant Sunday school curricula. All the way down, Mary has disappeared from the only story we know in the Bible. Protestant theology needs to be schooled in theotokos theology. Amy Peeler’s Women and the Gender of God has done this for us, dismantling the patriarchy by exclaiming precisely what Mary prophesied, ‘From now all generations will call me ‘Blessed!’”
— Scot McKnight
Northern Seminary

“Peeler’s book is a tremendous contribution to the discussion. Bridging so many disciplinary gaps, she provides a wholistic picture of how women can relate to God and how all of us can think better about gender. I am hopeful that her generous reflections will have a significant effect on our theology and practice.”
—Madison Pierce, Associate Professor of New Testament, Western Theological Seminary

“Part exegesis, part theological reflection, and part proclamation, Women and the Gender of God offers a clarion call for those within the Christian tradition not just to affirm that God values women but to reconsider the ways in which Mary is the epicenter of the incarnation itself.
—Brittany E. Wilson, Associate Professor of New Testament, Duke University Divinity School

“Peeler refutes a view that shouldn't even need discussing because it is so absurd—that God is male. Readers might pick up this book because of the harmful effects of ‘masculine Christianity’ on the Christian faith. But what made this book a page-turner for me is the profound exposition of the story of Jesus, the perfect image of God, man from woman, a testimony to the beauty of God’s dual human creation—both men and women finding honor and dignity in Word made flesh. Peeler navigates a volatile topic with patience, meticulous research, wisdom, and grace.”
—Nijay K. Gupta, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary

“Delivers a thoughtful exploration of the complex ways Christian scripture genders God.”
Publishers Weekly

“The Rev. Dr. Amy Peeler’s Women and the Gender of God is an exceptionally lucid and winsome exploration of the Incarnation’s significance for our understanding of both God and women. Few topics today are so fraught, but she proves herself an expert guide through vital theological questions about the fatherhood of God, the maleness of Jesus, and the meaning of Mary. The result is an awe-inspiring vision of the Triune God revealed in Jesus Christ—a God who is not male, who loves women as women, and empowers them to serve in freedom. Women and the Gender of God is a must-read, and I am eager to get it into the hands of my students, church members, and friends.”
—Emily H. McGowin
Wheaton College

About the Author

 

Amy Peeler is professor of New Testament and the Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of Biblical Studies at Wheaton College. She also serves as associate rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Geneva, Illinois. She is the author of Women and the Gender of God, You Are My Son: The Family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews and the coauthor, with Patrick Gray, of Hebrews: An Introduction and Study Guide.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Eerdmans (October 4, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 286 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802879098
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802879097
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.05 x 0.76 x 8.96 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 45 ratings

About the author

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Amy Peeler

Amy Peeler

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Amy Peeler is professor of New Testament and Kenneth T. Wessner Chair of New Testament at Wheaton College and associate rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Geneva, Illinois. She is the author of Women and the Gender of God; Hebrews (Commentaries for Christian Formation); You Are My Son: The Family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews; and the coauthor, with Patrick Gray, of Hebrews: An Introduction and Study Guide.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
45 global ratings
Life-changing insights for women
5 Stars
Life-changing insights for women
As Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, Amy writes with authority and credibility. Amy has a passion for all, especially women, to know how deeply valued they are by God as presented in the Christian Bible. She is keenly aware of the theologies that use a basic view of God the Father as a masculine type. She explains many ways that view damages men and women, failing to represent all that God is as Father. Her thinking is excellent and her research extensive, as you would expect from a professor, the culmination of years of research. I highly recommend this life-changing book!
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Top reviews from the United States

Lawrence Shover
5.0 out of 5 stars A very thought provoking book!
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend Amy Peeler’s “Women and the Gender of God”. One of those “once-in-awhile” books that you purchase for one reason and wind up enjoying it for another reason. Said another way, I was both intrigued and challenged by this book. Dr. Peeler brought up issues that I have either long taken for granted or never thought about. As a 2x published author, that is a sign of a very good book. I found myself being both humbled and challenged in my belief system.

My favorite part(s) of the book included chapter three, “Honor and Agency” and – believe it or not – the appendix! I don’t think I’ve ever commented on an appendix before! Chapter three goes miles in helping the reader perceive the annunciation and the “delicate dance of human agency affirmed throughout the Christian faith.” The appendix is simply great. A thoughtful reiteration of what was discussed in the book. I will use the appendix as a guide for future studies and/or conversations
4 people found this helpful
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Paul D. Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars A Steady Crescendo to a Bold Orthodoxy
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2022
Verified Purchase
The research is thorough, the arguments cogent, and her conclusions courageously orthodox. The book is exceedingly helpful in countering the pernicious and seemingly ubiquitous belief that God is male or male-like. Although largely about Mary, the mother of Jesus, this is not a crusade for feminism. Instead, Women and the Gender of God is a steady and bold crescendo toward viewing the Father’s works through the lens of the Son’s incarnation by the Spirit’s invitation to unite with a single woman who willingly and literally becomes the means of salvation for all. In the words of Christa McKirland, everyone “born of a woman would be challenged and encouraged by this powerful work” (back cover endorsement).
9 people found this helpful
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Meredith Y Storrs
5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and Deep
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book was an incredibly insightful look at the theology of God who is neither male nor female, which answered the questions I had when picking it up. What I did not expect, and yet impacted me even more profoundly, was Peeler’s attention to Mary and the significance of several passages concerning her in the gospels. I cried when I got to the part about her involvement at Pentecost—truly a testament to God’s inclusion and care for women.
6 people found this helpful
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K or M
5.0 out of 5 stars clear & illuminating
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2023
Peeler brings great clarity and wisdom to her book, which is about equally split between the questions "Does God (the 'Father') have a gender?" and "What does Mary have to do with how we view the gender of God (the 'Father') and Jesus (the 'Son')?" Her scholarship is exceptionally thorough, as evidenced by the deep footnotes, which were a positive part of my reading experience, as they often added to my understanding and helped me see how Peeler is engaging other academics, writers, and thinkers. We may differ in some of our theological approaches, but that's part of what made this a good read for me: Peeler is clear, engaging, and approaches her study with care and respect. Highly recommend!
One person found this helpful
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Laura K Linstra
5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changing insights for women
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2023
As Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, Amy writes with authority and credibility. Amy has a passion for all, especially women, to know how deeply valued they are by God as presented in the Christian Bible. She is keenly aware of the theologies that use a basic view of God the Father as a masculine type. She explains many ways that view damages men and women, failing to represent all that God is as Father. Her thinking is excellent and her research extensive, as you would expect from a professor, the culmination of years of research. I highly recommend this life-changing book!
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Laura K Linstra
5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changing insights for women
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2023
As Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, Amy writes with authority and credibility. Amy has a passion for all, especially women, to know how deeply valued they are by God as presented in the Christian Bible. She is keenly aware of the theologies that use a basic view of God the Father as a masculine type. She explains many ways that view damages men and women, failing to represent all that God is as Father. Her thinking is excellent and her research extensive, as you would expect from a professor, the culmination of years of research. I highly recommend this life-changing book!
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One person found this helpful
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Cynthia C. Hester
5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar Scholarship and a Must-Read Book
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023
Peeler's careful and robust scholarship answered so many questions I've pondered. Does God value women? Why do so many elevate Jesus's maleness when choosing church leaders, yet God is Spirit? How do we miss/ignore the witness of Mary, the mother of Jesus, though her story crisscrosses the New Testament? God is the Father, so what is the meaning of the mother language he uses to describe himself in the Bible? Read this book and learn the answers to all these questions and so much more.
One person found this helpful
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Jessica Skinner
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful and scholarly work of orthodoxy
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2023
This is an exceptionally well-researched and clearly written study of god’s self-revealing actions and how we relate through the imago dei. Peeler’s work on the Theotokos in the book was excellent as well.
2 people found this helpful
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Matthew Milliner
5.0 out of 5 stars Faithful Originality
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2022
Theologians have been trespassing in the fields of Biblical studies for some time to generate commentaries, and more power to them. But how wonderful to see the reverse - a Biblical scholar producing a tour de force of exciting and exhaustively researched theology. I cannot begin to communicate how well this book fuses accessibility with scholarly force. Amy Peeler (my friend and colleague) vindicates the Christian tradition against many of its formidable recent detractors, while also showing that much of Christianity has just not been traditional enough. While some books stop with the problem, Peeler has done the enormous theological and exegetical work required for real solutions. Her book is both an affirmation of the goodness of being a man or a woman, and it is a testimony to the trinitarian God who created & transcends both. "If the Christian God really disdained the female body," argues Peeler, "the Son would have found another way [than through Mary] to achieve the reconciliation of all things." The book mirrors the profundity of the great patristic theologians: "That which God did not do to creation [carry it within him as a mother]," Peeler explains, "God allowed creation do to him. God was carried in the womb.... There is no God apart from the one who willed to dwell in the womb of Mary... [Moreover] God is properly addressed a 'Father' because God, as fathers are, was the cause of a Son." But as I said, I cannot begin to communicate the book's depth here. It is just that good.
11 people found this helpful
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