With issues such as the ordination of women and the call for "inclusive" language affecting the church today, Aída Spencer has provided a helpful and important study of how the Scriptures really speak to these and other issues related to the role of women in the church. From the biblical account of creation and "the fall" to other relevant Old Testament passages, Beyond the Curse carefully examines the attitudes toward and teachings about women--especially those of Jesus and Paul. Beyond the Curse sheds light on instances in the New Testament of feminine authority and on feminine metaphors used in Scripture to define God, the church, and society. Jesus is shown to have broken through the cultural barriers of first-century Palestine in his attitudes toward and dealings with women. Paul's later works are found to be consistent with Jesus' views, as Spencer notes the vital place of women in Paul's ministry. Women in leadership roles and the many implications are viewed firsthand by Spencer--herself a minister. William David Spencer, the author's husband, gives an afterword, explaining his personal journey as the spouse of an ordained minister. Timely and vital to an understanding of the growth of a woman's role in the church, Beyond the Curse is a compelling and important work.
