Subordination has been and still is a controversial subject within the church. The concept has been vigorously debated in relation to the doctrine of the Trinity since the fourth century. Certain New Testament texts have made it part of discussions of right relations between men and women. In recent years these two matters have been dramatically brought together. Indeed, today the doctrine of the Trinity is being used to support opposing views of the right relationship between men and women in the church. At the center of the debate is the question of whether or not the orthodox view of the trinitarian relations teach the eternal subordination of the Son of God. In this book Kevin Giles masterfully traces the historic understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity from the patristic age to our own times to help resolve this important question. But he does not stop there. Giles goes on to provide an illuminating investigation of a closely related question—whether or not women, even in terms of function or role, were created to be permanently subordinated to men. By surveying the church's traditional interpretation of texts relating to the status of women and inquiring into the proper use of the doctrine of the Trinity, Giles lays out his position in this current debate. ENDORSEMENTS “Kevin Giles, in this significant book, has simultaneously made valuable contributions to four fields of study: historical theology, hermeneutics, systematic theology and the practical life of the church. While many will not agree with him at all points, all can profit from a careful reading and interaction with his arguments.” — Millard J. Erickson, Distinguished Professor of Theology, George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University “Kevin Giles powerfully shows how the doctrine of the Trinity has been used to justify ideologies that diminish the worth of women. Some of his allegations may be open to question, but they nevertheless merit serious consideration.” — Donald G. Bloesch, Professor of Theology Emeritus, Dubuque Theological Seminary CONTENTS Part 1: The Trinity Tradition: Affirmed by All but Actually Rejected by Some 1. Conservative Evangelicals Head Off on Their Own 2. The Historical Development of the Orthodox Trinitarian Tradition 3. Subordinating Tradition 4. The Retrieval & Refinement of the Nicene Trinitarian Tradition in the Twentieth Century 5. Evangelicals at the End of a Very Thin Branch Part 2: The Woman Tradition: Reinterpreted by Some, Rejected by Others 6. Women in the Modern World & In Christian Tradition 7. Women in Contemporary Hierarchical-Complementarian Literature 8. Exegesis or Eisegesis? 9. An Egalitarian-Complementarian Theological Reading of the Bible Part 3: The Slavery Tradition: Rejected by All--Some in Ignorance Some in Painful Awareness of Its Past Consequences 10. The Proslavery Tradition: The Bible Endorses the Institution of Slavery 11. The Rejection of the Proslavery Tradition 12. The Parallel Exhortations to Men & Women to Be Subordinate 13. Lessons to Be Learned & Concluding Thoughts InterVarsity 6 X 9 inches, 282 pages
	KEVIN GILES (Th.D., Tubingen University) is vicar of St. Michael's Church (Anglican) in North Carlton, Australia. He has also served as a minister and consulting theologian for World Vision Australia.