Gender Wars in Christianity

In our day, one of Satan’s most effective strategies to undermine God’s intentions for relationships is to foster confusion about gender identity and roles. Our culture desperately needs a strong voice to declare a biblical understanding of what it means to bear God’s image as male and female, and to reveal that image by how we live and relate. Manuell’s book on Gender Wars provides that voice. His thorough dependence on Scripture issues a call the church must heed.

-- Dr Larry Crabb, Founder of New Way Ministries and best-selling author of Finding God.

Guy Manuell has produced a thoughtful and valuable defence of biblical complementarianism which, at the same time, highlights the dangers of rejecting or distorting the Bible’s teaching about the equality and differences between men and women... His challenge to husbands in particular – to avoid the pitfalls of both abdication and domination – is timely. More than that, he is right to link the gender wars in the church with the battle over the authority of Scripture...
-- Robert S. Smith, Lecturer in Theology and Ethics, Sydney Missionary & Bible College.

This is a systematic, thorough and thoughtful examination of the roles of men and women within creation, marriage and the Church viewed from a careful biblical perspective. It demands close attention by Christians today.

-- Richard Wheeler, Fellow & Council Member, Sydney College of Divinity.

Guy Manuell has painstakingly negotiated a theological and sociological minefield to deliver a biblical and logical apologetic on the gender issue. The book is highly readable and obviously the product of considerable research. A strong feature is his strong Trinitarian argument in dealing with submission vis-à-vis inferiority and Jesus’ sonship being from eternity and not from creation. In the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman with the flow of blood, he establishes that Jesus gives priority to faith over age, gender, social custom and ceremonial law – a perspective not always obvious to the reader.

-- Donald Howard is a retired Anglican minister who some years ago had the privilege of Guy and Bernice Manuell being members of his congregation at St. Peter’s, Burwood East, in the Diocese of Sydney.