Jesus, Justice, and Gender Roles: A Case for Gender Roles in Ministry

At one point in her life, author and co-founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Kathy Keller sought pastoral ordination. Yet she came to adopt the view that men and women have different roles in marriage and ministry, and that fulfilling such roles pleases God and leads to greater personal fulfillment.

In this unapologetic but nuanced piece, Keller presents a caring and careful case for biblical gender differences and the complementarian view of women in ministry. At the same time, she encourages women to teach and lead in the church in ways that may startle some complementarians. Readers on both sides of this hot-button topic will be challenged by her ministry-tested and thoroughly Scriptural perspective.

Kathy Keller was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended Allegheny College. She graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1975 with her MA in Theological Studies. She and her husband, Tim, married one semester before graduation. West Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, Virginia, extended a call for Tim to be a three-month interim pastor while they searched for someone more experienced. Nine years and three sons later, the Kellers moved to Philadelphia, where Tim taught at Westminster Theological Seminary and Kathy began work as an editor at Great Commission Publications.

In 1989 they moved to Manhattan to plant Redeemer Presbyterian Church. As staff were added, Kathy focused on the Communication Committee. She is now the Assistant Director of Communication and Media and the editor at Redeemer. She also writes and speaks along with Tim. Their three sons are grown and married, and producing amazing grandchildren. They and their families are all members of Redeemer.