The Trinity & Subordinationism - by Kevin Giles (Paperback)

About the Book

Kevin Giles traces the historic understanding of subordination in relation to the doctrine of the Trinity and investigates the closely related question of whether women are created to be permanently subordinated to men.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"Kevin Giles's The Trinity and Subordinationism is an important book on historical theology and contemporary hermeneutics. Some contemporary evangelicals are embracing the ancient heresy of the eternal subordination of the Son to promote their case for the eternal subordination of women, much as nineteenth-century conservatives promoted a biblical 'justification' of slavery. Giles argues that just as historic orthodoxy rejected the eternal subordination of the Son, and recent orthodoxy rejected slavery, so contemporary orthodoxy must reject the eternal subordination of women. Significant is his discussion of how changes in culture must inform biblical interpretation while not determining interpretation."

I have to first commend Giles on his breadth of research. I found many of his arguments for the egalitarian position to be extremely well reasoned and persuasive. I also found his distinction between complementarians refreshing and helpful. I can recommend this work without hesitation to anyone engaged in the gender debate.

About the Author

Kevin Giles (Th.D., Australian College of Theology) is an ordained Anglican minister who was in parishministry for forty years. He has studied in Australia, England and Germany, publishing broadly on topics such as the doctrine of the church, leadership in the apostolic age, the equality of men and women, the Trinity and congregational life. Giles has contributed numerous articles to scholarly journals, and to IVP's Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels and Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Development. Among his books are What on Earth Is the Church? and Patterns of Ministry Among the First Christians. He has also served as a minister and consulting theologian for World Vision Australia. Giles and his wife Lynley have four grown up children and nine grandchildren. They live in Melbourne, Australia.