March 18, 2026
From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Conversation About Women in Church Leadership with Dr. Preston Sprinkle
On this episode of Mutuality Matters, Dr. Mimi Haddad meets with Dr. Preston Sprinkle to discuss his new book, "From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership." A deeply committed Christian, husband, and father, Preston Sprinkle said his career has focused on serving the church as a scholar. As such, he approaches questions concerning faith and life through a deep dive exegetical analysis of the related biblical passages and related historical contexts. For many years, as a complementarian, Preston read the key passages (1 Timothy 2:11–15, 1 Corinthians 14:34–36, and Ephesians 5:21–33) at face value—through a plain reading of the text which, seemingly, supports male leadership in church and the home. Yet, over time, he noticed how the Greek syntax in these passages was complex. Attending more carefully, he began to focus on single words in the text like “silent.” This practice was quite fruitful in helping him realize how women were not silent in Scripture contra 1 Corinthians 14:34–36. This seeming inconsistency evoked questions around what NT women were talking about. Clearly, they had a voice. In fact, leading Bible women were far from silent. God called and gifted women to speak as prophets, judges, warriors, and diplomats. Women were Christ’s disciples, and women served beside Paul as deacons, apostles, church planters, and his coworkers. Romans 16 abounds with the voices of women, slaves, and non-Jews—aligning with the welcome of women as Gospel agents (Gal. 3:28). Stunningly, women’s voices were heard in Corinth, as they prayed and prophesied in the church (1 Cor. 11:5), raising questions about the meaning of 1 Corinthians 14:34–36. Other passages in 1 Corinthians, such as 1 Corinthians 7:4-5, 1 Corinthians 11:7, and 1 Corinthians 11, challenged Preston as a complementarian because:
Wives and husbands have authority over each other’s bodies: 1 Cor. 7:4–5
Women prayed and prophesied: 1 Cor. 11:5.
Women “… have authority over her own head, because of the angels:” 1 Cor. 11:10.
Woman and man are interdependent: 1 Cor. 11:11–12.
Preston cited as a helpful resource, Gregory Dawe’s works on head metaphors in Ephesians, The Body in Question: Metaphor and Meaning in the Interpretation of Ephesians 5:21–33 (Biblical Interpretation Series, 30)
Turning to 1 Timothy 2:11–12, Preston points to the extreme use of authority (authentein) Paul evokes in this passage that mirrors the unilateral, domineering authority of slave owners over their slaves as it demeaned slaves ontologically as lesser humans for a lesser purpose. It was a devaluation Jesus challenged in Matthew 20:25–28: “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Summing it up, Preston suggests that three complex, poorly translated texts cannot overturn the “wide ocean of women leaders in Scripture.” Which is why he cautions against silencing women based on a plain reading of the Bible. Add to this the many women scholars he admired even before becoming an egalitarian. Women like Drs. Linda Belleville Sandra Ritcher, Lynn Cohick, Cynthia Westfall, and others are deeply regarded and highly respected throughout the Christian world. We add Preston to the list of egalitarian scholars and leaders, thanking him for his very insightful work throughout this podcast and in his newest book, From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says about Women in Leadership, available in CBE’s bookstore. Enjoy!
00:56 Welcome and Guest Intro
02:59 Preston’s Journey Shift
04:56 Deep Dive Research Process
06:31 Key Textual Turning Points
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