Sumner, the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, Illinois), is chair of the department of ministry and associate professor of ministry and theology at the Haggard School of Theology, Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, California).

Evangelicals stand divided in their view of women in the church.

On one side stand complementarians, arguing the full worth of women but assigning them to differing roles. On the other side stand egalitarians, arguing that the full worth of women demands their equal treatment and access to leadership roles. Is there a way to mend the breach and build consensus?

Sarah Sumner thinks there is. Avoiding the pitfalls of both radical feminism and reactionary conservatism, she traces a new path through the issues--biblical, theological, psychological and practical--to establish and affirm common ground. Arguing that men and women are both equal and distinct, Sumner encourages us to find ways to honor and benefit from the leadership gifts of both. Men and Women in the Church is a book for all who want a fresh and hope-filled look at a persistent problem.