Complementarianism, Gender and Evangelism

Complementarianism, Gender and Evangelism is, at once, a nuanced critical analysis of the deployment of gendered power in the Anglican Diocese of Syndey, and a generous appreciation of the stories and struggles of individual Anglicans. By a careful listening to these stories, Shorter shows that the Diocese's conflation of Christian faithfulness with the evangelical doctrine of complementarianism serves only to abuse and traumatise the Christian body, especially those parts of the body which are neither male, nor heterosexual, nor white. As an Aboriginal theologian, I especially appreciate the ways in which Shorter demonstrates an awareness of the intersectionality of her work with decolonial and anti-racist labours. For the complementarian disease is indeed a constitutive part of an enduring colonial assault on black and diversely gendered bodies and, through them, on the earth itself. I commend Shorter's book as essential reading for anyone who is trying to understand both the failure and the promise of euro-conditioned Christianities. * Rev Garry Worete Deverell, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia * Shorter forensically examines how complementarianism operates within Sydney Anglicanism. In the process, Shorter emphasises how gender and sexuality emerge as points of contestation in the Church. The book draws on rich data from parishioners and staff, highlighting complexity regarding how complementarianism as a discourse is lived in everyday life. This is a vital case study for readers interested in conservative Church cultures and gender. * Sarah-Jane Page, University of Nottingham, UK * Insightful, erudite, apposite, and compelling. Shorter is equally compassionate and critical as she offers an analysis that goes beyond theological debates to demonstrate how complementarianism functions as a discourse that frames identity and belonging in the Sydney Anglican Diocese. 'Equal but different’ is exposed as a family myth that reinforces gender hierarchy and heteronormativity with chilling consequences. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in how gender became the defining test of orthodoxy in certain corners of Christianity. * Robyn Whitaker, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity, Australia * We need scholars to explore the rationales, the leveraging, and the social harms of Christian complementarian discourses and this book provides some important insights. Within the context of Anglicanism in Sydney, Australia, the author reveals that not only are complementarian beliefs used to reproduce gender hierarchy, but are also performatively and discursively used to shore up evangelical distinctiveness and claims to orthodoxy. Moreover, the author shows that although approaches to biblical complementarianism can act as disciplining and silencing tools, there is evidence of resistance to them amongst evangelical church-goers. This book provides a fascinating and detailed account of Sydney Anglicans, but also reaches into the global Anglican Communion with its critique of complementarianism in its theological and socio-cultural guises. * Sharon Jagger, York St. John University, UK * The contemporary situation of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney is clearly and incisively contextualized within the colonial legacy of the Australian churches. Shorter’s compelling discussion effectively highlights the interactions between discourses of gender and power in a case study that will resonate far beyond Australia itself. * Susannah Cornwall, University of Exeter, UK *