Tell Her Story

What do we really know and think of women in the biblical text? Are they powerful influences, admirable and strong? Or do we conceive of them as confined to their femininity, homes, husbands, and male spiritual leaders? In Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church, Nijay K. Gupta does not want to rewrite the Bible, but rather conduct what he calls “an exercise in amplification” (3). Gupta unveils the true lives of women who served as ministry leaders in the Bible, hidden in plain sight. To do this, the author insists we reconstruct our historical thinking and dismantle biases preventing us from seeing these inspiring women.

The book contains two parts, which together chronicle the tradition of ministry, gender roles, and notable women leaders in early Christianity. Part 1 is primarily focused on the biblical figure of Deborah and her position as a “judge.” To change our perceptions of biblical women, Gupta does not simply recount her story; he meticulously analyzes what it means to be a “judge” as evidence of women in leadership. He explores her role as “judge-deliverer,” possessing a power akin to a governor, settling disputes among her people, but also sent by God to deliver the people from enemies and to provide council in war. Notably, while Gupta compares Deborah to men in other biblical stories, the focus remains on her spectacular, independent nature. He concludes by establishing Deborah as a template for women in powerful, influential positions, writing, “Deborah is an important answer to the question ‘Can a woman . . . ?’ or ‘Is a woman allowed to . . . ?’ Deborah could. Deborah was” (19). 

Gupta also spends significant time deconstructing our established ideas of gender roles in the Bible and Greco-Roman era that restrain us from seeing the entire picture. The author contributes to larger scholarly discussions around sex and gender in Genesis, showing the impact these ideas have on the modern reader and historical gender ideologies. Gupta’s reading of the creation story reinterprets gender roles not as hierarchy but “as a tale of harmonious partnership unraveled and frustrated by sin” (29). This analysis proves essential to fully understanding Gupta’s argument and the women presented in the book. 

Gupta continues to unearth women’s voices in his informative sections on women’s role in historical society. The author provides the reader with extensive context on how women held more authoritative positions in Greco-Roman society than we may assume, weaving in writings, works, and evidence of numerous feminist scholars, historians, and experts. He emphasizes the complex reality of historical roles for women, especially the intersectionality of class, status, and gender; and how women could be patrons or hold power as heads of households. Equally important, Gupta insists on not being a revisionist historian. He maintains that patriarchy was real in this time and society—women were not thought of as equal or allowed the same privileges as men. However, he argues that our established ideas of this patriarchy are misleading, and we must consider variations and exceptions. Continuing to dismantle our conceptions of biblical women; Gupta turns to the context of the New Testament and looks at the women in Jesus’ life. Overall, their interactions are further evidence that women were capable of leading, and thus we should not be blind to the capacities and agency they possessed.

 In part 2, Gupta showcases admirable women in the early church who held crucial positions. The crux of the book’s argument is an analysis of these roles. In the same way that Gupta reconsiders Deborah, he reconsiders the influential roles of “diakonos (servant, deacon, ministry provider), episkopos (overseer, manager), and presbyteros (senior leader, elder)” (82). Through Gupta’s critical analysis of Paul's New Testament writings on the respective positions of women such as Phoebe, Prisca, and Junia, we can then see how the biblical text itself praises them as influential leaders of the early church. They were not as confined in society as is often assumed.

A memorable aspect of the book is how each chapter ends with a note on what we can learn from these women. This elevates them as admirable models in the same way that male leaders in the early church are elevated. Gupta argues for more than their stories to be told; he wants meaning in the modern context too. Here Gupta is speaking directly to his audience—those who could incorporate these women into their personal faith, or anyone open to the lessons revealed by such laudable female figures.

In anticipation of a rebuttal and to defend the overarching argument of his book, Gupta includes a final section titled “What About . . .”. This portion tackles two teachings from the New Testament that are commonly recalled as evidence to prohibit women from being considered early church leaders (1 Timothy 2:11-15) and exile women to the household and submissiveness (Colossians 3:18-4:1). To Gupta, both texts can be explained by looking at the usage and connotation of particular words in their historical context—linguistic elements almost entirely lost to the modern reader. The inclusion of this analysis is a testament to Gupta’s dedication to entirely overthrowing traditional women’s roles in the church and ministry.

In Tell Her Story, Gupta constructs a narrative that provides the reader with a more inclusive perspective on the early church and does so with extensive knowledge and humility. He does not shy away from admitting how in the past he has glossed over, ignored, or belittled the role women play in early ministry and spiritual guidance, thus inviting the reader to do the same. The book is indeed an “amplification” of women’s stories and more. It provides a close reading of translations, societal complexities, and gender roles—both then and now—without being overly polemic or alienating. The women introduced (or reintroduced) to the reader within this book open a door to expanding women’s stories and invite us to hear them.

Nikki Alexander is a graduate student at Claremont Graduate University.

Nikki Xuan Alexander

Date Of Review:

April 3, 2024