Book Review of ‘God’s Good Design’

Book review of ‘God’s Good Design - What the Bible really says about Men and Women’ by Claire Smith (second edition) by Phil and Victoria Colgan

All too often modern Christian teaching on the place of men and women in the church is in the context of argument and debate. Fundamentally, the debate between those who would call themselves complementarian and those would call themselves egalitarian. However, even within those who hold a complementarian position there is debate between those who would disagree about where lines should be drawn. While this can’t be helped it can lead to some unfortunate consequences. Most notably we can deal ‘fast and loose’ with the text of the Scriptures, overstating arguments to support ‘our position’. This is where Claire Smith’s ‘God’s Good Design’, first released in 2012 and now in its second edition has proven such a valuable resource. It recognizes the reality of bias and the presuppositions we bring to this topic but as far as is possible seeks to let the word of God speak on its own terms. Dealing with each of the key passages carefully and closely, God’s Good Design is in our opinion the best resource available for considering the issue of gender relationships and we recommend it to all thinking Christians – male and female.

The book’s starting point of the “fine dust of feminism” helpfully acknowledges that we all come to the Bible with our own prejudices and agendas. What this book does so well is to allow the Bible to set the agenda and reveal from God’s word what God’s good design is for us all, within the church and within the home. There is in-depth study on each of the following passages: 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 11 & 14, Ephesians 5, 1 Peter 3, Genesis 1-3 and Proverbs 31.

If you think that these “women’s issues” have nothing to do with you because either you’re not married, not in ministry or male then think again. This second edition of God’s Good Design by Claire Smith is a must read for everyone. Smith does what she sets out to do and looks at what the Bible really says about men and women by methodically working through the relevant passages in the Bible. Her focus is on the text of Scripture from beginning to end and her writing is succinct, clear and easy to understand without being simplistic. Importantly, this is not a book just for women. Since its release I’ve spoken to several ministers who have had women in their church reading God’s Good Design, but it is just as much men who need a clear understanding of God’s word on the subject of men and women. Our hope is that the release of this second edition will see more men and especially men in leadership utilize this helpful resource.

We use this book as a resource not just for those in ministry and wanting to think through the role of women in the church. The chapters on men and women in marriage are a wonderful basis for marriage preparation or for anyone to think through the ideas of Biblical marriage and family. The final chapter on whether this actually works is a personal testimony to God’s word shaping and changing the author as she lived out God’s good design.

There are many things to appreciate about this book. The author’s obvious love of God’s word and the beauty and truth within it permeates all her writing. She courageously wrestles with the difficult texts in the Bible on this subject and works hard to understand what it really says in the context of the verse, the passage, the book of the Bible and within the context of the whole Bible. Smith also makes an honest assessment of us as readers and our propensity to subjective reasoning rather than allowing the text of the Bible speak the truth. “…it is incumbent upon us to hear God’s word above all other cultural and personal voices. We cannot allow the science of humans to eclipse the word of God.”[1]

Another appealing aspect of the book is that as the author tackles the difficult passages on men and women in the Bible, she does so methodically and thoroughly, addressing the difficulties in each of the passages studied and then offering possible solutions, meaning and understanding, leaving the reader confident in God’s word and their ability to understand it as well as challenged to apply it to their lives today.

The discussion guide is an excellent addition in this second edition to an already excellent resource and the chapter on domestic abuse is sobering but essential reading for us today.

Buy this book and read it. Use the study guide in this second edition to study it one to one with someone or in a bible study group. Don’t just leave it on the shelf, actually benefit from the work already done for you and work out what you really think about what the Bible really says about men and women.

[1] Smith, Claire God’s Good Design (Sydney, 2019) p 57.

Phil and Victoria Colgan minister together at St George North Anglican Church in Sydney, where Phil is the Senior Minister.