Evangelicals have reached a critical impasse. Advocates of more traditional roles for women say the heart of the matter is biblical authority. Those supporting more open roles say the crux is not biblical authority but biblical interpretation and application.

• What are the real issues in this controversy?
• How can we make sense out of key passages in 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and 1 Timothy?
• How can legitimate change be encouraged in the church?
• How can we keep in mind that the decisions we reach affect living, breathing human beings?

The...