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Rating: 
Summary: Overview of a Needed Debate
Review: If you are in the LCMS and interested in your synod's history and current mindest, you will find this a great read, even if you disagree with some of the author's premises or conclusions.
It will be all the more worthwhile to read if you are curious about the role of women and men as leaders in the synod.As the question of women's ordination in any denomination is typically a milemarker as to where the group is heading doctrinally, socially (ethically and politically), and liturgically, it is no big shock to see the issue causing such torment among both "conservatives" and "liberals" in the LCMS. While I do not quite agree with the author's understanding of the priesthood, the very fact that she has wrestled with the issues and can present a reasoned defense laeds me to give the book four stars. A final plus about the book: it has an incredible bibliography, which is used exhaustively throughout the text. Other books that may be of interest on the question of authority and ministry are: "Priestesses in the Church" by C.S. Lewis found in his "God in the Dock"; of course Manfred Hauke's monumental "Women in the Priesthood?" is essential reading. WHile he is Roman Catholic, much of his theology could be used in the LCMS context (and is); "The Church and Women" with contributions by Von Balthasar, Kasper, Ratzinger; "God or Goddess" by Hauke; "Deaconesses" by Martimort; "Women in the Early Church" by Clark; "Women in the Church" by Louis Bouyer; "What Paul really Said About Women" by Bristow; "Women and the Priesthood" by Peter Kreeft and Alice von Hildebrand. These books are almost all oppossed to the ordination of women to the priesthood, but they are both scholarly, often rather neutral (not always!), and charitable. For an Eastern Orthodox response to the question: "The Female Diaconate:An Historical Perspective" by Gvosdev; "Feminism in Christianity: An Orthodox Response" by Belonick; "Women in the Priesthood" ed. by Thomas Hopko; "Discerning the Signs of the Times" by Behr-Sigel. For some thoughtful arguments that support "theologies of women's ordination" see: "Discerning the Signs of the Times" by Elizabeth Behr-Sigel; "Women at the Altar" by Lavina Bryne; Bristow's aforementioned book has an interesting chapter on the leadership of women in the New Testament. In my opinion he is sloppy in some of his exegesis (or should I say isogesis?) but it is worth the read if for nothing else but to understnad his approach, which is representative of the priestess position. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Good overview historically, thematically
Review: Mary Todd has done a good job of giving a basic historical overview of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod with details hard to find elsewhere. Granted, the historical analysis is designed toward her personal objectives (as she clearly states in the beginning of the book) with editorial comments along the way leaning toward a more negative bias in reference to C.F.W. Walther & friends than other historians have written. Even though her conclusions are a hotbed of debate, her clear comments are engaging and extremely informative, putting forth a very good analysis of the subject historically. As Mary Todd suggests right from the get go, if you tie verbal inerrant inspiration of scripture with authority in the church then this book will be a challenge to your view on the subject doctrinally and historically as it was for me. If not, then this book will be foundational for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Behind-the-Scenes Info
Review: Mary Todd is a professor of history at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, and a "feminist" by Missouri Synod standards. Martin Marty, in the book's Forward, wrote that she is "a partisan for ordination of women" in the LCMS (xii). Nevertheless, Mary Todd does have some valid points in her book. Her contention that the LCMS--even in the beginning with Martin Stephan (Missouri Synod's only Bishop!) and Walther has never adequately defined its concept of ministry. We see this unclarity expressed in the old intersynodical conference days, when the LCMS, WELS, and ELS were all in fellowship, yet the WELS began having quite a different understanding on what the ministry is with the Wauwatosan theologians: Hoenecke, Schaller, and Koehler. Because Missouri could never define its concept of ministry with one clear voice, such differences did not lead to any conference splits. Despite some of Mary Todd's "feminist" views, her book is still enjoyable. Her detailed description of the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to LCMS adopting women's suffrage at its 1969 convention is quite fascinating. To get a complete behind-the-scenes picture, a reader also may want to find "A Layman's Guide to Woman Suffrage in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod" by James Hoke, 1998, Morris Publishing. Unfortunately, Mary Todd also hopes that the same gradual acceptance of women's suffrage (and she goes over the gradual changes intra-synod wide in her book) will lead to the ordination of women pastors. Culturally, none of us would have problems with such a move; those of us, however, who hold to the scriptural position of women not having spiritual authority over men will disagree with her position. In short, her book is noteworthy--if only for its historical value. However, her theology is not biblical, nor in line with LCMS's understanding of Scripture. Thus, this book gets a weak recommendation: the good in the book is too interesting to ignore. Besides, the book also contains an including Walther's 1875 theses on church and ministry, the 1945 Chicago Statement, and a thorough bibliography.
Rating:
Summary: Good Behind-the-Scenes Info
Review: Mary Todd is a professor of history at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, and a "feminist" by Missouri Synod standards. Martin Marty, in the book's Forward, wrote that she is "a partisan for ordination of women" in the LCMS (xii). Nevertheless, Mary Todd does have some valid points in her book. Her contention that the LCMS--even in the beginning with Martin Stephan (Missouri Synod's only Bishop!) and Walther has never adequately defined its concept of ministry. We see this unclarity expressed in the old intersynodical conference days, when the LCMS, WELS, and ELS were all in fellowship, yet the WELS began having quite a different understanding on what the ministry is with the Wauwatosan theologians: Hoenecke, Schaller, and Koehler. Because Missouri could never define its concept of ministry with one clear voice, such differences did not lead to any conference splits. Despite some of Mary Todd's "feminist" views, her book is still enjoyable. Her detailed description of the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to LCMS adopting women's suffrage at its 1969 convention is quite fascinating. To get a complete behind-the-scenes picture, a reader also may want to find "A Layman's Guide to Woman Suffrage in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod" by James Hoke, 1998, Morris Publishing. Unfortunately, Mary Todd also hopes that the same gradual acceptance of women's suffrage (and she goes over the gradual changes intra-synod wide in her book) will lead to the ordination of women pastors. Culturally, none of us would have problems with such a move; those of us, however, who hold to the scriptural position of women not having spiritual authority over men will disagree with her position. In short, her book is noteworthy--if only for its historical value. However, her theology is not biblical, nor in line with LCMS's understanding of Scripture. Thus, this book gets a weak recommendation: the good in the book is too interesting to ignore. Besides, the book also contains an including Walther's 1875 theses on church and ministry, the 1945 Chicago Statement, and a thorough bibliography.
Rating: 
Summary: Mary Tells The Real LC-MS Story
Review: The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod has undergone much upheaveal in the last 16 years. Much of the upheaval has either dealt with the interpretation of the Scriptures and practical applications of the interpretation or on the structure and use of authority in the church body. Mary Todd, a professor at Concordia University, River Forest, IL, offers needed insight into the personalities and the historical events shaping the current discussion and controversy. She begins with trouble within the Saxon immigrants immigrating in 1839. Their bishop, Rev. Martin Stephen, was deposed for financial and power abuse of the immigrants. The resulting synodical polity has never really come to grips with the issue of church and minsitry or with the issue of ecclesiastical authority. While scholoary in approach, Todd clearly protrays the history of the synod up to the present debates over auhtority and gender roles. Her style is easily readable by anyone. The issues remain contentious. Todd has framed the debate with historical perspective so as to call for a sober and dispassionate solution, based in Scritpure without misusing the holy sritings. Rev. Paul M. Dobberstein Intentional Interim Pastor Elmhurst, IL
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