My perhaps-naïve assumption is that the editor’s introduction is the least-read part of any journal. As a result, I should briefly reiterate my first introduction from the autumn 2014 issue—in case you missed it. My name is Jeff Miller. My wife Dana and I live, work, and minister in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. I have become increasingly involved with CBE since attending their 2007 conference in Bangalore, India. My predecessor Bill Spencer and his editorial team of Aída Besançon Spencer and Deb Beatty Mel deserve sincere thanks for their decade of exemplary service. “Tertius” at the top of this page refers to Romans 16:22, where Paul’s amanuensis says, “I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord” (NIV). I feel an affinity with Tertius; the work that associate editor Theresa Garbe and I do for Priscilla Papers is not terribly unlike the work Tertius did for Paul.
Moving on, the theme of this issue of Priscilla Papers is Status Quaestionis, a Latin phrase meaning “the state of the investigation.” It’s a sophisticated way to refer to the accumulated results of scholarship on a particular issue. This Priscilla Papers will give readers a sense of the Status Quaestionis regarding the biblical and theological case for evangelical egalitarianism. For clarity’s sake a few qualifying comments are in order. First, it must be noted that egalitarianism is broader than the biblical and theological arguments for it. This issue of Priscilla Papers makes no effort to capsulize other major aspects of egalitarianism, such as its psychological and sociological ramifications or its implications for vital matters such as domestic abuse and human trafficking. Second, this volume’s authors are central figures in a decades-long debate and inevitably interact with complementarian persons and positions. Please recognize our authors’ unflinching tone as rightly arising from the passion which fuels it, and not from any antagonistic or uncharitable motives.
Among the writings of Bruce Metzger—the twentieth century’s most influential New Testament scholar—is the book, Reminiscences of an Octogenarian, which includes the chapter, “Vexations of an Author.” Some of Metzger’s vexing reminiscences involve editors. Having recently become an editor, I fear I too will frustrate authors. Indeed, this fear has already come true! And so, I here offer my first editorial mea culpa.
The previous issue of Priscilla Papers includes an article by Deirdre Brouer titled, “Tamar’s Voice of Wisdom and Outrage in 2 Samuel 13.” Its final sentence says of Tamar, “As a woman who fears the Lord, she is … honored within the messianic line of Judah (1 Chr 3:9-16, Matt 1:3).” This concluding reference to Matthew is an error, for Matthew’s messianic genealogy refers to the Tamar of Genesis, not the Tamar of Samuel. This was not Deirdre’s mistake—it was mine. Moreover, she caught my mistake early and pointed it out. I thought I had deleted it, but alas . . . Deirdre has graciously accepted my apology; I hope and trust you will do the same.
