There has been a steady flow of interesting and thought-provoking books from Dr Winter, Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge. In this latest volume Winter, who approaches NT studies from his background in ancient history, draws on a number of recent studies by ancient historians on women in the period ca. 100 BC to AD 100. These studies argue that during that period of time a change took place in the traditional Roman understanding of women and their role, their appearance in society and in their ethical conduct. Winter argues that this new understanding of women (in contrast to the modest wife and widow) lies behind a number of references to women in Paul’s letters and he is thus able to shed fresh light on some much disputed passages.

After the preface, the first part is devoted to this background (17–74). Winter describes the appearance of these ‘new wives’. Their sexual morals were low and they pursued an extensive social life at the expense of family responsibilities. Due to a measure of financial security they were more independent of their husbands than previously. Winter shows that these new Roman social values were also received in the Eastern part of the Empire. Drawing on many primary sources and recent research Winter establishes the presence of such women and their emancipated values (which in many ways resemble those of the secular Western world) in the Pauline communities.

In view of this often-neglected evidence the second part (77–169) discusses several Pauline passages.

‘The Appearance of Unveiled Wives in 1 Corinthians 11:1–16’ (77–96). ‘By deliberately removing her veil while playing a significant role of praying and prophesying in the activities of Christian worship, the Christian wife was knowingly flouting the Roman legal convention that epitomised marriage. It would have been self-evident to the Corinthians that in so doing she was sending a particular signal to those gathered’ (96);

‘Deciphering the Married Woman’s Appearance, 1 Timothy 2:9–15’ (97–122) Paul’s preventive measures aimed at avoiding the impression of being seditious or promiscuous;

‘The Appearance of Young Widows, 1 Timothy 5:11–15’ (123–40);

‘The Appearance of Young Wives, Titus 2:3–5’ (141–69). The legal privileges of Cretan women, cultural conditioning and Cretan Christianity, drunkenness among older married women and Paul’s recalling of young married women to their responsibilities are all covered here.

The third part (173–204) deals with the appearance of women in the public square (women in commerce, in the courts, in politics and in the church). This is an important overview because studies of the role of women in the NT church often refer to their general role in society and draw conclusions from society to the church. The volume closes with a brief appendix of sources on women in civic affairs (205–211), a bibliography and various indices.

This is a fresh and in many ways persuasive study, which should be consulted when studying the background of the NT, in the discussion of the role of women in earliest Christianity and in the exegesis of the passages discussed. Further study needs to show whether these new wives are also in the background of other NT references to women/wives.