Sarah Sumner

{{Infobox theologian

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| name = Sarah Sumner

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| education = Baylor University
Wheaton College
Azusa Pacific University
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University

| occupation = President of Right On Mission

| main_interests = Integrity in the Church and Christian Higher Education

| notable_works = Men and Women in the Church, IVP 2003 Leadership Above the Line, Tyndale 2006 Angry Like Jesus: Using His Example To Spark Your Moral Courage, Fortress 2015, Just How Married Do You Want To Be?, IVP 2008

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Sarah Sumner is a Christian egalitarian{{sfn|Grudem|2006|p=119}} theologian based in the US.

Overview

Sumner is known for her articles and books on Christian women in leadership, godly anger, leadership, seminary education,{{sfn|Kullberg & Arrington|2008|p=57}} and marriage. Sumner serves as the President of Right On Mission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rightonmission.org/invite-sarah|title=Invite Sarah Sumner|website=Right On Mission}}

Regarding the debate on women in the church, Sumner is an evangelical theologian.{{sfn|Williamson|2009|p=164}} who is working to build consensus in Christian Leadership.{{Cite book |last=Sumner |first=Sarah |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/50851652 |title=Men and women in the church : building consensus on Christian leadership |date=2003 |publisher=InterVarsity Press |isbn=0-8308-2391-3 |location=Downers Grove, Ill. |oclc=50851652}}{{Cite web |title=Men and Women in the Church: Building Consensus on Christian Leadership |url=https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/book-review-theology-women-men-and-women-church/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=CBE International |language=en-US}} Sumner does not advocate for the ordination of women in Protestant churches.{{sfn|Fincher & Fincher|2010|p=231}}

Education and career

Sumner graduated with a Bachelor of Education from Baylor University, a Master of Theology from Wheaton College, and a Master of Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University. She graduated from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a Ph.D. in systematic theology, and was the first woman to do so.{{sfn|Eastman|2014|p=227}}

Sumner started her career as a National Sales Representative for InterVarsity Press. Following this, she joined the staff at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, as an evangelist.

Sumner served as a core teaching pastor at New Song Church in San Dimas, California.{{Cite book|url=https://ivpress.com/sarah-sumner|title=Sarah Sumner - InterVarsity Press}}

Sumner then became an associate professor of ministry and theology at Azusa Pacific. She went on to become chair of the graduate ministry department at APU. It was at this time that she published her first book book.{{Cite web |title=Men and Women in the Church by Sarah Sumner |url=http://cbmw.org/uncategorized/men-and-women-in-the-church-by-sarah-sumner/ |accessdate=June 2, 2015 |publisher=Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood}}

She has also taught as an adjunct professor at Trinity Law School in Santa Ana, California.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tls.edu|title=Law School Home - Trinity Law School}} In May 2011, Sumner was Trinity's Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2011.{{Cite web|title=Simpson University Dean Spoke at Trinity International University Commencement|date=June 2, 2011|publisher=Simpson University|url=http://simpsonu.edu/Pages/About/News/2011/S-Sumner.htm|accessdate=June 2, 2015}}

Sumner served as dean of A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary at Simpson University in Redding, California from 2010 to 2012.{{Cite web|title=Tozer Dean|publisher=Simpson University|url=http://tozer.simpsonu.edu/Pages/About/Tozer-Dean.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605001641/http://tozer.simpsonu.edu/Pages/About/Tozer-Dean.htm|archive-date=June 5, 2012}}

In 2012, Sumner became President of ‘’Right On Mission’’, a position she has held for over 10 years. The mission’s vision is “to see all Christians faithfully live “on mission” instead of veering “off mission.” ”. It sees itself as an educational entity, and offers ways to support Christians to “learn to think so Christianly that they find the moral courage to act with integrity as Christ followers, even in the face of opposition”.

Books

Sumner has published four books:

Men and Women in the Church, IVP 2003.{{Cite news |author=Rump, Linda Hartz |date=March 1, 2004 |title=Is Christianity Oppressive to Women? |work=Christianity Today |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/marchweb-only/3-1-52.0.html?start=1 |accessdate=June 2, 2015}}
Leadership Above the Line, Tyndale, 2006.
Just How Married Do You Want To Be? IVP, 2008.
Angry Like Jesus: Using His Example To Spark Your Moral Courage Fortress Press, 2015.

References

Bibliography

{{Cite book|author=Eastman, Natalie R. Wilson|title=Women, Leadership, and the Bible: How Do I Know What to Believe?|publisher=Wipf and Stock|year=2014|isbn=978-1608999132|ref={{harvid|Eastman|2014}}}}
{{Cite book|author=Fincher, Dale|author2=Jonalyn Fincher|title=Coffee Shop Conversations: Making the Most of Spiritual Small Talk|year=2010|publisher=Zondervan|isbn=978-0310395652|ref={{harvid|Fincher & Fincher|2010}}}}
{{Cite book|author=Grudem, Wayne A.|author-link=Wayne Grudem|title=Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism?|year=2006|publisher=Good News Publishers|isbn=1433518228|ref={{harvid|Grudem|2006}}}}
{{Cite book|author=Kullberg, Kelly Monroe|author2=Lael F. Arrington|title=A Faith and Culture Devotional: Daily Readings on Art, Science, and Life|year=2008|publisher=Zondervan|isbn=978-0310283560|ref={{harvid|Kullberg & Arrington|2008}}}}
{{Cite book|author=Williamson, Peter S.|title=Ephesians|publisher=Baker Publishing Group|year=2009|isbn=978-1441206718|ref={{harvid|Williamson|2009}}}}