FINDING PHOEBE: WHAT NEW TESTAMENT WOMEN WERE REALLY LIKE. By Susan E.Hylen. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2023. Pp. x + 188. Paper, $19.84.

Hylen uses the Biblical figure Phoebe as a springboard to explore women's roles in the earliest churches. This topic is significant because it informs contemporary debates about Christian gender norms. Hylen's goal is to recreate ancient knowledge and contextualize women's roles in the early church. This involves myth-busting. Using primary documents, she shows that women owned property and authoritatively managed their affairs. They were also patrons who used their wealth and influence to promote civic and religious causes. Hylen confirms that the ancient church was not egalitarian—cultural norms upheld female inferiority. However, Hylen points out that feminine ideals were complex, permitting and even encouraging women to actively participate in their communities, even in leadership positions. The most interesting sections in this book are the chapters about female virtues. These include modesty, industriousness, loyalty, and marital harmony. Modesty was connected to selflessness. A woman could be considered modest if she promoted the needs of her family and community through patronage and leadership. Similarly, a woman celebrated for industriousness and family loyalty might have needed to leave the home to conduct business, give orders, or seek patrons to promote family interests. Virtuous people—male or female—were often silent in the presence of social superiors, though there were times when speech was appropriate. Women prayed, prophesied, and spoke out to promote political, social, and business interests. This book is designed to be an accessible resource for non-academic audiences. It contains helpful practical application sections to help readers learn about women's roles. Because this book is not meant for scholarly audiences, it lacks the detail and depth of Hylen's previous works. More citations would have been helpful for curious readers. The book is also somewhat repetitive at times. Even so, Hylen effectively highlights the complexity of ancient gender norms and challenges the idea that women were unable to do much in this period.

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