They'll be pondering age old questions: Are men and women equal in the Bible? Did the writers of the sacred texts follow God's direction? Or did they write in the context of their society's time and leave the wrong message for modern-day theologians and laypeople?

The people leading the discussion will be a bunch of evangelicals from the Twin Cities. The Upper Midwest is the hotbed of the longstanding argument among Christians who find comfort in a literal interpretation of the Bible, but who differ on what the words mean: Did God intend for women to be ministers in the church? Did God intend for men and women to share equally in the call to ministry?

Some in the Twin Cities say "No." Others, specifically the small band of people at Christians for ...