Sarah Sumner is a Christian egalitarian

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

based in the US.

Overview

Sumner is known for her articles and books on Christian women in leadership, godly anger, leadership, seminary education, and marriage. Sumner serves as the President of Right On Mission. Regarding the debate on women in the church, Sumner is an

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

. who is working to build consensus in Christian Leadership. Sumner does not advocate for the

ordination of women in Protestant churches In Christianity, the ordination of women has been taking place in an increasing number of Protestant and Old Catholic churches, starting in the 20th century. Since ancient times, certain churches of the Orthodox tradition, such as the Coptic Ort ...

Education and career

Sumner graduated with a

Bachelor of Education A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed. or BEd) is an undergraduate academic degree which prepares students for work as a teacher in schools. A Bachelor of Education program typically lasts three to four years and combines both coursework and practical exp ...

from

Baylor University Baylor University is a Private university, private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, United States. It was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Te ...

, a

Master of Theology Master of Theology (, abbreviated ThM, MTh or MTheol, or ''Sacrae Theologiae Magister''; abbreviated STM) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a ...

from Wheaton College, and a

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...

from

Azusa Pacific University Azusa Pacific University (APU) is a private evangelical research university in Azusa, California, United States. The university was founded in 1899 in Whittier, California, with classes first held on March 3, 1900, and degrees offered in 193 ...

. She graduated from

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) is the divinity school of Trinity International University, an evangelical Christian university headquartered in Bannockburn, Illinois. The divinity school was founded in 1897. In April 2025, Trinit ...

with a Ph.D. in

systematic theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics ...

, and was the first woman to do so. Sumner started her career as a National Sales Representative for InterVarsity Press. Following this, she joined the staff at

Willow Creek Community Church Willow Creek Community Church is an Evangelical nondenominational multisite megachurch based in the northwestern Chicago suburb of South Barrington, Illinois. It was founded on October 12, 1975 by Dave Holmbo and Bill Hybels, who was its longtim ...

in South Barrington,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, as an

evangelist Evangelist(s) may refer to: Religion * Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels * Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ * Evangelist (Anglican Church), a ...

. Sumner served as a core teaching pastor at New Song Church in San Dimas, California. 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. She has also taught as an adjunct professor at Trinity Law School in

Santa Ana, California Santa Ana (Spanish language, Spanish for ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, California, United States. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census. As ...

. In May 2011, Sumner was Trinity's Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2011. Sumner served as dean of A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary at

Simpson University Simpson University is a Private college, private Evangelical Christianity, Christian Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Redding, California. Originally founded in 1921 in Seattle as Simpson Bible Institute, the i ...

in Redding,

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

from 2010 to 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. * ''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

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sumner, Sarah Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American theologians 21st-century American women writers 21st-century evangelicals American Evangelical writers American relationships and sexuality writers American religious writers American women academics American women non-fiction writers Azusa Pacific University alumni Azusa Pacific University faculty Baylor University alumni Evangelical theologians American gender studies academics Leadership scholars Systematic theologians Trinity Evangelical Divinity School alumni Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni Women Christian theologians