Book Review: The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr

About the Book:

USA Today Bestseller
Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (History & Biography)

"A powerful work of skillful research and personal insight."--Publishers Weekly

Biblical womanhood--the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers--pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn't biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments.

This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history--ancient, medieval, and modern--to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr's historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women's roles in the church and help move the conversation forward.

Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor's wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ.

Contents:

Introduction
1. The Beginning of Patriarchy
2. What If Biblical Womanhood Doesn't Come from Paul?
3. Our Selective Medieval Memory
4. The Cost of the Reformation for Evangelical Women
5. Writing Women Out of the English Bible
6. Sanctifying Subordination
7. Making Biblical Womanhood Gospel Truth
8. Isn't It Time to Set Women Free?

Read an excerpt from The Making of Biblical Womanhoood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr on the publisher's website.

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My Thoughts:

I read through The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr quickly. The author’s education and expertise shined as she related historical context for traditions practiced in the modern church. I found learning about the past highly interesting, but my favorite parts of the book were the first few chapters where she dives into canonized Scripture.

Beth Allison Barr, unlike some authors, does not deny the divinity of Scripture or attempt to minimize the Apostle Paul’s letters. Rather, she draws on her education as a college professor of history and offers alternative interpretations to misogynistic church traditions. She backs up her interpretations with highly convincing evidence, perhaps better than any other author I’ve read on this subject. I am not a Biblical scholar, but I have steeped in church tradition for at least 30 years, and I was amazed how many legitimate interpretations there can be for a passage.

The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr is a fantastic read that I recommend to any Believer interested in this topic, male or female. The author’s tone is not political and lacks the angry smears and cheap shots that often appear in books dealing with hot topics. I appreciated the educational and kind tone of the author and will read any other book she writes.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Review: Worthy by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher

About the Book:

What does the Bible say about the value of women?  Does the Bible teach that women are as valuable as men or does it portray them as somehow more flawed, more suspect, or weak and easily deceived?

Beginning from Genesis and working all the way through the storyline of the Bible, Worthy demonstrates the significant and yes, even surprising, ways that God has used women to accomplish His kingdom goals. Because, like men, they are created in His image, their lives reflect and declare His worth. Worthy will enable and encourage both men and women to embrace this true and lofty vision of God's creation, plan, and their value in His eyes.

Bestselling author Elyse Fitzpatrick and pastor Eric Schumacher together invite women to embrace a transformative and empowering view of their Maker, themselves, and the church. But this isn't only a book for women. It is also a book for men, especially leaders, who want to grow in their understanding of God's perspective on women, people who normally make up the majority of their congregations; men who might be wondering if they've missed something amid the abuse scandals that are rocking the church. Might the headlines they're reading today about abuse have their roots in a denigration of the value and worth of women? Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women will help every reader see the value, place, and calling of women through study questions and a "Digging Deeper" section that will help men and women discover how to cherish, value, and honor one another for God's glory.

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My Thoughts:

In Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women authors Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher step boldly into the fray to defend women against stereotypes, assumptions, misogyny, and abuses in today’s Christian culture. I did not agree with everything in this book, but I thoroughly appreciate their work.

As someone who has been deeply wounded by some of the evangelical church’s teachings to and about women, I’m questioning many beliefs I once held tightly. Worthy gave me hope as it breathed a new, healthier perspective into the old, damaging teachings I’ve been taught since childhood. It clearly demonstrates that Biblical interpretation can easily be skewed by one’s worldview, social environment, or church culture. Worthy frequently demonstrated that simply shifting how a passage is perceived can completely change its effect and message. I do think at times they presented ideal situations and skipped over challenging passages. Still, the bottom-line message of the book is that God values women as much as He values men. No more, no less. And I can definitely get on board with that message.

I think Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher is a step in the right direction and I wish all pastors, especially those on the more conservative side would read it. Given all the SBC endorsements, I wasn’t terribly surprised to read that they consider themselves complementarians and deny that women can hold the office of pastor. However, I appreciated their call for respectful interaction with others of different opinions. They acknowledge that Christians can love God deeply, serve him with devotion, yet still hold different convictions.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Review: One More River to Cross by Jane Kirkpatrick

About the Book:

Adversity can squelch the human spirit . . . or it can help us discover strength we never knew we had.

In 1844, two years before the Donner Party, the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company leaves Missouri to be the first wagons into California through the Sierra Nevada. They enjoy a safe journey--until October, when a fierce mountain snowstorm forces difficult decisions.

The party separates in three directions. Some go overland around Lake Tahoe. Others stay to guard the heaviest wagons. The rest of the party, including eight women and seventeen children, huddle in a makeshift cabin at the headwaters of the Yuba River awaiting rescue. The months ahead will be long and at times terrifying. But with friendship, family, and enough courage to overcome their fear, these intrepid pioneers will discover what truly matters in times of trial.

My Thoughts:

One More River to Cross by Jane Kirkpatrick is a stand-alone novel based on historical events surrounding the Stephens company and its journey to California. I appreciate that the author chose to stick to certain happenings, as odd as they seem to today’s readers. While some of these events led to character development and/or relational healing in the book, other events seemed to pass without sufficient time given to dealing with the trauma they must have caused and I wished those events had been more thoroughly addressed.

Much of One More River to Cross is devoted to highlighting the powerlessness of women in that time period and how the women’s mindsets changed. I enjoyed seeing the women find their own reasons to hope and persevere through their severe hardship. They learned to speak up despite oppression from companions and loved ones. They learned to take action when necessary. The themes about powerlessness and gender equality echo into today’s society and are still relevant.

Despite its prose being well-written with its smooth dialogue and vibrant descriptions, I struggled to finish One More River to Cross because I never developed deep interest in the characters. There were just so many of them and the story hopped all around in so many different minds that even when I was a third of the way through the book, I needed to refer to the character list.

If you have enjoyed previous historical fiction novels by Jane Kirkpatrick, you may enjoy One More River to Cross. While it didn’t captivate my attention, long-time fans of Jane Kirkpatrick will likely be interested in her newest release.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Review: Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander

About the Book:

What is beautiful? We spend our money on beauty products, weight-loss programs, and age-defying medical interventions to attain beauty. We set impossible standards and feel bad about ourselves when we don't reach them. Is beauty truly that elusive? Or could it be that our idea of what's beautiful is simply too narrow?

Through engaging personal stories and dramatic before-and-after photography, filmmaker Rebecca Friedlander uncovers the true beauty of twelve women from around the world, empowering us to shatter the lies of rejection, doubt, and low self-esteem. Utilizing compelling biblical truth and questions for personal reflection, Friedlander helps us identify our own personal battlegrounds, celebrate our uniqueness, and embrace God's definition of beautiful.


My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander. Although I was not familiar with Radical Makeovers, the television show related to this book, I was intrigued and inspired by the stories of the women in this book. In the introduction it says that the book “shares far more details than included in the show.” So, for those who have seen the show, this book should still be interesting.

At times, the women's stories moved me to tears. I liked how the Rebecca Friedlander shared each woman's personal story, information about the photo shoot, her (Rebecca's) own story, a story/topic from the Bible, and questions for reflection. The narrative was creative and well-written. The full color photos complemented the featured stories and accented the theme of each chapter.

I recommend Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander to any woman. The diversity of topics, engaging narrative, and inspiring stories will appeal to many women. With it's hard cover, glossy pages, and full-color photos, it would also make a great gift.

Read an excerpt from Finding Beautiful by Rebecca Friedlander on the publisher's website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."