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This was the second time I read this, and it was even better than the first! I think that every Christian woman should read this book. In it, Rachel examines so many Bible-based ideas that evangelicalism has pushed a very specific interpretation of, and asks hard questions. Many Scriptures are looked at in light of the Biblical culture of the time, and Rachel isn't afraid of tipping sacred cows. With humor and vulnerability, Rachel takes us along on her year, and offers a great perspective on many of the women mentioned in the Bible. I learned so much, and was challenged in many ways. I know you're with Jesus now, Rachel...but eshet chayil! In putting together this book, you truly are a woman of valor.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I wanted to get a lot out of this. I really enjoyed Jacobs' A Year of Living Biblically and was excited to see a woman's perspective, due to all the extra laws heaped on women. This was not that book.
Evans' picks and chooses which rules to follow, focusing on a subsection each month, rather than trying to follow every last regulation the whole year. This left me feeling a bit cheated, as a reader. Her strength as a blogger shows here with the end-of-chapter looks at key women in the Bible and what we can learn from their stories today.
The best part, for me, were the 10 "resolutions" or takeaways that she is going to carry with her forward from this year. Those I found insightful as someone who is also liberal and Christian here in the Bible belt of the USA.
Worth reading, but you can skip to the end and read the 10 takeaway points if you get bored in the middle.
Evans' picks and chooses which rules to follow, focusing on a subsection each month, rather than trying to follow every last regulation the whole year. This left me feeling a bit cheated, as a reader. Her strength as a blogger shows here with the end-of-chapter looks at key women in the Bible and what we can learn from their stories today.
The best part, for me, were the 10 "resolutions" or takeaways that she is going to carry with her forward from this year. Those I found insightful as someone who is also liberal and Christian here in the Bible belt of the USA.
Worth reading, but you can skip to the end and read the 10 takeaway points if you get bored in the middle.
Biblical womanhood is a concept that any religious woman inwardly cringes at. It's this ephemeral picture of the ideal woman that seems to change depending on whom you are talking to. From my experience, it usually consists of the following:
+ Proverbs 31 woman (of course)
+ Submitting to your husband
+ Not taking a position of leadership in the church (elders, pastor, etc.)
+ BABIES! FAMILIES! WIFEHOOD!
+ Don't show too much skin! Don't want the boys to slip and fall into the abyss of their lusts!
+ Sex before marriage? One way ticket to hell!
And more.
I found Rachel Held Evans blog through Fred Clark, the Slacktivist who has been ripping the Left Behind series a new one for years. (I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit I liked those books--though I absolutely HATED the way the authors treated Chloe. And Hattie. And pretty much any female. Though it took me until recently to figure out WHY it bugged me so much.) It was through her blog that I found out about her yearlong mission to tackle the feat of embracing "biblical womanhood". This book is the results of her study.
And I adored it. I bought the book on Thursday during lunch and immediately read 70 pages. I then read up to page 250 yesterday, reading for probably two hours solid (which I don't typically do). I finished the book at 10:30 today. My mind is still in shambles from the awesomeness of this book.
There are a ton of reasons I love this book. Rachel is witty and funny and doesn't take herself too seriously. She never comes off as judgmental or holier-than-thou. She is open about the fact that she took some of these verses to their extreme (such as sitting on the roof of her house).
But more so I love the conclusion: Rachel Held Evans realizes that there is no way to make a one-size-fits-most biblical woman because women don't come in one-size-fits-most. Some women love to sew; others adore sports; some have a way with words; others are blessed with money or talents that they willingly give to those in need.
This is a brilliant book, a book that is desperately needed in this changing world. I plan on passing it on to my mother, who always encouraged me to embrace my gifts and not be held back by the restrictions placed on my sex (Thanks, Mom :) ). If you are willing to come into this with an open mind, if you are ready to put aside your preconceptions about what the Bible says, then you should read this book whether you are male, female, young, old, married or unmarried. Highly recommended.
+ Proverbs 31 woman (of course)
+ Submitting to your husband
+ Not taking a position of leadership in the church (elders, pastor, etc.)
+ BABIES! FAMILIES! WIFEHOOD!
+ Don't show too much skin! Don't want the boys to slip and fall into the abyss of their lusts!
+ Sex before marriage? One way ticket to hell!
And more.
I found Rachel Held Evans blog through Fred Clark, the Slacktivist who has been ripping the Left Behind series a new one for years. (I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit I liked those books--though I absolutely HATED the way the authors treated Chloe. And Hattie. And pretty much any female. Though it took me until recently to figure out WHY it bugged me so much.) It was through her blog that I found out about her yearlong mission to tackle the feat of embracing "biblical womanhood". This book is the results of her study.
And I adored it. I bought the book on Thursday during lunch and immediately read 70 pages. I then read up to page 250 yesterday, reading for probably two hours solid (which I don't typically do). I finished the book at 10:30 today. My mind is still in shambles from the awesomeness of this book.
There are a ton of reasons I love this book. Rachel is witty and funny and doesn't take herself too seriously. She never comes off as judgmental or holier-than-thou. She is open about the fact that she took some of these verses to their extreme (such as sitting on the roof of her house).
But more so I love the conclusion: Rachel Held Evans realizes that there is no way to make a one-size-fits-most biblical woman because women don't come in one-size-fits-most. Some women love to sew; others adore sports; some have a way with words; others are blessed with money or talents that they willingly give to those in need.
This is a brilliant book, a book that is desperately needed in this changing world. I plan on passing it on to my mother, who always encouraged me to embrace my gifts and not be held back by the restrictions placed on my sex (Thanks, Mom :) ). If you are willing to come into this with an open mind, if you are ready to put aside your preconceptions about what the Bible says, then you should read this book whether you are male, female, young, old, married or unmarried. Highly recommended.
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
One of the most impactful books I’ve read in a long time. Rachel you are missed but your beautiful voice is still heard and your work continues on!
I LOVED this book. I actually am going to buy a copy to keep so I can read it again and share it!
I cannot begin to imagine some of the biblical things she did and endured, but I am so grateful she did them and shared her experiences.
I cannot begin to imagine some of the biblical things she did and endured, but I am so grateful she did them and shared her experiences.
As a woman who grew up in evangelicalism and is working on her own reconstruction journey, I loved this book. Despite what many believe, it IS possible to be a Christ-follower and a feminist. Evans’ exploration of “Biblical womanhood” and it’s true meaning we’re quite interesting to me. The book gave me perspective on how different religious groups approach the concept and what is actually true of what the scripture says.
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Such an intriguing experiment. So much dedication to the project and insightful learning on the part of Rachel.