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This book had a lot of really great insights into biblical verse and how we each interpret the Bible differently. I really loved some of the things she discovered; one of my favorite quotes from the book is "Faith isn't about finding the right bush, it's about taking off your shoes."
This book also made me want to learn more about the Jewish faith, and how particularly orthodox Jews interpret and live the teachings in the old testament (especially since the old testament has always been a bit of a mystery to me).
A great read for anyone who wants to be inspired by Bible teachings and how we can apply them into our lives today.
This book also made me want to learn more about the Jewish faith, and how particularly orthodox Jews interpret and live the teachings in the old testament (especially since the old testament has always been a bit of a mystery to me).
A great read for anyone who wants to be inspired by Bible teachings and how we can apply them into our lives today.
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Minor: Violence, Murder
Fed my soul. Made me laugh. The perfect blend of research and storytelling. Read this book.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I enjoyed this. Rachel’s perspective and ability to set aside previous biases to really dive in and do something is amazing.
I loved that even as she tried to live guidelines that she (and I) felt were misinterpreting scripture or misguided, she saw them with the most generous interpretation and learned from them still.
I loved her conclusion and her real-world explanation of how the Bible does not give one single perspective/teaching on anything (not univocal) and how all of us negotiate with scripture. She also studied a LOT, and it was fascinating to read all she had studied and learned. I loved reading her retellings of so many stories of women in the Bible.
It was also enlightening to me (who was raised Mormon) to spend so much time in the head of an evangelical. Where she struggled with how the faith of her youth spoke about women and marriages, I recognized for the first time that the *gospel* of my faith teaches about equal partnership in marriage and in church, but the lived actuality is very much the same cultural idea—submission to men, women are helpmeets and only fit to be wives and mothers—as our evangelical siblings. That’s not even what our doctrine says, but somehow we’ve frustratingly decided to borrow the practice.
I loved that even as she tried to live guidelines that she (and I) felt were misinterpreting scripture or misguided, she saw them with the most generous interpretation and learned from them still.
I loved her conclusion and her real-world explanation of how the Bible does not give one single perspective/teaching on anything (not univocal) and how all of us negotiate with scripture. She also studied a LOT, and it was fascinating to read all she had studied and learned. I loved reading her retellings of so many stories of women in the Bible.
It was also enlightening to me (who was raised Mormon) to spend so much time in the head of an evangelical. Where she struggled with how the faith of her youth spoke about women and marriages, I recognized for the first time that the *gospel* of my faith teaches about equal partnership in marriage and in church, but the lived actuality is very much the same cultural idea—submission to men, women are helpmeets and only fit to be wives and mothers—as our evangelical siblings. That’s not even what our doctrine says, but somehow we’ve frustratingly decided to borrow the practice.
slow-paced
Such a great exploration of what the Bible has to say about women, specific examples of women in the Bible, and cultural/traditional ideas about Christian womanhood. Evans took 12 months to explore 12 virtues traditionally associated with women (such as modesty, purity, submission, etc) and tried to understand the value and problems inherent in them. I find Evans' explanation of her egalitarian viewpoint convincing and common-sense, but this book would be an enlightening and encouraging read even more for more traditional complementarian women. Funny, warm, thoughtful, and challenging.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
I liked this book, and I wanted to read more of Rachel Held Evans' writing, but she's gone, so I can't. That made me sad as she wrote about one day having children of her own.
I loved her stories about living in the tent in the front yard, growing out her hair, sewing her family's clothes, submitting to her husband--sort of taking the Bible to its extreme. In the process of engaging in the extreme learning RHE observed that it's the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law that's important for Biblical womanhood. Her forays into Jewish culture, a stay at a monastery, and a visit to a Friends Meeting were interesting accounts of how other experience God.
I loved her stories about living in the tent in the front yard, growing out her hair, sewing her family's clothes, submitting to her husband--sort of taking the Bible to its extreme. In the process of engaging in the extreme learning RHE observed that it's the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law that's important for Biblical womanhood. Her forays into Jewish culture, a stay at a monastery, and a visit to a Friends Meeting were interesting accounts of how other experience God.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Like she says in the book, you can find anything you are looking for in the Bible and in that same manner this book affirmed how I feel about women in Christianity.
Read August 2014: I didn't really like a lot of the opinions and attitudes of the author, but there were some really great bits of information I enjoyed (woman of valor!).