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funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
A lot of fluff. A lot of boo-hooing. The few moments of clarity and depth are not worth the time it takes to get there.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I found this book extremely spiritually fulfilling, and for a sometimes hopeless atheist... that’s saying a lot. I think many women have struggled with what society tells us we should be, versus who we feel we really are, and this was a really beautiful (and often funny) exploration of that, through what I’d consider a feminist Christian lens. This book made me want to buy fair trade coffee, send a goat to a family across the world, and made me think about how important it is to consider a wide range of interpretations when it comes to any sort of life guidelines, from the Bible to parenting books.
I think I need some time to properly process my thoughts on this book, but ultimately, it's one of the best books I've read in recent years. This isn't a feminist rant attempting to destroy Christianity; it's an honest attempt by a Christian woman who wants to truly understand what God's intentions are for female believers. I cannot empathise how honest Rachel is about her flaws, failures, misconceptions and personal prejudices, not to mention her difficulties at carrying out certain aspects of her year of biblical womanhood. And despite these prejudices, she's surprisingly unbiased when interviewing or talking about women involved in more conservative or unusual Christian groups, such as polygamists or the patriarchy movement. I know there are those women who will never pick up this book because they think it will offend them, but as a woman who intends to be a housewife and stay-at-home mother for hopefully the rest of my life, I can confidently say that Rachel's writing both challenged my assumptions about what the Bible has to say to women and reaffirmed the way I'm living out my marriage and my life. It was also just a general encouragement to my faith and the way I read the Bible, so this isn't only a book for married women. Seriously, give this book a try. Rachel Held Evans might be a famous author and blogger, but she's a Christian woman, struggling to understand the Bible and apply it to her life, just like us. Definitely being awarded 5*.
Reading this book was like jumping in some kind of weird time machine. I love RHE, and her voice has been so critical to my own process of grappling with faith & calling & feminism. So, like four or five years ago, this might have spoken to me because it is very much classic RHE with her trademark humour and intellect. Still, I didn’t fully love it where I am now. It leans too heavy on respectability politics when it comes to feminism and centres its discussion of womanhood within the paradigm of heteronormative marriage. Since this is part spiritual memoir, RHE’s experience grounding her story is obviously a function of genre. Still, I find myself wanting to stretch and to push Christian womanhood past just being an egalitarian wife.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. From the BCC, I thought the author had taken literal readings of Scripture to absurd lengths to point out their absurdity—going further by doing things no literal reading commands (like sitting on her roof). Instead, I found the rhythm of the chapters and her honest introspection to be encouraging. There's a lot I've learned from this author.
There were moments of brilliance
(The January chapter on a proper, contextual reading of Proverbs 31, and to a lesser extent the June chapter on submission in the epistles) but some very shaky moments as well (the September chapter which makes some bold claims about biblical interpretation).
The methods of selecting the practices which correspond to biblical womanhood were not satisfactorily explained, but that may... be an intentional choice.
Also very amusing in general.
Unable to rate this book.
(The January chapter on a proper, contextual reading of Proverbs 31, and to a lesser extent the June chapter on submission in the epistles) but some very shaky moments as well (the September chapter which makes some bold claims about biblical interpretation).
The methods of selecting the practices which correspond to biblical womanhood were not satisfactorily explained, but that may... be an intentional choice.
Also very amusing in general.
Unable to rate this book.
This is not a book about religious fundamentalism, nor is it a book about erasing what the Bible says, it's an honest insight into a woman doing the best she can, beating herself up when she's struggling and lifting herself up through the strength of her faith and the people around her.
As I sit on the cusp of motherhood I have a new perspective on what being a woman of God looks like, a new respect for the women contained within Scripture and a new desire to treasure the women of valour in my life.
As I sit on the cusp of motherhood I have a new perspective on what being a woman of God looks like, a new respect for the women contained within Scripture and a new desire to treasure the women of valour in my life.