History and advocacy

Dr. Beth Allison Barr’s The Making of Biblical Womanhood takes the reader on a journey of the Christian woman through historical facts, clever quotes and heart-wrenching stories. As a professor of medieval, women’s and church history at Baylor University, Barr is more than qualified to lead us on this entertaining and knowledgeable exploration into why we view biblical womanhood the way that we do.

Barr frames this exploration into what constitutes “Biblical” womanhood around her own experience with the role of women in the church. Growing up Southern Baptist, Barr has seen first-hand how complementarianism (a view of how men and women were created to complement each other) goes hand in hand with misogyny and the submission of women. Using the story of how her husband was fired from his job as a pastor for supporting women in leadership roles in the church, we are taken through the stories of Christian women who have been written out of Church history for the sake of keeping men in charge. Barr artfully weaves in the stories of women such as Junia the apostle, Margery Kempe, a powerful speaker endorsed by the Archbishop of York, and Christine de Pizan, a professional writer and advocate for woman’s speech and many more from early Christians to present day activists.

Each chapter begins with a present-day example or story to connect the reader with the chapter’s particular question about biblical womanhood. Following that, Barr breaks down the question into sections that look at opinions from scholars, both male and female, historical facts, and biblical text, before returning to a modern-day example. Throughout, Barr explores some big questions: was patriarchy divinely created? Why does the Apostle Paul evoke such strong feelings? Why is historical context important when translating the Greek and Hebrew texts?

The most important part of this book is the question “so what”? This is a question I learned to ask in high school when considering teaching anyone about any topic. So what? Why should someone want to read about this topic? Why is this so important that someone wrote a book about it?

Barr answers this “so what” question in her final chapter “Isn’t it Time to Set Women Free?” Why do we need to be honest about the abuse women face in the church? Because it is time to stop it. Why should we stand up for women in leadership in the church? Because it is time for women to be where God is calling them. Why do we need to talk about this topic? Because it is time for us to remember that we are not alone. Because it is time for us to stand together across race, gender, or class. To remember and celebrate women’s leadership in the church throughout history and today.