The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth
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- Author：Beth Allison Barr
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Summary
"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。
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。
Reviews
Sarah Holliday （Page & Cup）
，
Dr。 Barr has accomplished what so often eludes academics: she has written a highly accessible， intellectually rigorous piece of scholarship。 By interweaving her own memoir with the history of patriarchal oppression， she has crafted an empathetic guide to understanding both the past and its impact on us in the present。But most importantly？ She is teaching women to trust themselves。 You see， when you’re told that， because you are a woman， you are not allowed to lead or teach within the church， you Dr。 Barr has accomplished what so often eludes academics: she has written a highly accessible， intellectually rigorous piece of scholarship。 By interweaving her own memoir with the history of patriarchal oppression， she has crafted an empathetic guide to understanding both the past and its impact on us in the present。But most importantly？ She is teaching women to trust themselves。 You see， when you’re told that， because you are a woman， you are not allowed to lead or teach within the church， you are actually being told that you can not be trusted with the message of God。 So you cling tightly to the lessons emanating from the pulpit， from theological texts， from the Bible itself。But what if the Bible itself has been manipulated？ What if the men behind the pulpits are motivated by something other than the Holy Spirit？ What if authors and theologians are passing off heresy as orthodoxy？What if， as a woman， you can trust yourself？I sincerely hope you’ll purchase and read The Making of Biblical Womanhood。 Even if you aren’t a Christian。 Even if you left the church a long time ago。 Even if you think it has nothing new to offer you。 There is hope in the pages of this book， and I think that’s something all of us can use more of。 。。。more
Stephen Chase
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 The best Biblical women's book ever！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！ The best Biblical women's book ever！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！ 。。。more
♥ Ibrahim ♥
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It doesn’t require a “book” for a true Christian to know that you never mention words like submission in front of your wife， the person you dearly love and hope for her to give her best as much as you do in marriage。 Biblical womanhood？！ Do we need a manual for how to treat each other？ When I see my wife I bow down to Christ dwelling in her and seek every means to serve her。 She， likewise， exceeds me in demonstrating divine love。 It would be sheer stupidity for me to bring up such terms as submi It doesn’t require a “book” for a true Christian to know that you never mention words like submission in front of your wife， the person you dearly love and hope for her to give her best as much as you do in marriage。 Biblical womanhood？！ Do we need a manual for how to treat each other？ When I see my wife I bow down to Christ dwelling in her and seek every means to serve her。 She， likewise， exceeds me in demonstrating divine love。 It would be sheer stupidity for me to bring up such terms as submission to her hearing。 American Christianity can get so strange as people bring in their self-centered agendas。 I used to be a Muslim， and I’m determined never to repeat Islam again in my Christianity now by discussing submission or womanhood， etc。 Your wife is actually YOU， but in the female version， and divine love and grace have to flow from you to you， that is to her。 Never utter words like submission if you want to enjoy the favor of the Lord。 。。。more
Blake Widmer
，
An important book for believers and friends， there are unrecognized， hidden and even malevolent threads of “christian” subjugation that must be brought to the glorious light of Jesus Christ， so that we might be more and more transformed into the glorious image of the fullness of God， who has made mankind in His image， female and male He made them。 Admittedly I am still uncertain if I would feel confident in claiming an “egalitarian” position， and yet I am greatly persuaded by this historic narra An important book for believers and friends， there are unrecognized， hidden and even malevolent threads of “christian” subjugation that must be brought to the glorious light of Jesus Christ， so that we might be more and more transformed into the glorious image of the fullness of God， who has made mankind in His image， female and male He made them。 Admittedly I am still uncertain if I would feel confident in claiming an “egalitarian” position， and yet I am greatly persuaded by this historic narrative and the theological conclusions。 Regardless， one thing is clear， that unbiblical terms such as “complementarianism” are used as tools and methods of power， corruption and sin。 This must be brought to light and talked about with all the nuance and context necessary for rightly dividing the truth， for being the salt and light we are called to be， and for the fruit which comes from being in the Vine。 。。。more
Bethany
，
This is an excellent piece of theological and historical analysis about the idea of "biblical womanhood" and how it came to be。 I had already come to a number of similar conclusions about patriarchy and its role in conservative Christianity; but these opinions had been formed mostly from personal experience and intuition。 I greatly appreciate now having Barr's research to fortify my positions， especially given how accessible this book is to the layperson。 Highly recommended。*I received an electr This is an excellent piece of theological and historical analysis about the idea of "biblical womanhood" and how it came to be。 I had already come to a number of similar conclusions about patriarchy and its role in conservative Christianity; but these opinions had been formed mostly from personal experience and intuition。 I greatly appreciate now having Barr's research to fortify my positions， especially given how accessible this book is to the layperson。 Highly recommended。*I received an electronic ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。* 。。。more
Rob
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A fantastic overview of how the church has affirmed and supported women who were gifted to lead and why patriarchy has become the norm within Christianity。 Barr offers both an important critique and an alternative to the dominant narrative。 Christianity can return to the way of Jesus， supporting， liberating， and valuing the gifts of all people。 This is a worthwhile read for historians， Christians， and pastors。
Julia Bever
，
This book is SO IMPORTANT。I grew up in an Evangelical Free church and the description Barr provides of how Evangelical women think of themselves is SPOT ON。 We’re taught that it’s our divinely appointed nature that calls us to be submissive homemakers。 But this book shows the various ways that the evangelical understanding of womanhood has been skewed - both intentionally and unintentionally - to reach a complementarian structure between genders rather than an egalitarian structure （which Barr a This book is SO IMPORTANT。I grew up in an Evangelical Free church and the description Barr provides of how Evangelical women think of themselves is SPOT ON。 We’re taught that it’s our divinely appointed nature that calls us to be submissive homemakers。 But this book shows the various ways that the evangelical understanding of womanhood has been skewed - both intentionally and unintentionally - to reach a complementarian structure between genders rather than an egalitarian structure （which Barr argues is a truer reading within historical context）。The three key areas that I found to be most impactful were: 1。 Barr’s analysis of commonly misunderstood and misused Pauline texts to show the inconsistencies in content and style which are easy to miss without historical context， 2。 The history of women teaching， being deacons， missionaries， etc before the reformation and the way that history has been erased， and 3。 The intentional effort to exclude gender inclusive language in the ESV translation of the bible - the accepted translation in all the churches I’ve attended - though gender inclusive language would be an equally valid translation。 Barr also points out how the evangelical belief of biblical inerrancy compounds these issues。Given how pervasive evangelical Christianity is in the US， and how harmful the ideas of complementarianism can be to Women AND Men， this is a very important book。 It is well presented and argued， and I think everyone who has ever been a Christian should check it out。I received a free E-ARC copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
DAVID
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Read this because you know there are no second class citizens in the kingdom of God。 She will convince your heart and your head without the embittered rhetoric that can can cause walls to go up。 Very highly recommend。
Aaron Baker
，
This book caught me off guard。 Going into reading I would’ve stated that I have been developing a far more egalitarian view over the past few years but， while reading， I was forced to acknowledge different points of complementarianism which I hadn’t realized I still held。 I continued to read， and I wrestled with the history the author was presenting， and I felt uncomfortable with what was written on more than a few occasions。 Frankly， I’m still mulling over much of the information and struggling This book caught me off guard。 Going into reading I would’ve stated that I have been developing a far more egalitarian view over the past few years but， while reading， I was forced to acknowledge different points of complementarianism which I hadn’t realized I still held。 I continued to read， and I wrestled with the history the author was presenting， and I felt uncomfortable with what was written on more than a few occasions。 Frankly， I’m still mulling over much of the information and struggling with the views of headship that I’ve always been taught and how it squares with the Biblical teaching。 The book covers many of the same Bible verses which are often explored in the complementarian/egalitarian debate， but it presents the egalitarian argument in a much stronger way than I’ve normally seen it done。 You are also walked through Christian history and presented with a history which you’re not often made aware of: A history in which women have played a much larger role than you find in the history books， and you’re left questioning the motivations behind why it’s not presented。 Regardless of where you stand on this debate， this is a book which needs to be engaged with。 I think one of the best things about this book is that， even when you’re being presented with information which you may not be comfortable with， you don’t really feel attacked， even though the case is presented passionately。Often when engaging in this debate there is the temptation to react in fear and pride but I feel that The Making of Biblical Womanhood will engage with you in a way that allows you to not get defensive， if you go into it willing to hear and engage。 。。。more
Traci Rhoades
，
Huzzah！ I cannot tell you how many books I read on theology and church history， knowing I can't recommend them to the majority of my friends。 They could understand them but wouldn't take the time to do so。 On the other hand， I read books that lean angry or cynical。 The tone can feel disrespectful， which may get the point across but can leave my heart-that-aches-for-unity hurting。 We can't come together if we alienate one another。 Beth （of course your name is Beth）， thank you for guiding women in Huzzah！ I cannot tell you how many books I read on theology and church history， knowing I can't recommend them to the majority of my friends。 They could understand them but wouldn't take the time to do so。 On the other hand， I read books that lean angry or cynical。 The tone can feel disrespectful， which may get the point across but can leave my heart-that-aches-for-unity hurting。 We can't come together if we alienate one another。 Beth （of course your name is Beth）， thank you for guiding women in a way that we can all read and enjoy。 I learned so much from your story， from your professional insight， and from your lengthy list of references。 Perhaps the highest compliment I can give， I'd recommend this book to anyone。 。。。more
Lauren Simpson
，
Honestly， where do I start？ This book is so necessary for the evangelical church。 As much as Bible literacy is an issue in the church so is historical and contextual literacy of our faith， traditions， and beliefs。 This book will make you recon with your beliefs and when you read it， and you can either dig in your heels or examine yourself and the structures in place around you。Women leading is a mark of church history， not some version of feminism trying to invade the church。 It is clear through Honestly， where do I start？ This book is so necessary for the evangelical church。 As much as Bible literacy is an issue in the church so is historical and contextual literacy of our faith， traditions， and beliefs。 This book will make you recon with your beliefs and when you read it， and you can either dig in your heels or examine yourself and the structures in place around you。Women leading is a mark of church history， not some version of feminism trying to invade the church。 It is clear throughout scripture， yet where do we learn about it when we learn about church history？ We don't because women have been written out of the historical narrative and， to a degree， scripture as well。There are so many issues that Bible scholars and church leaders want us to believe are unique to our time because feminism， but the truth is there is nothing new under the sun。 Gender inclusive language along with women pastors and teachers have been around since medieval times and even before。 What the evangelical church has turned to since the Reformation is a focus on family （no pun intended） and gender roles laid out in complementarianism。 Biblical womanhood has become gospel truth not necessarily because it's true but because women's role in the home and church is now a marker of one's stance on inerrancy of the Bible and thus Christian orthodoxy。 All of this has done a disservice to women and men in our churches because it has been laid upon patriarchal structures to keep women out of power and out of leadership which deprives the church of their gifts。 I hope that those who disagree with Barr will still read her book because this issue is too pervasive to ignore。 Whether you are egalitarian or remain in complementarianism， there is truth and history to be learned form Dr。 Barr that can be applied in your context。 Whatever you choose， do not hold women back from serving the church well and in ways that mirror strong female leadership and service present in scripture。I'll leave you with the words she leaves her readers with， "Go be free。"#EndChristianPatriarchy 。。。more
SarahO
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So much goes wrong when we forget our history。 Ignorance is the cause of so many problems。 I love how Barr’s book brings the past into the future to show us how certain things aren’t always as straight forward as we’ve been led to believe。 That patriarchy has always been around in different degrees and is a cultural construction， not a biblical one。 Today that patriarchy is hidden in the name complementarianism。 This book has introduced me to history of the church that I had never heard before， So much goes wrong when we forget our history。 Ignorance is the cause of so many problems。 I love how Barr’s book brings the past into the future to show us how certain things aren’t always as straight forward as we’ve been led to believe。 That patriarchy has always been around in different degrees and is a cultural construction， not a biblical one。 Today that patriarchy is hidden in the name complementarianism。 This book has introduced me to history of the church that I had never heard before， where women were actually praised for following God’s calling no matter where it took them。 I was surprised to learn that most church histories were written by pastors and not historians。 Not a great idea really because their education and focus’ are different。 I loved how Barr （an actual historian） was able to show us that， while we are so anxious about setting down rules for women in the church today， the earlier churches were concerned about more important issues like making sure we have a right view of the Trinity and bringing people to Christ。 I would highly recommend this book to everyone。 It makes you question why you believe the things that you do。 Is it because someone said “this is the way and no other” or is it really what the Bible says？ Barr points out that Christianity brought freedom to the women in the Roman world because it was a radical change from their culturally oppressive （patriarchal） lifestyle。 Are women in today’s church less free？ If so， we must question our interpretation of what it really means to be a “biblical woman”。 。。。more
Persis
，
Finished。 Rereading before I give my rating and review。 （I do better with a print book than e-version。）
Ellen Baranowski
，
This book is exactly what I have lived through。 The historical angle has highlighted the incorrect response to patriarchy from the evangelical churches。 It gives light to an otherwise dark area that women have fought against for SO long。 It was a joy to be on the launch team and to recommend this book to anyone who still struggles with the writings of Paul。 It’s not Paul ，it’s how he has been highlighted by men bent on leaving the women out of positions that they have been given to gifts to use。 This book is exactly what I have lived through。 The historical angle has highlighted the incorrect response to patriarchy from the evangelical churches。 It gives light to an otherwise dark area that women have fought against for SO long。 It was a joy to be on the launch team and to recommend this book to anyone who still struggles with the writings of Paul。 It’s not Paul ，it’s how he has been highlighted by men bent on leaving the women out of positions that they have been given to gifts to use。 I will be sending this book out to all my friends and daughters。 It is a gift of words to use as a conversation changer。 。。。more
Mhughessc
，
Beth Allison Barr， in "The Making of Biblical Womanhood"， details the history of Christianity and a woman's expected position in this belief system。 Having read a book with a similar title， I expected the same humor and personal stories as before。 However， this book is more of a serious thesis about how woman have risen above their station throughout history。 Barr even makes the assertion that what is known as "biblical womanhood" is not actually biblical at all。 It was easy to tell that this bo Beth Allison Barr， in "The Making of Biblical Womanhood"， details the history of Christianity and a woman's expected position in this belief system。 Having read a book with a similar title， I expected the same humor and personal stories as before。 However， this book is more of a serious thesis about how woman have risen above their station throughout history。 Barr even makes the assertion that what is known as "biblical womanhood" is not actually biblical at all。 It was easy to tell that this book had been well researched， but it was a little too serious for me。Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Bethany Smith
，
This is a book I've been searching for the majority of life！ Through the narratives of her own experiences and the experiences of others， as well as the context necessary to understand how we - as a church - have arrived where we are， Barr has provided a resource that the church has needed for a long time。 Barr takes her readers through a broad overview of church history and the roles of women in the church， demonstrating how complementarianism and its ripple effects developed to overpower the e This is a book I've been searching for the majority of life！ Through the narratives of her own experiences and the experiences of others， as well as the context necessary to understand how we - as a church - have arrived where we are， Barr has provided a resource that the church has needed for a long time。 Barr takes her readers through a broad overview of church history and the roles of women in the church， demonstrating how complementarianism and its ripple effects developed to overpower the evangelical church and much of Western Christianity。 Her honest and Spirit-inspired words have the power to set all women， and the churches we inhabit， free from the systemic oppression of Christian patriarchy。 This book is a must read for all。 。。。more
Sarah
，
For countless women， complementarian theology is what we know （especially for those of us raised in complementarian environments）。 Our entire lives， we’ve learned about male/female roles， authority/submission， headship and homemaking。 We’ve seen the theology carried out within our churches from the completely male-led leadership （including pastors， elders， deacons， worship leaders， tithe collectors， scripture readers， homegroup leaders， etc）。 And we’ve seen the theology exhibited in the home: ma For countless women， complementarian theology is what we know （especially for those of us raised in complementarian environments）。 Our entire lives， we’ve learned about male/female roles， authority/submission， headship and homemaking。 We’ve seen the theology carried out within our churches from the completely male-led leadership （including pastors， elders， deacons， worship leaders， tithe collectors， scripture readers， homegroup leaders， etc）。 And we’ve seen the theology exhibited in the home: male （husband/father） headship， making all of the decisions， “leading” the family， and the submissive wife （quiet， servant-hearted， homemaker， child-rearer）。 These views， this theology， seems antiquated。 But countless men and women continue to believe male headship， female submission is God’s design。 In this incredible book， Beth Allison Barr presents a personal and well-researched argument that Christian patriarchy is in fact， sin。 Christian and pagan patriarchy is one in the same， existing to silence women and elevate powerful men （which is one of the things Christianity dismantles）。 “Shouldn’t the historical continuity of a practice that has caused women to fare much worse than men for thousands of years cause concern？” she questions。 “Shouldn’t Christians， who are called to be different from the world， treat women differently？ What if patriarchy isn’t divinely ordained but the result of human sin？”Barr begins the book with her personal story。 Raised in complementarian churches for most of her life， she also accepted much of the theology and practice as “God’s design。” As a historian she began questioning some of the teaching and ideology of her complementarian church， but she was scared to voice questions or concern because of her husband’s paid position as a youth minister。 Little things began to add up， making it harder and harder to go along with the deeply-rooted patriarchal views of their church。 The elder’s abhorrence for women serving or teaching in any type of capacity （even the youth group） led to a reckoning with this warped theology and the history of modern churches subjugating women。Barr takes us back to the beginning， introducing us to the many women mentioned in Paul’s letters that *male* translators， writers， preachers， etc。， attempted to erase from any historical importance later on。 But these women in the early church served in various leadership roles， from apostles to deacons， servants， ministers， and missionaries。 The early church， in fact， was not a bleak place for women to shut up like the pagan culture dictated。 The early church provided women a seat at the table。 Paul writes “there is neither male or female，” dismantling the hierarchy that existed in the Roman culture。 Barr addresses the Pauline verses complementarian churches cling to today in defense of women’s subordination， making the compelling argument Paul is actually quoting from well-known pagan writers and turning it on its head。 From the early church through the Middle Ages， women were preaching， teaching， evangelizing， singing， performing miracles。 Many women were choosing singleness and celibacy， embracing the call to ministry over any obligation to marry and bear children。 Barr writes there’s no lack of women leading in church history， rather an erasure of their existence。 Countless women have been forgotten and covered up “or retold to recast women as less significant than they really were。” Though the Reformation brought with it many good things， including easier access to the English Bible， it also “ushered in a ‘renewed patriarchalism’ that place married women firmly under the headship of their husbands。”The Reformation brought with it an elevation of marriage and child-rearing。 Women were relegated to the home， housework， and childcare， while the men began taking over every role within the church and outside of it。 Women were exhorted to be gentle， quiet， submissive， obedient to their husbands。 Men were the heads， the protectors and providers。 “As the role of wife expanded， the opportunities for women outside of marriage shrank，” she writes。 “The family became not only the center of a woman’s world but her primary identity as a good Christian。” And it’s not much different today。 Modern complementarian churches continue to silence women， preaching God’s design is male authority and female submission。 Men are called to be pastors， leaders， heads of households， women are called to quietly serve their husbands and families。 Not only have women been scrubbed from history but they’ve been scrubbed from church responsibility and ministry opportunities。 Marriage continues to be exalted as one of highest ends， motherhood one of the greatest callings。 Complementarian theology not only teaches the role of pastor exists only for men， but every other position of leadership within the church， creating completely male-dominated churches that push women to the margins。 Barr argues that complementarianism/patriarchy can often lead to abuse， whether it’s dismissal， or actual cover-up and culpability。 From purity culture， to issues of modesty， to militant masculinity， and white supremacy， complementarianism has caused immense harm to those on the outer edges。 This book calls it out and also shows another way， a way for more inclusivity， a way for the re-valuing of women。 。。。more
Kristen Mcknight
，
This is an excellent book and resource for anyone interested in learning about the history of women throughout the centuries of the church。 Patriarchy， hierarchy， misogyny as well as the author's personal story as a Southern Baptist woman are all part of this book。 Highly recommended for anyone interested in this topic。 This is an excellent book and resource for anyone interested in learning about the history of women throughout the centuries of the church。 Patriarchy， hierarchy， misogyny as well as the author's personal story as a Southern Baptist woman are all part of this book。 Highly recommended for anyone interested in this topic。 。。。more
Kim Shay
，
Wow。 Just wow。 That's all I can say after reading this book。 I'll definitely be reading it again to focus more on things that stood out to me， but for now I can say this: evangelical Christians who think they don't take on the culture around them are mistaken。 Barr's purpose in this book is to show that the notion of "biblical womanhood，" far and away from being established with solid biblical exegesis， has actually been something historically adopted。 She points out early in the book that women Wow。 Just wow。 That's all I can say after reading this book。 I'll definitely be reading it again to focus more on things that stood out to me， but for now I can say this: evangelical Christians who think they don't take on the culture around them are mistaken。 Barr's purpose in this book is to show that the notion of "biblical womanhood，" far and away from being established with solid biblical exegesis， has actually been something historically adopted。 She points out early in the book that women were not excluded from the life of the church in the way they are now。 In fact， the patriarchy of the days of the early church was actually adopted by the church。 Barr then goes on to show how the ability of Medieval women to participate in preaching and leadership was cut short by the Reformation， and the sanctification of the role of family in the life of the church。 Often， I have felt that the family and marriage are somewhat idolized in the church， and I can see how this has happened。 Barr points out that it is a historical manifestation。Barr has a chapter where she reveals that biblical translation practices has influenced how we teach women。 Modern translations， especially the ESV， have reacted against what they call "gender inclusive" texts， and have "corrected" them。 Barr reveals that this idea of gender inclusivity is not a new phenomenon。 Personally， this has caused me to be even more intentional about keeping up with my Greek and Hebrew。 My lingering question now， however， is how good are the Greek and Hebrew lexicons we're using？ Are there gender bias in those， too？One of the most damaging things about the promotion of biblical womanhood is that there is an understanding that if we don't embrace the ideas promoted by a white， middle class， evangelical， North American view， as women we're wrong; we're sinning; we're not godly。 Many women are told that this is what they must look like; and they do it without question。 Barr has had the courage to question。 And she asks questions that need asking。 。。。more
John Lussier
，
What an incredible book！ Part narrative theology， part medieval study of women， part egalitarian theology。 Barr's voice and honesty about the past push readers to truly consider how the "complementarian" view of Christian's is actually worldly patriarchy wrapped in a priestly robe。 The witness of history is clear: women shouldn't be dismissed and deserve an equal place wherever they are: at home， in a boardroom， teaching， preaching， or otherwise。 I haven't ever read a study on medieval Christian What an incredible book！ Part narrative theology， part medieval study of women， part egalitarian theology。 Barr's voice and honesty about the past push readers to truly consider how the "complementarian" view of Christian's is actually worldly patriarchy wrapped in a priestly robe。 The witness of history is clear: women shouldn't be dismissed and deserve an equal place wherever they are: at home， in a boardroom， teaching， preaching， or otherwise。 I haven't ever read a study on medieval Christianity before， but Barr makes me want to read more。 THANK YOU， for sharing your story and this reality about women in the Church。 。。。more
Joel Sam
，
Beth Allison Barr masterfully synthesizes the stories of women throughout church history to show how the Evangelical idea of "Biblical Womanhood" was born。 She mainly focuses on three time periods: the early church， the medieval era （her area of expertise）， and the 20th century to the present。 Barr's examples of women in ministry in the early church （and modern attempts to minimize， dismiss， or deflect from that work） will not be news to those who have been studying the debate over complementari Beth Allison Barr masterfully synthesizes the stories of women throughout church history to show how the Evangelical idea of "Biblical Womanhood" was born。 She mainly focuses on three time periods: the early church， the medieval era （her area of expertise）， and the 20th century to the present。 Barr's examples of women in ministry in the early church （and modern attempts to minimize， dismiss， or deflect from that work） will not be news to those who have been studying the debate over complementarianism。 However， the work of these women in the biblical texts is so marginalized in conservative evangelicalism that Barr's treatment of the texts is vital to the conversation。 Barr often gives examples of medieval perceptions of Biblical figures and saints， demonstrating the comfortability of medieval thinkers relative to modern evangelicals regarding women's roles。 However， she does not offer sufficient commentary on the veracity of legendary accounts or the validity of conflating Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene， for example。 Barr's argument is bolstered by her explanation of how the Protestant Reformation created a "cult of domesticity"， leading the removal of women from ministry roles and public work and shoehorning them into wifehood and motherhood。 Barr's examples of women in ministry post-Reformation （despite consistent efforts to suppress them） show how remarkably new the "orthodox" teaching of complementarity is to church history。 By shedding light on how conservative evangelicals created the doctrine of inerrancy and resurrected Arianism in order to suppress the status of women in the church， Barr effectively hammers the final nail in the coffin of 'biblical womanhood'。 This book should be required reading for anyone in the evangelical sphere who has been led to believe that complementarianism is biblically faithful and has been the dominant teaching through church history。 Patriarchy by any other name is still sin， and Christ's people should not lag behind the world in eradicating it。 。。。more
Meghan Tschanz
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Incredible book for anyone who wants to understand how the evangelical church came to subjugate women in the name of Christ。 Thoroughly researched and well written。
Julia
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I received an ARC of this book in exchange for honest review。 Let me just say， this is an amazing book。 First of all， the combination of personal story with clear， easy to follow historical research makes this a compelling read。 I didn't want to put it down - but had to， in order to process the impactful words Beth Allison Barr has written here。 The way she paints a picture of patriarchy and complimentarianism becoming accepted as gospel truth in much of the modern church is moving and powerful。 I received an ARC of this book in exchange for honest review。 Let me just say， this is an amazing book。 First of all， the combination of personal story with clear， easy to follow historical research makes this a compelling read。 I didn't want to put it down - but had to， in order to process the impactful words Beth Allison Barr has written here。 The way she paints a picture of patriarchy and complimentarianism becoming accepted as gospel truth in much of the modern church is moving and powerful。 I am very familiar with this debate and much of its history， yet I learned a lot in this book - particularly about the role women played in the medieval church and the way Bible translations have been shaped and impact our understanding of the role of women。 I have already talked to several people about this book and all I can say is - you HAVE to read this。 So good。 。。。more
Megan （Glitter and Plato）
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Patriarchy and the subjugation of women have become part and parcel of evangelical Christianity in America。 Beth Allison Barr analyzes this close relationship through an historical and theological context and reveals that， rather than uphold a centuries-old tradition of womanhood， strict gender roles and complementarianism are actually the result of specific cultural and economic moments in history。Not only through questioning the translation and interpretation of specific biblical passages， but Patriarchy and the subjugation of women have become part and parcel of evangelical Christianity in America。 Beth Allison Barr analyzes this close relationship through an historical and theological context and reveals that， rather than uphold a centuries-old tradition of womanhood， strict gender roles and complementarianism are actually the result of specific cultural and economic moments in history。Not only through questioning the translation and interpretation of specific biblical passages， but also through analyzing the writings and lives of specific women throughout church history， Barr illustrates the rich inheritance and influence women have in Christianity。 I learned a lot about medieval women and was both fascinated and not surprised by the negative impact the Reformation and Enlightenment had on women （while simultaneously elevating men）。 In her words， we have a great cloud of female witnesses throughout the history of Christianity， and we would do well to remember these women。 （Also I would love an anthology of some of the greatest women preachers， teachers， and writers of various denominations。 Perhaps an idea for another book？）I blew through this book in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down。 It was everything I needed to read in this moment， and I will certainly be buying a physical copy and will forever reference it。Thank you to Netgalley， the author， and Brazos Press for the eARC in exchange for my review。 。。。more
Josh Olds
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The Making of Biblical Womanhood will kill Christian evangelical patriarchy， if we let it。 Unfortunately， the very premise of Beth Allison Barr’s incisive work is that we won’t—or， at least， we haven’t—in nearly two thousand years of New Testament church history。 Barr goes beyond a theological discussion of complementarianism vs。 egalitarianism and instead regales readers with a compelling historical blow-by-blow account of the creation of Christian patriarchy and how it stands counter to the Go The Making of Biblical Womanhood will kill Christian evangelical patriarchy， if we let it。 Unfortunately， the very premise of Beth Allison Barr’s incisive work is that we won’t—or， at least， we haven’t—in nearly two thousand years of New Testament church history。 Barr goes beyond a theological discussion of complementarianism vs。 egalitarianism and instead regales readers with a compelling historical blow-by-blow account of the creation of Christian patriarchy and how it stands counter to the Gospel。 Intertwining history， theology， and present-day reality， Barr pulls back the curtain to lay bare the damage that patriarchal thinking has done throughout history。Barr writes with an intimate knowledge of the evangelical patriarchy。 She works in academia at a Baptist university。 She grew up in a church system of complementarianism。 Her husband attended seminary at Southeastern Baptist。 Barr has lived and worked within the Southern Baptist Church， the most well-known， palatable home of Christian evangelical conservatism and complementarianism。 This personal experience combines with her own faith journey that led her out of those unhealthy beliefs （even as she remains somewhat tethered to the system）， makes her uniquely positioned to understand complementarian beliefs and the unhealthy systems that result from it。And， if you are a complementarian， you’re already attacking the book on the basis of its egalitarian theological interpretations。 I know you are。 And I know that there is little chance of successfully making this argument on theological grounds because it’s so entrenched that many patriarchal systems have made it a make-or-break litmus test for orthodoxy。 Saying that women can preach or lead is akin to saying Jesus rots in his tomb。 In such a vitriolic debate， it’s difficult to maintain an objective perspective。 But if you just could…just for a bit…I think you’d find Barr’s theological arguments compelling。This isn’t the place for a full theological critique， but let me say that although Barr is a historian， she writes with theological passion and precision。 On balance， I find her arguments for egalitarianism more convincing than the arguments for complementarianism—which， she notes， we ought just to call patriarchy。 The second chapter “What If Biblical Womanhood Doesn’t Come From Paul？” is The Making of Biblical Womanhood’s theological lynchpin。 The usual argument is that， to believe that women can lead churches is to disbelieve Paul。 Barr boldly leads us into a different reading of Paul: one that interprets him in light of his cultural situation and context。 Paul’s purpose isn’t to emphasize male authority or female submission， instead Barr writes that they are a “resistance narrative to Roman patriarchy。”The most prominent example of this contextual reading of Paul comes in the classic “women are to be silent” passage。 Barr writes how her church resisted her as a last-minute youth Sunday School substitute。 Not because she was unqualified—she was a university professor who taught high school through graduate students—but because she was a woman。 Women don’t teach men， even if those “men” are aged thirteen。 After discussion， Barr is allowed to act as a “facilitator”—she can go through the sermon questions from the week before—but isn’t allowed to teach。 Why not？ 1 Cor。 14:33-36。After telling her personal experience， Barr attacks that interpretation with fervor。 She dives into the history of Rome to give historical context。 She then suggests that Paul isn’t admonishing the believers to adhere to this practice， but is stating what the common practice is before refuting it。 Paul does this elsewhere in 1 Corinthians， perhaps taking from Jesus who employed the technique in his Sermon on the Mount。 Her conclusion: Far from saying that women should be silent， Paul is telling men that， in the world of Jesus， women are allowed to speak:“‘It is shameful for a woman to speak in church。’ [Paul quotes] What！ Did the word of God originate with you， or are you the only ones it has reached？” – 1 Cor 14:35-36， RSVWith the theological case put to rest—at least， as strongly and convincingly as she can， which， to me seems pretty darn convincing—Barr moves onward toward a history of women in leadership from the medieval age onward。 Interweaving these accounts from history with her own story， Barr inexorably shows how little we have progressed—and， indeed， perhaps regressed—from those ancient times。 It was particularly eye-opening to see how the Protestant Reformation was， in many ways， a net negative for the inclusion of women in ministry。The closing chapters of The Making of Biblical Womanhood are a clarion call for change。 Barr brings the historical discussion into modern focus as she shows what affect patriarchal thinking has on Christian homes and institutions， particularly as it relates to the #ChuchToo movement and the cover-up of sexual abuse within the church。 It’s a powerful call that， given Christian patriarchy’s bad fruit， we must seriously consider if it is part of the true vine。For me， there can be no doubt: Jesus presents women as ministry leaders。 I am writing this article one week before Christmas—an event in which the central characters are women。 Elizabeth and Mary preach the Gospel as Zechariah and Joseph are silent。 At Easter， it is the women who preach the Good News to the men。 Bookending Jesus’s earthly ministry is incontrovertible proof that women can preach and teach and lead。 The Making of Biblical Womanhood deconstructs patriarchal thinking and portrays it as the harmful system it is。 。。。more
Dorothy Greco
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This is a searing indictment of the church regarding how contemporary church leaders have misused Scripture to subordinate women。 Barr's historical expertise coupled with the many examples of women who served as leaders/teachers in the 1st century church expose the fallacy and misogyny that fuel rigid complementarianism。 It's a bold and empowering book and one that makes me wonder if maybe， just maybe， we might create a church where men and women ate truly equal。 This is a searing indictment of the church regarding how contemporary church leaders have misused Scripture to subordinate women。 Barr's historical expertise coupled with the many examples of women who served as leaders/teachers in the 1st century church expose the fallacy and misogyny that fuel rigid complementarianism。 It's a bold and empowering book and one that makes me wonder if maybe， just maybe， we might create a church where men and women ate truly equal。 。。。more
Richard Propes
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"Biblical Womanhood" is not， in fact， biblical。 This is the key message that flows throughout Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr's informative and engaging "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth，" due to be released by Baker Academic & Brazos Press in April 2021。 If you know me， you won't be surprised that I embrace this key message。 It's a key message that acknowledges historical truths， truths of which Barr is well aware， and yet it's als "Biblical Womanhood" is not， in fact， biblical。 This is the key message that flows throughout Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr's informative and engaging "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth，" due to be released by Baker Academic & Brazos Press in April 2021。 If you know me， you won't be surprised that I embrace this key message。 It's a key message that acknowledges historical truths， truths of which Barr is well aware， and yet it's also a key message that faces passionate rejection to this day by many within conservative evangelical circles。 The simple truth is that "Biblical Womanhood，" or the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives， virtuous mothers， and joyful homemakers， is less about biblical adherence and far more about the ways that human civilization creeps its way into church teachings and church polity and church practice。 To read "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" is to take a journey through not only biblical history， but also Beth Allison Barr's own journey。 She weaves together beautifully historical truths and personal testimony， taking us through precise historical moments that perpetuated the continuation of biblical womanhood while also giving us glimpses， at times quite painful ones， of her own journey within evangelical complementarianism and the moments that finally made it all fall apart for her。 I certainly do not understand what it feels like to be a woman in ministry。 However， as a person with a disability who has served in ministry I do have some understanding of the societal blinders that cause the gifts of many to be rejected or minimized。 Because of a body that seldom acts like I wish it would act， I have a very clear understanding of what it feels like to have my ability questioned。 Over and over and over again。 I suppose I'm glad that， somehow， I grew up differently。 It's weird， really。 I grew up a Jehovah's Witness， a denomination that certainly did not embrace women in leadership roles。 Yet， I also grew up with spina bifida， a disability that caused me to have well over 50 surgeries before I was 18-years-old and to be told repeatedly that I could never survive and never thrive。 Quite honestly， I survived because of the skill and the strength and the passion and the tenderness of women。 While I certainly had males who treated me， much of my childhood was spent around female nurses and aides who believed in me when no one else did。 I thrived because they refused to allow me not to thrive。 Once I was away from the Jehovah's Witnesses， though I should say kicked out for the first of what would be two experiences with churches telling me to leave， I began to realize there was a different kind of God I'd never experienced。 By my early 20's， I joined a small interfaith church led by a former nun who would mentor me and whose church would eventually ordain me。 It was the first of several experiences of women in ministry that made me study and learn and seek to understand。 Just this past year， as I entered a hospital for what would be my third amputation， I recall the steady presence of Rev。 Anastassia， an incredible minister whose presence stays with me even as she has departed for a pastoral position on the East Coast。 "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" made me shout。 It made me ache。 Like Barr， I understand what it's like to stay someplace because it's familiar and safe and family and the alternative is scary。 I also understand what it's like to kick myself for doing so。 "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" is extraordinarily researched， yet it's equally as remarkable in its transparency and vulnerability and absolute presence。 Barr refuses to hide behind her choices， acknowledging all those little difficult places in her journey that helped her finally reach this point of say "No more。" She shares the journey of her life， her college days and her marital journey including a journey with her husband that is best experienced through her own words but is quite revealing and memorable。 There are very few writers， Kate Bowler perhaps being one of the best， who can so expertly weave together such precise and comprehensive research along with rich， emotionally resonant personal testimony。 The beauty and the power of "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" is that it does both in abundance。 "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" goes beyond the exploration of Greek grammar into the realms of ancient， medieval， and modern history to explore the cultural influences that created and continue to foster biblical womanhood。 She weaves in stories from her own experiences as a Baptist pastor's wife and， appropriately so， explores the #ChurchToo movement and the abuse controversies that have plagued Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical movement。 Beth Allison Barr theologically smashes the patriarchy， yet she does so in a way that is far from malicious and， in fact， is quite loving。 She's simultaneously someone you'd love to sit down to have coffee with， yet you're acutely aware she's so intelligent that you'd probably not understand a good majority of what she's saying。 Until it clicks。 And it will。 It will because even in her writing she works to make things accessible and understandable。 You can feel it in her teaching， as well。 She knows what she knows， but she truly wants you to understand it。 It's really quite extraordinary。 In all likelihood， "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" is my final book in what has been an active year of reading。 It is a book I was excited to read and it's a book that not only lived up to my expectations but surpassed them。 From beginning to end， I found myself engaged and informed， emotionally involved and even a little entertained。 At times， I set the book aside so I could chew on her words for a bit。 Likewise， at times I set the book aside so I could look things up and understand even more。 I already embraced women in ministry and leadership prior to reading "The Making of Biblical Womanhood，" but Barr helped me develop a stronger academic and theological argument to support my beliefs and to inform others。 She also challenged me to become an even better and more outspoken Christian， a Christian who not only believes in ministry and leadership for women and others but someone who actively engages and empowers those with gifts who are often left on the sideline by the Church。 There's so much that I loved about "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" and I look forward to sharing it with my circle and following Barr's teachings and writings for years to come。 。。。more
Hannah F
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“Evidence shows me how Christian patriarchy was built， stone by stone， throughout the centuries。 Evidence shows me how， century after century， arguments for women’s subordination reflect historical circumstances more then the face of God。 Evidence shows me that just because complementarianism uses biblical texts doesn’t mean it reflects biblical truth。 Evidence shows me the trail of sin and destruction left in the wake of teachings that place women under the power of men。 Evidence shows me， thro “Evidence shows me how Christian patriarchy was built， stone by stone， throughout the centuries。 Evidence shows me how， century after century， arguments for women’s subordination reflect historical circumstances more then the face of God。 Evidence shows me that just because complementarianism uses biblical texts doesn’t mean it reflects biblical truth。 Evidence shows me the trail of sin and destruction left in the wake of teachings that place women under the power of men。 Evidence shows me， throughout history， the women who have always known the truth about patriarchy and who have always believed that Jesus sets women free。。。isn’t it time for all of us to be free？” Wow wow wow。 I blew through this book in less than 24 hours because I could not stand to put it down。 Barr has traced the history of Christianity and made a compelling argument that “biblical womanhood” has little to do with what the Bible says and much to do with what culture says。 I had the privilege of reading an advanced， digital copy of this book but I look forward to purchasing a physical copy upon its release。 。。。more
Kelley Mathews
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