Book Review: Jesus Feminist an Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s View of Women

I guess I need to disclose right from the beginning, that this book sat by my bedside for almost nine months. For those who are familiar with my school schedule, know that when I am taking classes, I don’t find much time for anything else, and that includes any supplemental reading. It was my dear friend, Lucille, who introduced me to Sarah’s blog, and after reading a few of her blog posts I decided to subscribe to her blog and tucked her posts away and read them when I could. When the book came out I was very ambivalent about even reading it, for I wasn’t sure if I was really ready to read a “church” book. My journey towards healing from the churches we have attended has traversed many hills and valleys and I felt like I was finally getting somewhere. And then the new issues of abuse that surfaced in the last few months that seemed to send my heart reeling once again. However, this last semester so many things happened that really prepared me for this book. I was given constructive and encouraging feedback from my professors and faculty this last semester to pursue working with women and children that come from various forms of abuse; both professors called it my life’s work. Their affirming words helped pave the way for me to read this book. 

I hope it will affirm and encourage you in the manner you need for the season that you are in.

For those who haven’t read one of my book reviews, a large portion of my review includes the places where the author touched my soul, for me, that matters much more than style.  One last thing, I couldn’t help but read this book from a sociological perspective, not just from a spiritual one. Right from the start I saw a consensus perspective which Durkheim believed as why societies stayed together, maybe that is because I have studied him so much, I see him everywhere. J That being said, I see this same spirit in this book; Sarah’s perspective is all about consensus instead of conflict and for me, this is so refreshing.

My Top Ten reasons why I think this book should be read:

1.       Sarah addresses such a wide audience. Having many friends in the writing field, and being a student the first thing one learns, is to know your audience. Well, the title Jesus Feminist has one leg one side of the fence and the other leg on the other side, and yet Sarah doesn’t sit on the fence, her intellectual and spiritual flexibility causes the reader to want to continue reading just to figure out how she is going to fuse what many would see as polar opposites. This is demonstrated in one of my favorite quotes from her, “Feminism is complicated and it varies for each person, much like Christianity.” (pg13)

2.      So let’s talk about feminism for a moment, I like her perspective of feminism as being egalitarian, which is not belittling one gender over the other. It doesn’t include hating men, calling them names or even burning your bra. If you feel the need to burn your bra, it most likely has something to do with wearing the wrong size, not a perspective on life, I am just saying. J Secondly, what I love about Sarah’s version of feminism is she takes away the quotation marks away. Let me explain. While reading a book about women in American history which changed my major from history to sociology, one of the authors put egalitarians in quotation marks, meaning that egalitarians really weren’t quite feminist enough. On the flip side attending patriarchal churches, women get put in quotation marks as being weaker, not as educated or the need to be as educated- I don’t want be “boxed in” or marked, thank you. We are women who believe that God sees and loves men and women equally. It is this type of feminism that Sarah goes teaches.

3.       Sarah also talks about those who believe in complementary vs. egalitarian, so here is my take: even if one doesn't quite agree with the egalitarian viewpoint, could the reader not gain some understanding of where the egalitarian stands? I believe so. Maybe not every reader will change how they believe by reading this book, but I do believe they have an opportunity to few this perspective from someone who writes with authenticity and humility. I believe those who lean more to the right or to the left have the opportunity to view women in church differently.

4.       From the beginning Sarah invites the reader to join her on the beach with a glass of wine or beverage, and by setting the tone of friendship, the theme of community is woven throughout the book from the beginning, which goes back to consensus. So many authors take one position and that is it, take it or leave it especially on a polarizing argument. (Here I would say she was being a great sociologist, finding neutral language and middle ground that both sides could at least see.)

5.       One of the most compelling reasons why I continued reading this book wasn’t due to all the great arguments, but for those that need all of the facts, I believe she does a great job with building excellent arguments and brings evidence to support her ideas. But for me, it was that this author wrote from places of pain ̶a heart that has been broken has such potential to reach readers after the author has walked through pain. This author speaks from those deep places of the heart and the soul. Many times, I was tearing up, because I could relate to the pain and shame that was sent from pulpits and from the pews. Gender codes and roles are describe in certain manners where much pain and frustration coincide. This is not just a church issue; it is a societal issue. We want to label things and put them in their place, for we crave a sense of order. But for those that don’t fit in those boxes and slots, this book will bring hope and healing.

6.     Living as one loved. This is a theme throughout the book and is really the heart of the book. For me, it brought back the trip that Chuck and I took before his accident and how loved I felt by spending time with him, uninterrupted time of fellowship, discovery, and passion. I was forever changed. For the longest time, I felt it was cruel that I had for such a short time feeling that loved. It wasn’t like Chuck didn’t love me, but the brain injuries changed everything and we are working not to go back to where we were, but to a new place. If as a wife I could understand that freedom, then reading this book only built upon the foundation which I felt had been forgotten. Knowing and understanding how loved, truly loved we are, brings such freedom that we find our voices and start helping others. Sarah describes this through many stories and metaphors that I believe speaks to many different women. In fact she talks about how frustrating it is to be lumped together, as if we all had the same passion or interests.

7.      Chapters five and seven are amazing! Maybe it isn’t fair to single out a couple of chapters, but these two spoke to me in such profound ways. “Dancing Warriors” and “A Narrative Reborn” these two chapters speak about being married and giving birth. I absolutely loved how she described the birthing process as a way to understand Christ, which can only come from a mother’s perspective. She reminds us about these stories in us, that need to be shared and told that will bring healing and comfort to others. Speaking of giving birth Sarah writes, “There is something godly in the waiting, in the mystery, in the fact that we are a part of it ̶ a partner with it but not the author of it” (pg 116).

8.       I love the fact that Sarah shies away from continuing the mommy wars, in fact she talks about each action that women give as a gift and that it shouldn’t be compared to others. This book is filled with beautiful, broad strokes of freedom and grace that encourages women to embrace who they were created to be. The performance driven mentality is taken away, and what is left is a sense of holiness that comes from doing the laundry to starting global ministries and everything in between.

9.       She speaks to the woman who ministers within her home, her church, her neighborhood, her state, country, and then globally. Each with a reverence and a blessing. I really can’t stress enough how she tries to erase these lines, boxes, and values that the church and society places on women. So much of history has been based upon how men see the world and we struggle to find affirmation in who we are, what we look like, and what we choose to do; Sarah affirms women and in doing so, she doesn’t put men down in the process. She shows how beautiful equal submission to one another looks like. She sees how so many women are silenced or pushed aside because of their gender and cannot fulfill what God has called them to do and how the church and the world are suffering because of this.

10.Getting to the last chapter is just wonderful. It is such a blessing. 

I would love to hear your feedback on the book or maybe a different book that has pointed the way to go in your life. When a book takes up residence within your heart, you know that you have to tell others.