The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr

 The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr - 244 pages

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.

Saints (Boxers & Saints #2) by Gene Luen Yang

Saints (Boxers & Saints #2) by Gene Luen Yang-170 pages

This is the second and final book in the Boxers & Saints series by Gene Luen Yang. The first looked at the Boxer Rebellion from the point of view of a young male Boxer. This looked at it from the perspective of young "Saint" girl who feels she has no place in her Chinese family. She is the fourth child and a girl, so she is looked down upon. She meets Father Bey and other Christians and becomes a Christian and changes her name to Vibiana. She is killed by the young Boxer boy name Lee Bao from the first book in the series. Yang humanizes the story of the Boxer Rebellion and shows that atrocities were committed by both sides, some thinking that it was the right and justified thing to do, even though it probably wasn't. Many atrocities have been done in the name of God and against Christians over the centuries and still today. The series was interesting and sad, but I am glad to have read it.