In honor of Women’s History Month, I encourage you to begin at the beginning and unpack the less than faithful theology you have inherited and ingested from less than faithful interpretations of God’s design and desire for women and men in Genesis 1-2 through Revelation. The church has helped us be confused about our calling, however God/Jesus/Holy Spirit are clear about calling women.
This (free) scholarly theological resource is the most downloaded PDF on our website: fuller.edu/womeninministry. While you’re at it, also download the Fuller Magazine dedicated to Women.
I remember my BFF and co-conspirator Bobby Harrison sending this to me back when I lived in Arkansas before seminary was even on my mind. It’s a joy to even be featured in the pics of the latest version.
Whether you’re a woman or man, read it, eat it, interrogate it, receive it. I’m not telling you what to think, I’m encouraging you to learn HOW to think critically. It impacts all of life even if you are not a woman called to pastoral ministry.
May you be firmly rooted in a theology of a God who created and calls women equally, like our brothers. May you be grounded in a theology that doesn’t see the curse as a blessing. May you see a redemptive arc of liberation in the life and love of Jesus as it pertains to women. May you read Paul in context and learn to use Jesus to filter Paul and not Paul to filter the life of Jesus.
As you can imagine, I’m passionate about this and have dedicated a large chunk of my pastoral calling to live into this redemptive reality. My co-pastor Bobby and I are planting a whole church on this biblical basis, and we have the scars and stories that come with following your convictions.
May you take the shackles off your feet so you can dance with the wild and wise Holy Spirit!