#Rethink - May 2021

#Rethink - May 2021

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It's May! This month we are rethinking Biblical womanhood, exploring a Jesus who hunts people down, and pondering the Holy Spirit.

What if Biblical Womanhood isn't Really Biblical?

"Complementarianism is about patriarchy, and patriarchy is about power. Neither have ever been about Jesus...Jesus set women free a long time ago. Isn't it finally time for evangelical Christianity to do the same? Go, be free!"  

Is it a spoiler when I share the last few sentences of the book with you first? I mentioned The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr in April's newsletter. Since then I've had a chance to read it and it's just as wonderful as I hoped it would be. As a historian, professor, and historical Christian, Beth Allison Barr tears apart the complementarian idea of Biblical womanhood that many of us are familiar with and/or have personally experienced. She explains Greek and Roman culture as we seek to understand the Apostle Paul, gives examples of women who were leaders in the early Christian church, and points to the over arching themes of Scripture as she demonstrates that there is no such thing as Christian patriarchy.

What I most appreciated about the book (besides how it set me free) was that Beth is orthodox in her Christianity. She isn't speaking from a place of personal emotion or opinion, but from solid evidence. Like me, she just wants to share the truth about humanity, God, and the church rather than mere Christianese tradition. 

• What if there is solid evidence of women serving in the early church as deacons and apostles?

• What if Paul's epistles get turned upside down when read through the lens of the Roman paterfamilias?

• What if men and women are to be equal co-heirs of the Kingdom?

Everyone needs to read this book. I'll even include a link so you can order it. 😀 If you want to hear more of my thoughts I talk about it in this podcast episode.

"I began to feel I was being...hunted?"
Paul Kingsnorth

"It kept happening, for months. Christ to the left of me, Christ to the right. It was unnerving. I turned away again and again, but every time I looked back, he was still there. I began to feel I was being . . . hunted? I wanted it to stop; at least, I thought I did. I had no interest in Christianity. I was a witch! A Zen witch, in fact, which I thought sounded pretty damned edgy. But I knew who was after me, and I knew it wasn’t over."

This personal essay by English writer and thinker Paul Kingsnorth is one of the most fascinating things I've read in a long time. It's lengthy and took me a few sittings to finish, but that was fine with me because of how much I longed to just ponder his experience. If you want to hear the story of an unlikely convert who was literally hunted by the Holy Spirit, then grab a cup of coffee or your drink of choice and dive in. You won't be sorry! It’s literally incredible. 
 

"In the end, though, I didn’t become a Christian because I could argue myself into it. I became a Christian because I knew, suddenly, that it was true."

Speaking of the Holy Spirit...

I had a friend recently ask me why I always reference Jesus instead of the Holy Spirit -- why I talk about meeting Jesus and talking with Jesus, etc. "Why don't you talk about the Holy Spirit?" she asked, "Isn't that who is here with us anyway?"

She's not wrong.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized that the member of the Godhead who rescued me from my cult, pulled me into a relationship with Himself, and has continued to guide and strengthen me was actually the Holy Spirit and not technically Jesus at all. You can read more about my discovery in this blog post: The Missing Member of the Trinity. 

I've taken that question from my friend as a challenge. Too often Christians seem to either ignore the Holy Spirit or try to manipulate Him. I want to know Him, acknowledge the Holy Spirit for who He is, and give Him the recognition He deserves. I want to experience the fullness of being one with the Spirit. What does that even mean? I don't know, but I'll keep you posted on how it goes. 😆
 

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Thanks for taking a moment to #Rethink some of our religious traditions and beliefs. I know that it can be scary to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith, but finding the Real Jesus is absolutely worth it. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or comments.

If you know someone who would love to #rethink, please share!
 
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