As we all know, Jacob (also called Israel) had twelve sons. You probably also know from the tragic story in Genesis 34 that Jacob had a daughter as well. Her name was Dinah, and she was born to Leah in Genesis 30.
But did you know that Jacob had other daughters?
If you didn’t, you’re in the majority. A first step to learning about the women of the Bible is focusing on the big names—Eve, Sarah, Deborah, Mary, Priscilla, etc. But it’s important to go further. It’s important to notice the numerous other Bible women, the ones who are easier to miss. Jacob’s daughters, like too many Bible women, often go unnamed, are mentioned only in passing, or both.
The Bible tells us twice that Jacob had daughters. After the (presumed) death of Joseph, we read, “...Read more
As egalitarians, we’ve all cringed at certain wedding traditions. There’s the practice of a father “giving away” his daughter—as if daughters are property to be transferred from one man to another. There are the wedding vows in which the bride promises to “submit to and obey” her husband. Then, there’s the announcement of couples as Mr. and Mrs. [insert just the husband’s full name]. These are just to name a few.
Not all tradition is bad; honoring the past can be a beautiful thing. I also have no judgment for any woman who wants her dad to walk her down the aisle or takes her husband's last name. Each of us gets to decide what traditions we do and don’t incorporate in our day. Yet I do think egalitarian couples have a unique...Read more
At eight years old, I realized that—even if I started that very moment—I would never be able to reach every person in the whole world with the love and grace of Jesus. This was devastating to my young self because I earnestly desired that other people would know what I knew, experience what I had experienced, and love the Jesus I loved. What started as an urgent spark in an eight-year-old’s heart to see others encounter the transforming, life-altering power of Jesus grew into a passionate flame.
Fast forward almost twenty years: I was studying theology, working at a church, and raising my young son. I’d long ago accepted my calling and was pursuing that spark from my childhood into pastoral ministry. With vigour and confidence, I began the formal process to become...Read more
“We did not find the relationship abusive. We also do not believe that there is need for church discipline [...] We found a deep level of insecurity and unhealthy expectation for [your partner] to fill your need for love and security. In prioritizing your relationship above all things, even your own well-being, you made an idol of [your partner]. This set you up for deep hurt and pain, as only God is the one who is able to make us a whole and complete person. We also found that you held onto anger and resentment in the relationship, despite your ‘quick forgiveness’ during the relationship. There is still bitterness in you from what you experienced, and we are concerned that you not let this root of bitterness remain and cause you to miss the grace of God, as the Scripture...Read more
Recently, my church group of married couples in our thirties discussed gender roles in marriage and the church. Not surprisingly, all the other couples voiced a belief in male headship, female submission, and complementarian gender roles. For those unfamiliar with the term, complementarians assert that God designed men to serve as leaders in their families/churches, and women’s role is to support men. My husband and I were the lone couple to hold different beliefs in mutual submission, equal leadership, and an egalitarian understanding of marriage.
I’m struck lately by how many young Christian couples claim to be complementarian but their day-to-day marriage routine looks similar to mine. This is especially surprising because I live in the South, where you might expect couples...Read more
The evangelical purity movement of the 90s and early 2000s is a hot topic among Christians today. More and more women (and men) raised in purity culture are sharing their stories of trauma, dysfunction, and abuse.
Born in 1992, I grew up during the shimmery golden age of the evangelical purity movement. Purity culture is a strange beast. Initially intent on constructing a helpful sexual ethic for Christians, it instead produced oddities like purity balls, where girls accepted “True Love Waits” rings and promised their fathers they’d remain virgins until marriage.
Purity culture also set impossible standards for evangelical girls, planting the seed of self-hate when we didn’t measure up. Many of us came to regard our bodies with suspicion and even to outright rejec...Read more
Many Christians believe that strict gender roles—men lead and women submit—are God-ordained. They attempt to find support for this claim in Genesis, pointing to “creation order.” Some argue that because God made Adam before Eve, Adam occupies a special position and wields authority over her.
Historically, many have suggested that Eve’s creation from a “rib” makes her Adam’s inferior. You may hear the term “helpmate” to describe Eve’s supposedly submissive orientation toward Adam. Some in Christian history have extrapolated from “creation order” that women do not bear the image of God. It’s rare today to claim this belief outright, but it persists in the idea that Eve was created for Adam—and therefor...Read more
Editor's note: This is one of our Top 20 CBE Writing Contest winners. Enjoy!
Not too long ago, a Christian men’s group was established in my community. Its stated goal was to help men become “better men.” They planned to achieve this goal by providing men with opportunities for outdoor adventures and thought-provoking conversation. As the group was launching, I began to think more about masculinity and specifically what makes “a better man.” I wondered: what about all of the men who don’t get hyped at the prospect of camping, axe-throwing, or playing paintball? It seemed to me that if outdoor adventure is fundamental to becoming “better men,” those of us who enjoy cooking and volunteering in the church nursery miss the mark. Then,...Read more
Editor's note: This is one of our Top 20 CBE Writing Contest winners. Enjoy!
I was raised in Christian purity culture. I proudly wore my “True Love Waits” ring. I read Joshua Harris’s Christian cult classic, I Kissed Dating Goodbye. And today, I’m a psychologist and a vocal critic of purity culture. The evangelical purity movement—born in the 1990s and still alive today—uses false promises, misinformation, and shame to persuade people to abstain from sex.
When I was nearing thirty and in a committed relationship (with my now-husband), I questioned why I should wait. Purity culture had failed me: God hadn’t brought me a prince at an early age as I had been promised. I was beginning to realize that purity culture encourages Christians to...Read more
Two weeks ago, I learned that my beloved young church—planted in 2016—is dissolving. After a spirited three year-run, our pastor ran out of emotional gas and our church ran out of money and denominational support. Looking back, the signs were clear: consistent calls for more volunteers; repeated appeals for increased giving; and lots of prolonged meetings about church vision.
I received an email the Monday after the decision was made, summing up our dilemma: Our pastor couldn’t work three jobs anymore. We had money to fund just six months of church operations, and no sign that our income would magically increase. Caught in a tough corner, the leadership team made the impossible decision to close our doors.
It’s a jolting end to a very sweet season for me. I feel l...Read more
