Second, she demonstrates how Scripture teaches women to function as necessary allies. As necessary allies, women (1) warn men to turn away from evil like Abigail; (2) are cobelligerents against evil enemies like Esther; (3) mediate the Word of the Lord like Miriam; (4) give wise instruction and counsel like Priscilla; (5) collaborate in service to others; (6) respond to God as examples of faithfulness; and (7) influence men from a gift of empathy and relatedness. The list provides helpful categories of what responsibilities being a necessary ally entails. To do the opposite is to become little women and only endangers the health of the church.
What role do women have in the church? How does the fact that we are women shape our Christian living? What does it even mean to be a Christian woman? Is it different from being a Christian man? How can women contribute in their churches with their gifts?
I have been stuck on these questions for quite a while now. As a woman pursuing a Ph.D. in a seminary, I am often faced with the reality that opportunities for women in the theological world are limited. In typical Korean churches, according to its cultural norm, I am expected to be either in the kitchen or in the nursery room, chatting with other women about recipes and children. Talking about theology or important matters of the church are reserved for men. To engage in such discussions would be considered as overstepping my boundary.
Hence, as it is for all Christian women, the questions I raised in the beginning are personal questions that call for answers based on solid biblical teaching. And this is why I found Aimee Byrd’s new book, No Little Women: Equipping All Women for God’s Household so helpful. It is not another how-to book that instructs Christian women what to do and what not to do, often limiting women to domestic roles as a wife and a mom, but it paints an overall picture of what value women have in the broader perspective of God’s kingdom.
Throughout the book, Byrd emphasizes the importance of equipping “competent, theologically minded, thinking women” (138). The key to her argument is based on her interpretation of the word “helper” (Hebrew ezer) in Gen. 2:18 to mean “necessary ally.” Women derive their value from being created in the image of God and they are called to be necessary allies to the men in carrying out God’s mission. She not only encourages women to take this calling seriously, but also urges church officers and elders to train women towards that goal. Included in the book are sections directly addressing the church officers and sections directly addressing the women. This strategy allows both men and women to learn from the book and to engage in discussions concerning this important topic. She writes, “I would love for this book to help build up the entire church, both brothers and sisters in God’s household” (22).
The author begins by pinpointing some problems in women’s ministries. She raises her concern that women’s ministry is becoming “a back door for bad doctrine to seep into the church” (22). Women are influential in both the church and their homes as necessary allies. When women do not recognize this calling and remain susceptible to sin, they can easily fall prey to false teachings. They may be “always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” Paul refers to these theologically immature women as “little women” in 2 Timothy 3:6-7, which is where Byrd gets her title. We do not want to be “little women,” but instead we want to strive to become theologically competent and discerning women.
The irony, however, is false teachings that deceive women often come from some of the more trustworthy places, such as Christian bookstores and parachurch organizations. Bad theology pervades top-selling books marketed for women. These books tend to reduce Christian theology to domestic roles, sentimentalism, and mysticism. Byrd warns elders and pastors to be aware of this theological climate and invites them to invest in the women of the church by overseeing the materials used in women’s ministries. She also challenges the women to be good discerning theologians. For, she rightly argues, good theology is critically important to both men and women. Together, men and women are to be equipped based on the solid teaching of God’s Word so that they can carry out God’s mission in the family and the church, preparing for the new heavens and the new earth with Christ as our head.
So then, what can we do? Where do we look for a solution? Byrd makes a few suggestions.
The post Book Review: No Little Women by Aimee Byrd appeared first on The Aquila Report.
