A Review of Lost Women of the Bible
(by
Carolyn Custis James; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005;
239 pages)
To what extent are the
ideas of women’s roles steeped in the humanly conceived
traditions of the Christian subculture? This is the
essential question being considered in Carolyn Custis
James’ (CCJ) latest work, Lost Women of the
Bible. In ten
chapters, CCJ examines the life roles of women in the
Bible, beginning with Eve and concluding with the Women
of Philippi. CCJ encourages the reader to reflect on how
women's roles today may be defined by the traditions of
the current Christian subculture and not by scriptural
mandate as she shows was often the case for the women of
Scripture.
I especially admire
CCJ's treatment of the biblical narratives of Sarah and
Hagar. This accounting is helpful in establishing that,
not only was the culture of that time partly responsible
for Sarah's sense of urgency to give Abraham a son, but
that succumbing to the pressure to fulfill that role was
to the detriment of the human dignity of other persons –
namely, Hagar and her son.
Instead of drawing
her identity and purpose from God, Sarah fell into the
same trap that catches the rest of us. She
listened to the voices of her culture, her
circumstances, and the people around her who were
telling her who she was, what would make her life
fulfilling, and how she could contribute. (p.80)
The story of Hannah is
yet another biblical story that does anything but
resonate with contemporary concepts of womanhood.
Imagine spending years going through infertility
treatment, wanting to desperately to have a child to
love and adore, finally conceiving only to give that
child to another couple to adopt as a pure act of
service. This isn't exactly what happened to Hannah, but
its close. CCJ notes that what was on Hannah's heart and
mind was not merely the need to fulfill her own desire
to be a mother, but rather to serve God by giving back
to God what was given to her—her son, Samuel. Of course,
it’s true that all things belong to God, including our
children, and that there is a distinct principle that we
can draw from Hannah’s life about how what we believe
about God correlates directly with how we live our
lives. From the time she conceives through the period in
which she gives up her son, we see a woman who seeks God
and unremittingly worships him.
Lost Women of
the Bible clearly articulates the nature of the cultural mandate –
that from the beginning both men and women were both
created in the image of God to “rule and subdue
together” (p. 159). For women who are lost in the
Church, perhaps not fulfilling the expected role of wife
and mother because they are single and career-oriented
or even pursuing education, this is a breath of fresh
air. The examples of Tamar and Esther make perfectly
clear that the call to action from God is sometimes
without a male counterpart taking the lead, but
ultimately dependent upon her obedience to step out in
faith. This is a must-read for all of us who hear the
call, for such a time is this…
