A conversation with Dr. Beth Allison Barr
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“Biblical womanhood” is the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers. From career choices to local church roles to important relationships, the everyday lives of millions of women —and men— in North American Christianity are shaped by this belief.
But in her paradigm-shifting book The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth, Baylor University historian Dr. Beth Allison Barr explains why biblical womanhood isn’t as biblical as we’ve been told. She shows how this belief is a product of human civilization, not a divine ordination. Her timely book provides needed context for contemporary teachings about women’s roles in the church, providing us all a path forward out of a debate that has devolved into a quagmire.
In the first half of this conversation, Beth shares some of the history of women’s roles in the church and home that many American Christians are unaware of. Then, Mark and Beth discuss the real-world implications of gender hierarchy —including widespread abuse and the crisis of masculinity plaguing complementarian church culture— and the hope of what a better future could look like.
Show Notes
Purchase your copy of The Making of Biblical Womanhood
Discover additional resources on women in church history
Read Mark’s review of The Making of Biblical Womanhood and some of his thoughts on complementarian church culture
The New Stealth Translation: ESV - a critique by biblical scholar Scot McKnight
Saying Farewell to the ESV - a critique by Rachel Green Miller
Follow Beth on Twitter: @bethallisonbarr
Follow Mark on Threads: @markhackett
