Book Review: Is the Bible Good for Women?

Is the Bible Good for Women? by Wendy Alsup

2016 & 2017 have been weird years for women. Especially Jesus-loving, Bible-believing women. This election cycle has forced those women closest to me to really think about what being a woman means in light of our spiritual and personal beliefs.

Once I had children, I decided to start seeking Biblical knowledge for myself rather than just absorbing what I heard from others. I read the entire Bible through in a year, and I read book after book by female Christians. Both of which allowed me to ask hard questions and seek truth.

This is why I was immediately drawn to the book Is the Bible Good for Women? by Wendy Alsup. After reading some incredible memoirs by Rachel Held Evans and Sarah Bessey, I thought it was time to take a strictly Biblical look at the Bible’s view of womanhood. This is exactly what Is the Bible Good for Women? is – a strictly Biblical take on a subject that is becoming more controversial year after year.

Wendy Alsup does a nice job of presenting Biblical evidence to show that not only does God love women, He affirms women and He calls them according to His purpose. She confronts some of the more difficult parts of the Bible we often skip past (and certainly do not hear preached from the pulpit) such as Dinah’s story, rape laws, and Paul’s letters regarding women in church leadership. I appreciated her approach – she sticks to scripture defending or explaining scripture rather than using outside resources.

One of the most helpful parts of the book was her discussion of descriptive and prescriptive texts. When people use descriptive verses or passages from the Bible to prescribe behavior, they have missed the mark. This was the first time I have heard it explained this way. She also discusses cultural context in relation to some of these more controversial passages which provides some of the essential background necessary for interpretation.

With that being said, this book is very academic. It is not a book I would pass on to non-believers or even people new in their faith because it is heavy-handed. Alsup provides tons of Biblical information – and an in-depth Biblical study is not easy for most. While the title focuses on women, most of the book strives to explain that the Bible alone is good.

Furthermore, this book is not a memoir. She seldom discusses her own personal experiences as a Christian woman. If you are looking for a light read, this is not it. However, if this is a topic you are interested in and are struggling with, I encourage you to read the book to gain a comprehensive understanding.

PS. Alsup's answer is YES.

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I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.