Customer Reviews

Lost Women of the Bible: Finding Strength & Significance through Their Stories

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Having been a feminist Evangelical Christian for many years (yes, such creatures do exist!), I've read plenty of books on women and the Bible, women in the Bible, and what the Bible says about women. Having had a long break on this subject, I decided to jump back in with this book.

One of the greatest strengths of this book is the author's look at a variety of women and attempting to flesh out their lives. I appreciate her perspective as someone who truly longed to have her life fit the traditional wife and mother role, yet found herself disappointed and confused when that didn't happen. Although my personal path has been different -- I'm ambivalent on the idea of perhaps someday having a husband and kids (and having worked with kids for a few years I find myself even more convinced that they're great for awhile, but then I'm ready to send them home); this was in fact one of the reasons I became a feminist (I got so frustrated with people telling me that I must LONG to be married and have kids when I did not in fact have this desire, and felt God calling me in other directions, at least for the time being) -- I could appreciate the hard questions she asked herself. Furthermore, I appreciated some of her responses. Throughout history, countless women have ended up living their whole lives without ever becoming a wife or mother. Some longed to but never received that joy; others felt no particular interest or knew they were called in other directions. Many of those women were genuine Christians trying to follow God. Logically, if these two paths were God's only calling for women, why did some never get that chance? And why were many of the women who never did get the chance still considered holy followers of God?

I also enjoyed the women she looked at. Some of the women -- Sarah, Esther, and the two Marys, among others -- are frequently written about or discussed. Others get more scant mention. I think my favorite chapter was about Hagar. I have long loved her, and loved the way that God turned His gaze towards a lowly slave considered just property by her owners. The chapter on Tamar was also good, although a part of me was a bit surprised. I hadn't heard many comments about her, and although at one point in time I had thought she hadn't acted well I eventually came to the conclusion that she was acting in the most righteous way she could see (note that she doesn't pretend to be a prostitute until years of waiting have shown her she has no other option, and she doesn't linger to find a few more customers just in case she didn't get pregnant from Judah; she very deliberately enticed one of two men -- the other being Judah's third son -- that was legally required to provide what she had to get by tricking him). It surprised me to hear that Tamar had such a bad reputation in many Christian circles. Be that as it may, I felt like the author did a good job of drawing out the specific circumstances in her life and pointing out that although her exact methods might no longer be appropriate, her desires and ultimate motives do provide a positive example.

I only had one major criticism of the book (well, two, but the second is merely a matter of personal taste). Much of her fleshing out of the biblical characters came from logical consideration of both the text and of the way that humans usually act. None of her conclusions and guesses were far-fetched. Sometimes, however, she forgot that they were guesses and called them facts. For example, she wrote that "Hannah always felt the enormity of her sacrifice, as any mother would." Or about Mary Magdalene that, "Mary wasn't seeking Jesus.... Mary was a demoniac... [who] wanted Jesus to go away." Or that, "No matter what happened afterward [i.e., after the Crucifixion], Mary never erased those horrifying images from her memory." Now, none of these surmises are false; in fact, I'm guessing they're true. Hannah undoubtedly felt Samuel's loss all her life. As the author points out, demoniacs in the Bible never sought Jesus out, and Mary probably didn't either. And I can't imagine being able to forget seeing one of your dearest friends tortured as Jesus was. None of these are bad assumptions. Assumptions, however, is the correct name for them. Had the author been more careful about this I would have been happier with the book (this is the reason for the 4 stars).

The other detail that I wished were changed was the women she dealt with. I had no problems with the ones she picked; I just wish she would have picked more! (this is probably a good sign about the quality of the book) As I read it, I kept making a list of other women I would like to have her include in "Lost Women of the Bible II". Some of them included: Rebeckah (sp?), Leah, Rachel, Dinah, the two Hebrew midwives, Miriam, Rahab, the murdered concumbine from Judges (along with Lot's daughters, actually; they could have their own chapter), Deborah (how could she have left out DEBORAH???), Abigail, Bathsheba, Priscilla, Tabitha/Dorcas, the woman at the well, and so on. I would even have liked a look at some of the REAL "bad girls" such as Delilah, Jezebel, or Israel's one reigning queen (Athaliah, I think); a look at their lives, their strengths, and how they used those strengths in sinful ways not intended by God (plus a look at the ways they've been used throughout the ages against women, and any positive lessons we can learn from them) would be interesting reading.

In general, I would highly recommend this book (I was spending most of my reading trying to figure out which friend I was going to loan it to first). It gives cause for thoughtful contemplation of women in the Bible, and what it means to be both a woman following her true God-given calling (which may include marriage and children, both good things given as gifts by God, but may not) and a man encouraging and being encouraged by women doing these things.

(by Carolyn Custis James; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005; 240 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...

I already loved Carolyn Custis James's writing after I read, "When Life and Beliefs Collide." (In fact, I require it in a seminary class I teach.) But after reading "Lost Women of the Bible" I'm convinced she is one of the most important voices in Christendom today. Through James's exporation of Esther, whom God used to rescue His people from genocide, we learn that God's design for woman is not to "be rescued by men" (as is often taught), but rather to partner with them. Through Tamar we see that a woman considered one of the bad girls of the Bible is actually a shining example of loyal love. James guides the reader to look afresh at these and other key Bible characters. In the process she helps both women and men see who God made them to be and how they are designed to interact. Hers is an important message for any era.

Sandra Glahn, author, The Coffee Cup Bible Series

New and fresh insights into the lives of these lost women of the Bible encourage me to follow Christ with great confidence and trust in the Lord. Carolyn Custis James so clearly shows me my high calling as a woman to be an image bearer, an ezer and a partner in the Blessed Alliance to further God's kingdom. The answer to her question, "why Satan's temptation was so overpowering" to Eve, was an "aha!" moment for me and that one insight alone is well worth the price of the book. However, I couldn't tell you which woman's story had the most impact on me--they all touched my heart. The stories put together fan into flame a passion to fulfill my high calling so that God will be glorified in all the earth.

What a great book! I highly recommend it to both men and women. If we followed the truths of this book, I believe we would be answering Jesus' prayer in John 17 that we might all be one as the Father and Son are one so that the world would believe the Father sent Jesus into the world.

I pray that this book will be used to greatly impact men and women so that together we can more clearly bear His image and strongly help one another as we together advance the kingdom of God.

This little gem of a book has such clarity and liveliness that I would not hesitate to put it into the hands of a teen; at the same time, it contains such significant theological insights that it also belongs in the hands of clergy and those in professional ministry. And women of all ages who are thirsting for strong biblical role models will indeed find the "strength and significance" James promises in her sub-title.

The framework James uses to illuminate the stories of biblical women is set out in the book's first chapter on Eve. Because the full story of Eve has gotten so lost in the glare of her fall, tragically, it has been the partial story of the post-fall Eve that has set the church's agenda for women. James sets out to correct this, showing the exceedingly high expectations that constitute God's original "blueprint." What are these expectations? First, the woman is God's image bearer, God's vice regent. Second, the woman is the warrior/helper (ezer). Third, the woman is a full member of what James calls the "Blessed Alliance," the partnership of the man and woman as they together implement the cultural mandate.

The rest of the book shows the surprising truths that emerge from the stories of biblical women when viewed in light of these three big claims from creation. How did they live up to their identity as image bearers? What vital task did God entrust into the hands of these ezers? And, finally, did their relationships with the men in their lives (not just husbands and sons, but any key men in their stories) reflect the kind of partnership envisioned in Genesis 1:28 when "God blessed them"? The final chapter of the book-a study of the small church at Philippi, established because of the faith of a small group of God-fearing Gentile women-shows how God called his ezers into a Blessed Alliance with the Apostle Paul for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Even the unmarried Paul discovered that it was "not good for the man to be alone."

One of the strengths of this book is James' conviction that God truly meant what he said in Genesis 2 when He declared that, indeed, "it is not good for the man to be alone." By focusing not only on key women's individual stories, but also on how they are embedded in relationships with husbands, fathers, sons, cousins and co-laborers, James helps us to glimpse the fruitfulness that results when the "Blessed Alliance" between men and women is functioning as it was designed. Lost Women of the Bible gives rich food for reflection on how that Blessed Alliance might be restored in home, church and society today.

Carolyn Custis James' book offers hope to women who don't fit the traditional Christian woman mould (wife and mother and support to husband's ministry). She herself found that marriage and motherhood came very late and consequently she wrestled with her position and value within the church as a single woman; but these are not modern problems, she found many examples in the Bible of women who couldn't fit into those roles and yet had great value.

The author features women from both Old and New Testaments - Eve, Mrs Noah, Sarah, Hagar, Tamar, Hannah, Esther, Mary of Nazareth, Mary Magdalene and the women of Philippi - who have different stories of their contribution to God's plans. These stories also show the failures of the women as well as their successes and some, such as Tamar, are partially rehabilitated through a fresh look at the story. Many of these women struggled against cultural situations that are no longer relevant to our Western society and yet the underlying themes were all valid.

The book is well-written in a light and readable style with good scholarship underlying the historical settings. Each chapter has a study guide at the end so I imagine this book might work well for a women's group. The overall conclusion of so many of these stories is that women don't have to just be meek, mild, pure homemakers but can be strong warriors for God alongside their husbands, if they have them, or on their own. Definitely an encouraging read for any women who want to make a difference for God.

Has life ever turned out differently than you expected? If so, you're not alone. Carolyn Curtis James believes these moments of feeling lost --- when you're not quite sure of either who you are or what you're supposed to do --- are more common than we realize, both for the modern woman and the biblical woman. In LOST WOMEN OF THE BIBLE: Finding Strength & Significance Through Their Stories, James uses her passion for biblical background, culture and history to unlock hidden treasures in the lives of scripture's most well-known and unknown women.

The book takes an in-depth look at the lives of Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Hannah and Tamar, among others --- many of whose lives have been written about en masse before. But James adds fresh insights into each of their stories as she examines the social, emotional and physical challenges they faced in their day. She manages to dig deeply into Bible commentaries, theological thought and a variety of resources to add substance to the chapters. Then the author draws lessons and comparisons to our modern world.

One of the most unusual chapters in the book looks at the life of Noah's wife, a woman barely mentioned in the Bible. Yet James manages to draw rich lessons from her life without speculating too much. Her observations on rebuilding after a flood are particularly tender and timely in the wake of the recent hurricane season.

She writes: "When Mrs. Noah gazed out on the waters, did she dread what lay beyond? The losses? The mess of the aftermath? Did she groan at the thought of starting over again or sink beneath one last wave of depression? Mrs. Noah couldn't open a Bible, join a prayer group or seek a Christian friend to help her see this crisis. Those options didn't exist. Her only lifeline was her relationship with God. And God was making himself known to her in powerful ways if she only had eyes to see it."

The book rings with themes of women being image bearers of God, helpmates, and members of something James calls the "Blessed Alliance" in relationship with God and each other. These repetitive themes help make the text more cohesive.

Throughout the book James highlights the way the Bible affirms women as wives, mothers and leaders. Her emphasis on the strengths of women is balanced by her examination of each woman's weaknesses and character flaws as recorded in scripture. In the end, her well-balanced examination makes her case stronger that the Bible is abundantly affirming of women.

This book is extremely well-designed, using texture-rich fonts and a clean layout. Each chapter includes a key focus or lesson, suggested scripture passages to read, and a list of discussion questions. This addition makes it a solid resource for book clubs and women's small groups.

Overall, LOST WOMEN OF THE BIBLE is well-written and solid. Recommended to both new Christians and veterans of the faith.

--- Reviewed by Margaret Feinberg

I lead a women's bible study for 20 women. Lost Women of the Bible is a wonderful study filled with thought provoking ideas and questions for reflection. After every chapter we enjoy vibrant discussions of the study and the women in it. It has given us a new perspective on the role God has set forth for us.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I found it amazing how you were able to write down all the thoughts I could never verbalize. Thank you for showing me that I am in charge of defining my life and not allowing others define it for me.

Author Carolyn Custis James examines the lives of several women of the Bible and how their lesson can be applied to today's challenges. She examines how God uses women of the Bible in roles other than the traditional Biblical ones. The primary point of the book is that God can have plans for women other than as just a mother and wife. Throughout the book she selects women of perseverance, influence, courage, and strength who God used at critical points in history. Among these women are Eve, Noah's wife, Sarah, Hagar, Tamar, Hannah, Esther, Mary of Nazareth, Mary Magdelene, and the Women of Phillipi. These women had very important roles in life and in God's plans. Celebrate the God who will use everyone no matter what their sex if they are only willing to give their life to Him. Lost Women of the Bible is a recommended read.