June 21, 2021

The Gospel Versus Patriarchy: Ruth and Esther Have Something to Say

Of the sixty-six books in the Bible, thirty-eight are named for men. Only two are named for women—Ruth and Esther. Both stories put male power and female powerlessness on a frightening collision course, and both stories are instructive to the church as we address the current global #MeToo/#ChurchToo pandemic of violence against women and children.

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Review: Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church

Title: Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church Author: Diane Langberg Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, a division of Baker Publishing Group Pages: 199 plus end notes Reviewer: Susan S. Baker We have been hearing more and more about abuse in all types of settings—families, businesses, children’s groups like the BSA, politicians,

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Review: Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

Title:  Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation Author:  Kristin Kobes Du Mez Publisher:  Liveright Publishing Company, a division of W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. Pages:  304 Reviewer:  Carolyn Custis James In 2016, many observers were stunned at evangelicals’ apparent betrayal of their own values. In reality,

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Review: A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing

Title: A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing Authors: Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer Publisher: Carol Stream IL: Tyndale House Publishers Pages: 222 plus end notes For those of us who have been a part of the white evangelical church for decades sex scandals and abuses

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Healing from the Bitter Past: A New Way Forward for the Korean American Church

Photo: Chesiyuan at the English-language Wikipedia The Painful History I cleared my voice before I greeted my pastor friend on the phone and said, “I’m calling to ask about the issues between first- and second-generation Korean churches.” My friend took a beat and replied, “Isn’t it interesting that you assume that there are issues?” I

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