GOD’S DESIGN FOR WOMEN IN AN AGE OF GENDER CONFUSION
By Sharon James
EP Books. 318 pages. £12.99
ISBN 978 1 783 972 630
Equality? Difference? How does God’s word speak to women today?
This timely new edition of Sharon James’ previous book (God’s Design for Women) has been thoroughly revised and updated, with much new material, in particular taking account of current cultural issues around gender identity. As the new title reminds us, we live ‘in an age of gender confusion’. How did we get here?
This new edition includes an outline of four waves of feminism from the late 19th century to the present day. While no doubt simplified, I found these summaries of stages of feminist thinking immensely helpful, enabling a more discerning biblical approach to modern thinking in this whole area. Within our families and churches, different age groups will have grown up with different assumptions and we all need help sifting the word from the world.
God’s good design for men and women is one of equality and complementarity, and the author considers how this works out in singleness, marriage, motherhood, work, the church, and ministry to and by women.
While clearly grounded in wide research, this book is immensely pastoral and sympathetic to the range of difficulties facing Christian women of all ages today. The gospel infuses all: realistic about sin and its wide-reaching consequences, sensitive to the associated sense of guilt and despair, and full of the glorious hope of the gospel, the wonder of forgiveness through Jesus’ death and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives.
While packed full of faithful biblical theology, this book seeks to minister into real women’s lives and offer a better vision from the Lord. We can feel oppressed and weighed down by the world’s quest for unattainable female perfection. Instead this book encourages us to find joy in trusting God and His good design, living by faith in what is eternal and unseen, not at the mercy of the transient and fading.
I particularly appreciated the author’s care in seeking to avoid cultural stereotypes and to stick to what the Bible teaches us. This is helped by illustrations from around the world which remind us that God’s word applies to us regardless of time or place.
Each chapter has been written to be self-contained and this, along with more detailed ‘Contents’ pages, enables the reader to dip into particular sections according to their interest. My own preference is always to read a book from cover to cover and there are surely benefits in appreciating the flow of the argument, but I shall certainly be revisiting several sections in the future, and recommending the book to others. If the whole book seems a little daunting to some, it is a help to be able to point to specific chapters of interest, in the hope and expectation that readers will be sucked in and want to read more.
I would commend this book to anyone (male or female) wishing to explore what the Bible says about women as equal to and yet different from men. If you read the previous edition, please read this too: there is much more here. Of the making of books there is no end, but thankfully Sharon James has read many of them for us, and has helpfully distilled much of that knowledge and insight into this eminently readable book. For those wishing to read and study further there are book suggestions, a full (and challenging) study guide, and comprehensive references.
Read, and praise God that He has made all things well.
