Radical Womanhood

Photographing the Word

I'm off today to Minneapolis, where I'll be speaking at Northwestern College and Bethlehem Baptist Church over the weekend. I look forward to meeting the ladies there.

In the spirit of going to Minneapolis and talking about the Word, I'm referring you all to Justin Taylor's blog for a fascinating video and interview about the origins of the Bible. How does this relate? Well, I get to touch on both Minneapolis and the Word. I first met Justin when he worked for Desiring God in Minneapolis and now he is the project director for Crossway's ESV Study Bible, which I'm eagerly anticipating. Over the past several weeks, he has done a four-part interview with Daniel B. Wallace, Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. This interview touched on the history of the Bible, the accuracy of the Bible, and how he is preserving those manuscripts through digital photography. No doubt you've heard the charge that the Bible was copied many times and can't possibly be accurate. If so, I think you'll find Dr. Wallace's work to be quite intriguing and reassuring. Even if you don't have time to read this series, I would encourage you to take a few moments to watch the video and pray for this preservation work!

Part One: A Bizarre Illness and Recovery

Part Two: What Is the Earliest NT Manuscript?

Part Three: What is a Textual Variant?

Part Four: Digital Archiving

 

Recommended Viewing

There may be a long pause here on Solo Femininity. I'm traveling today to the United Kingdom. It's time for another mission video shoot. I know, I know. It's a tough job, but somebody has to visit picturesque England and Wales in the prime of summer. And you know what a servant I am. (By the way, those of you reading this blog who attend Sovereign Grace churches will see the final product during our Mission Presentation one Sunday in October. I also understand it will be available for purchase after that time in our online store. I'll keep you all posted, as you've read so much about this video already!)

In the meantime, I have a TV program to recommend to you. I watched it last night while packing and found it absolutely fascinating. It's called The Dead Sea: A Naked Planet Special, and it was running on my local PBS station. Here's the description in the program guide:

This program is one of a series of specials that takes the viewer on a journey of discovery to some of the world's most famous natural wonders. Drawing on the latest scientific information, the program tells the story of how the Dead Sea was created and investigates how human cultures have adapted to and been influenced by these areas. Looking into the future, the program shows how the Dead Sea is being changed by the impact of mass tourism, power projects and urban development.

At 1,400 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is one of the deepest places on Earth. It contains enough toxins in a single glass of water to kill a person. The sea was made famous in the Old Testament as the mythical location of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now, scientists are on the trail of the truth behind the myth of these lost cities and the fire and brimstone that destroyed them.

There were the usual references to an evolutionary worldview, but for a PBS program, it was stunningly honest and fair about all the biblical references. They showed the caves that King David hid in, talked about the desert where Christ wandered for 40 days and 40 nights, showed the area where Sodom and Gomorrah was supposed to be, and so on--all for the most part without the adjectives of "alleged" or "biblical myth" and the like. It was fascinating to see the locations mentioned in the Old Testament and to understand just how different the atmosphere and climate is at the Dead Sea. It makes the account of Lot's wife a lot easier to understand!

So while I'm gone, I recommend you check your local PBS listings for the next showing. My local station has been showing it periodically throughout the year. I didn't see that it was for sale yet on the PBS store, but if anyone finds out where it can be purchased, please let us know.

And if I can do so, I'll send you all an "e-postcard" from the U.K.

Another Find Confirms the Bible to be True

This just in from The New York Times: once again, archaeology is proving the Bible to be true.

In biblical lore, Edom was the implacable adversary and menacing neighbor of the Israelites. The Edomites lived south of the Dead Sea and east of the desolate rift valley known as Wadi Arabah, and from time to time they had to be dealt with by force, notably by the likes of Kings David and Solomon.

Today, the Edomites are again in the thick of combat — of the scholarly kind. The conflict is heated and protracted, as is often the case with issues related to the reliability of the Bible as history.

Chronology is at the crux of the debate. Exactly when did the nomadic tribes of Edom become an organized society with the might to threaten Israel? Were David and Solomon really kings of a state with growing power in the 10th century B.C.? Had writers of the Bible magnified the stature of the two societies at such an early time in history?

An international team of archaeologists has recorded radiocarbon dates that they say show the tribes of Edom may have indeed come together in a cohesive society as early as the 12th century B.C., certainly by the 10th. The evidence was found in the ruins of a large copper-processing center and fortress at Khirbat en-Nahas, in the lowlands of what was Edom and is now part of Jordan.

To read the rest of the article, visit the New York Times website. (You may have to register to use the site.)

An Inconvenient Woman

There seems to be nothing quite as puzzling as an unattached woman who is a committed disciple of Jesus. Where do you slot her? How does she fit in the bigger picture? Are you sure there's not a whiff of scandal about her?

Newsweek calls her "An Inconvenient Woman."

I think there are many of us who can identify with that label. But in this case, the article's subtitle provides the identity of this particular inconvenient woman: "She witnessed the resurrection, then vanished, leaving popes and painters and now 'The Da Vinci Code' to tell her story. In search of the real Mary Magdalene."

This was an interesting piece to read, if only to appreciate what ideas developed over time about Mary Magdalene (to wit, the incorrect label of prostitute). That said, I also have some reservations about this article. There are some theologically liberal biases revealed in those the reporter chose to interview, and one completely unnecessary graphic reference to Gnostic heresies about Jesus' relationship with Mary Magdalene--be forewarned. I'm not well-versed in church history so I can't comment on the accuracy of the reporter's research, though professional experience has taught me to read mainstream media's religious reports with skepticism.

However, I did appreciate this summary of Mary Magdalene's life:

Mary was always an inconvenient woman. Although the Gospel authors can't avoid her—mentioning her 13 times in the New Testament—they offer few details of her life. This was perhaps no accident: women were considered untrustworthy in the Roman world, and the Gospels, eager to make new converts, probably did not wish to highlight the fact that a woman was a key witness to their story of the Resurrection—a story that was already difficult enough to explain. The New Testament Gospels "tell us a woman called Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus and played a role around the time of his betrayal and resurrection," says Elaine Pagels, a professor of early Christian history at Princeton. "But beyond that they tell us very little about what her role really was."

Scholars have picked apart the few hints the New Testament provides. Many have interpreted Luke's observation that Mary and other women around Jesus "ministered unto him of their substance" as evidence that they provided the financial support for Jesus' ministry. But where would this money have come from? A marriage contract? A divorce settlement? An inheritance? A job? The Gospels provide no direction, but a sign that women played an essential role in Jesus' life.

Another vexing detail: Mary's name. Most New Testament women are identified by their relation to men (Mary the wife of Clopas, for example, is different from Mary the mother of James.) Yet the Magdalene is distinguished by her hometown, the port city of Magdala. No husband ever appears—an explanation, perhaps, for how she was able to travel freely with Jesus. Was she never married at all? "A freewoman who never married probably would have been exceedingly rare," says Ross Kraemer, a Brown University professor of religious studies. All the New Testament really tells us about Mary is that she entered Jesus' ministry as he preached throughout Galilee, that she had been possessed by seven demons but was no longer, and, of course, that she announced the Resurrection. We never learn her occupation, the color of her hair, if she was old or young, homely or beautiful.

Though I believe the author has it backward about the significance of Mary Magdalene's testimony being included in the Bible, I appreciate the simplicity of his summary. In the end, what is often considered so important about a woman is completely eclipsed by her shining example of faith and fidelity to the Lord.

May we all have similar summaries of our own lives--known more by the relationship we have with Jesus than the color of our hair or the way we appear!

(If you want to know more about Mary Magdalene, I would recommend the informative chapter about her in John MacArthur's Twelve Extraordinary Women, listed at right.)

A Window Into Christian History

I am in Charlotte, North Carolina, this weekend to speak at the Encounter '06 conference. My schedule is too full to "live blog" it--and uber-blogger Tim Challies is not here to do so himself! So while I'm gone, I will point you to a treasure I recently discovered: The collection of transcribed biographical sermons that John Piper has given about some historical heroes of the Christian faith. I've heard him preach some of these sermons in person, and they are informative, engaging, and provoking. Grab 'em while you can!

(Pictured above: Jonathan Edwards)

Luther, Feminism, Celibacy, and Marriage

This week I've been completing a message I'll give this Saturday, Lord willing, on the impact of feminism. I've been summarizing the philosophies and goals of the three waves of feminism. The first wave developed in the 19th century and, besides organizing for the right to vote (for which I'm grateful, by the way), one of this movement's main goals was to change the institution of marriage. Some early feminists charged Martin Luther with patriarchal oppression of women in marriage. But I don't know where they find merit for this charge. Even modern feminist historians aren't in agreement. Luther's influence on marriage was remarkable.

That led me to read a chapter about Martin Luther in Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. This book was based on the messages given at the 2004 Desiring God National Conference of the same name, most of which I heard first-hand (I didn't attend the men's sessions, obviously). But one chapter was added in the editorial process and it is a gem. Justin Taylor contributed a chapter titled "Martin Luther's Reform of Marriage" that is fascinating to read. I regret that it took me a few months to get to it (sorry, Justin!). But I would highly recommend it to single adults.

Why? Because Luther preached passionately on marriage for years as a single man. As Justin writes, "And likely he would have left an impact on the state of marriage even if he had remained single. But the fact that he did enter into marriage made his preaching and teaching on these issues all the more significant."

Luther married at 41, but in the years prior to that he was urging monks and nuns to leave their orders and forsake their vows of celibacy as they were contrary to the teaching of Scripture. He wrote: "Marriage is not only an honorable but a necessary state. It is earnestly commanded by God that in every condition and every station in life men and women, who were created for it, should be found in this estate."

How did he handle the apparent contradiction? I think his perspective and experience are useful to study in this age, when so many Christians disagree about the gift of singleness/celibacy. When he hit his 40s, Luther wrote a letter in which he comments on this tension:

"...I am in God's hand as a creature whose heart God may change and rechange, kill and revive again at any moment. Nevertheless, the way I feel now, and have felt thus far, I will not marry. It is not that I do not feel my flesh or sex, since I am neither wood nor stone, but my mind is far removed from marriage, since I daily expect death and the punishment due to a heretic. Therefore I shall not limit God's work in me, nor shall I rely on my own heart. Yet I hope God does not let me live long."

As Justin notes, Luther acknowledged the presence of sexual desire. Yet he truly believed that his death was imminent and that God had called him to a life of singleness. Hence marriage would be unhelpful and unnecessary, and chastity could be maintained.

But God did change Luther's heart and it was a surprise to many. At 41, he married Katherine von Bora, 26, a young nun whom he helped escape from a convent. Though it appeared to be a marriage of convenience, Luther did write shortly after their marriage that he cherished his Katie. Their marriage didn't have the most romantic of starts, but a deep and passionate love soon developed. He commented often in his letters about his love for his wife. "Kate, you have a God-fearing man who loves you. You are an empress; realize it and thank God for it."

There's much more to read about their fascinating relationship. Katie appears to have been a highly capable woman with lots of energy and a good sense of humor. My favorite account in this chapter was how she humored one of her husband's frequent bouts of depression. In this instance, she went about the house dressed in black, prompting Luther to ask if she was going to a funeral. "No," she replied, "but since you act as though God is dead, I wanted to join you in the mourning." Well done! Her humorous reproof jolted Luther out of his gloom.

I highly recommend this book, not only for this chapter, but for the valuable advice contained throughout. It's as appropriate for single adults as married adults. You'll find a link to the book on the right.

Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God

Christian biographies are immensely helpful for the modern woman because they take us out of this self-absorbed age and challenge our assumptions. This one is especially encouraging to single women because four of the five women profiled herein were single. If you are struggling with the lie that you don't have a purpose in life if you are not married, then get yourself to a bookstore ASAP to get Noel Piper's latest book, Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God.

Noel has profiled five women--Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare. Their lives span nearly 300 years, but their God is timeless and true. With the exception of Sarah Edwards and Gladys Aylward, I have to admit I was not familiar with most of these women before I read this book. Yet I had interacted with the legacy of Lilias Trotter, for she started the forerunner of what is today Arab World Ministries. I was also shamefully unaware of the persecution of Korean Christians by the Japanese in World War II, but that ended after I read the harrowing account of Esther Ahn Kim.

Noel Piper has a winsome writing style that engages the reader without slinging an overwhelming amount of historical data their way. I highly recommend it.