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Reclaiming Eve: The Identity and Calling of Women in the Kingdom of God
"For many of us, it is Eve's sin that defines her... Truly when the church focuses the entire problem of sin and the destruction of relationships on women, we have a problem." As a woman, do you sometimes feel inferior, resigned to a self-image that seems second-best? Do you feel strong in your faith but wonder, how does God see me? Do you look around and realize you don't fit into a typical mold? Every daughter of Eve faces an identity crisis at some time in her life. And many of us wonder where we fit in on a regular basis.
The authors set out to discover what scripture says about every woman's identity. What they uncovered will help women, no matter their stage in life, find freedom to become all they can be in God's kingdom.
Whether the reader feels discouraged and damaged or desire a greater understanding of his or her spiritual condition, this book will help readers embrace their identity as people reclaimed by Jesus Christ.
The authors set out to discover what scripture says about every woman's identity. What they uncovered will help women, no matter their stage in life, find freedom to become all they can be in God's kingdom.
Whether the reader feels discouraged and damaged or desire a greater understanding of his or her spiritual condition, this book will help readers embrace their identity as people reclaimed by Jesus Christ.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
16 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Burden
19 books8 followersCoauthor of
Reclaiming Eve: The Identity and Calling of Women in the Kingdom of God
(Beacon Hill Press March 2014). Reader. Writer. Speaker.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 9, 2016
An interesting interpretation of Biblical accounts of creation, with an emphasis on the story of Eve. I applaud the team of authors for their study of Scripture and work for women believers in opposition to the patriarchal, and in some cases misogynist, mindset of many of today's church leaders.
Some points I had never considered:
Consequence rather than command: "As God grieved at the consequences that would come, he made a sad prediction. Adam would rule over Eve." A freeing thought - that Adam ruling over Eve was not the intention of God, but the result of sin which caused the physically stronger Adam to exert his power over Eve.
Eve as "ezer": "God could have used a Hebrew word meaning 'female slave,' but he didn't. He might have used any of the Hebrew words meaning 'wife,' but he chose not to. God offered a strong word used repeatedly in the bible to describe how he comes through for his people in a time of desperate need."
Definition of "perfect": (Matthew 5:48) "becoming all that he intended for us to be."
I did think the authors missed the mark in small ways. I wished for more in-depth study of Biblical references to women, particularly in the Pauline letters, with a focus on societal norms of his time and how those norms affect his instructions.
And I was a bit puzzled by a sentence about the relationship between husband and wife, on page 46: "It is a husband allowing his wife to utilize all the talents and abilities bestowed upon her to develop into the holy woman of God she was created to be." The word "allowed" rubbed this "Jesus feminist" the wrong way. If husband and wife are equal partners, the husband does not have authority to allow or prevent his wife from being all God wants her to be. Consider the sentence with transposed words: "It is a wife allowing her husband to utilize all the talents and abilities bestowed upon him to develop into the holy man of God he was created to be." Could this paragraph have been phrased in a more inclusive way, emphasizing a partnership of equals before God?
I received this book as part of the Good Reads "first reads" program. Thank you for sharing this book. I plan to share it further by donating it to my church library.
Some points I had never considered:
Consequence rather than command: "As God grieved at the consequences that would come, he made a sad prediction. Adam would rule over Eve." A freeing thought - that Adam ruling over Eve was not the intention of God, but the result of sin which caused the physically stronger Adam to exert his power over Eve.
Eve as "ezer": "God could have used a Hebrew word meaning 'female slave,' but he didn't. He might have used any of the Hebrew words meaning 'wife,' but he chose not to. God offered a strong word used repeatedly in the bible to describe how he comes through for his people in a time of desperate need."
Definition of "perfect": (Matthew 5:48) "becoming all that he intended for us to be."
I did think the authors missed the mark in small ways. I wished for more in-depth study of Biblical references to women, particularly in the Pauline letters, with a focus on societal norms of his time and how those norms affect his instructions.
And I was a bit puzzled by a sentence about the relationship between husband and wife, on page 46: "It is a husband allowing his wife to utilize all the talents and abilities bestowed upon her to develop into the holy woman of God she was created to be." The word "allowed" rubbed this "Jesus feminist" the wrong way. If husband and wife are equal partners, the husband does not have authority to allow or prevent his wife from being all God wants her to be. Consider the sentence with transposed words: "It is a wife allowing her husband to utilize all the talents and abilities bestowed upon him to develop into the holy man of God he was created to be." Could this paragraph have been phrased in a more inclusive way, emphasizing a partnership of equals before God?
I received this book as part of the Good Reads "first reads" program. Thank you for sharing this book. I plan to share it further by donating it to my church library.
December 13, 2025
This was an interesting read. An egalitarian perspective is assumed, so I didn't agree with everything, but it was refreshing, nonetheless.
- The primary thrust is how to live out God's kingdom purpose as women. They rely on anecdotes rather than biblical argumentation, which makes it a bit cheesy at times.
- The Hebrew word ezer (which the authors define as "a strong helping power and agent of rescue") from Genesis 2:18 is used to describe the role of women in general, not only in relation to men.
- They argue that the way a woman feels about Eve (God's pre-Fall intention for women) reflects the way she feels about herself. This is an interesting point and one I find to be true, although I hadn't considered it before.
- Much of the book is consistent with a soft complementarian perspective, but I doubt many complementarians will read it, unfortunately.
Standout Quote:
"Imagine what could happen if every woman who follows Christ owned her identity as His image-bearer, resembling and creatively representing God on this earth. Dream with me about the potential of women living out their identity as strong partners with their brothers and sisters in making God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. And consider the possibilities of asking God how you can best use the gifts he's given you to care for the world and the people he's created... A woman's biblical identity is broad enough to apply to [a variety of situations]" (p. 33).
- The primary thrust is how to live out God's kingdom purpose as women. They rely on anecdotes rather than biblical argumentation, which makes it a bit cheesy at times.
- The Hebrew word ezer (which the authors define as "a strong helping power and agent of rescue") from Genesis 2:18 is used to describe the role of women in general, not only in relation to men.
- They argue that the way a woman feels about Eve (God's pre-Fall intention for women) reflects the way she feels about herself. This is an interesting point and one I find to be true, although I hadn't considered it before.
- Much of the book is consistent with a soft complementarian perspective, but I doubt many complementarians will read it, unfortunately.
Standout Quote:
"Imagine what could happen if every woman who follows Christ owned her identity as His image-bearer, resembling and creatively representing God on this earth. Dream with me about the potential of women living out their identity as strong partners with their brothers and sisters in making God's kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. And consider the possibilities of asking God how you can best use the gifts he's given you to care for the world and the people he's created... A woman's biblical identity is broad enough to apply to [a variety of situations]" (p. 33).
March 14, 2014
How would our lives be different if we walked in the reality that men and women were designed and created by God to live as equals? That paradigm has certainly not been my reality–either out in the world or within the church. Again and again, my sisters and I have gotten the message that we are less than. As a result, many of us have doubted that we could ever be equal partners with men, doubted our worth, doubted ourselves, and tragically, doubted that God actually calls us to bring all of who we are to the table. Reclaiming Eve aims to silence these doubts and encourage us to live out God’s intentions.
The authors challenge us to explore the arc of Scripture and ask ourselves, “Do I represent God well?” Regardless of our social status, education, ethnic background, or employment. As a mother of young children–do you represent God well? As a single, high-powered executive–do you represent God well? As a full-time student, elderly widow, or divorced thirty year old–do you represent God well?
For us to answer yes means we need to love, respect, and partner with our brothers in bringing God’s kingdom to the earth. When we do, we reflect God’s glory more fully and more accurately. Burden, Sundberg, and Wright remind us that, “Jesus didn’t come to uphold or modify the curse, but to reverse it. . . . As we unfreeze Eve, we set ourselves free to discover her anew in the Bible’s first pages. And in doing so, we will discover ourselves–or perhaps recover ourselves–as women created with astounding intention and purpose. For as we awaken Eve from the pages of Genesis creation story, we begin to understand her vital importance to God’s cause.”
Super challenging book (for those who disagree that we're really all equal) and super affirming for others.
The authors challenge us to explore the arc of Scripture and ask ourselves, “Do I represent God well?” Regardless of our social status, education, ethnic background, or employment. As a mother of young children–do you represent God well? As a single, high-powered executive–do you represent God well? As a full-time student, elderly widow, or divorced thirty year old–do you represent God well?
For us to answer yes means we need to love, respect, and partner with our brothers in bringing God’s kingdom to the earth. When we do, we reflect God’s glory more fully and more accurately. Burden, Sundberg, and Wright remind us that, “Jesus didn’t come to uphold or modify the curse, but to reverse it. . . . As we unfreeze Eve, we set ourselves free to discover her anew in the Bible’s first pages. And in doing so, we will discover ourselves–or perhaps recover ourselves–as women created with astounding intention and purpose. For as we awaken Eve from the pages of Genesis creation story, we begin to understand her vital importance to God’s cause.”
Super challenging book (for those who disagree that we're really all equal) and super affirming for others.
February 24, 2014
This is a bright look by three authors to what it means to be a woman called to kingdom work. I really appreciated every author's perspective, especially the idea of 'curse modification'. In other words, the confusing idea that is taught subliminally by those who claim male headship but make allowances. "well, the man is your head of the house and church, but it's okay for a woman/wife to be a CEO, just not a leader of men in the home or church". ?? I've dismissively called this hypocrisy, but curse modification sounds a little more accurate. This is a quick devotional read for a popular Christian reading audience, which I hope means more men and women will get a chance to read it.
August 3, 2016
This was won in a First Reads giveaway (and given to my mother).
She did not agree with the opinions, but liked that it had multiple points of view and felt that it was well written.
She did not agree with the opinions, but liked that it had multiple points of view and felt that it was well written.
December 27, 2022
Great read!
I have learned so much from these authors, from being a real help to others to serving in humility, which I thought I was doing. I realized I felt a little convicted, but that is God working through me. Thank you Jamie, Carla, and Suzanne for your faithfulness in studying and writing this book.
I have learned so much from these authors, from being a real help to others to serving in humility, which I thought I was doing. I realized I felt a little convicted, but that is God working through me. Thank you Jamie, Carla, and Suzanne for your faithfulness in studying and writing this book.
August 25, 2024
Very poignant study that I think all women should read. It is a seven week study, though, that I felt could have been 5 or 6. It had some repetitive things that could have been combined, but overall, this study had a lot of things to make one think, and grow. Recommend.
January 24, 2019
This is a fantastic book. I plan to read it again!
January 5, 2016
As someone who is still struggling to understand her religious beliefs, aspiration, and calling, this book is hard to swallow. It is better suited for someone who is strong in their faith and wants to deepen it more, or needs a revival. Still, they bring up a lot of good points about spreading love to everyone, adopting smaller parts of God in your life, and learning to see yourself as an equal to others.
July 9, 2016
This book seems to focus mostly on arguing that women should be allowed to be pastors, rather than truly addressing the calling of all women in the Kingdom of God, as advertised. I did appreciate the last chapter on serving, and wished the entire book had been written in the same thoughtful and encouraging way that that chapter was.
I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads.
August 21, 2014
Great start to the discussion of women as equal co-laborer in the kingdom.
December 26, 2014
Good introduction to egalitarian ideas. Will appeal to evangelicals. Some very good points to sit with.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews