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Theology of The Womb: Knowing God through the Body of a Woman
If it is true that God is a male, then His Divinity or Deity is expressed in His masculinity. Yet I am a woman, and there are parts of my body; such as my breasts, my vagina, and my womb that are telling a story about God that I have never learned or understood. This is an exploration of the significance of a womb that must shed and bleed before it can create. How will we engage our body which cyclically bleeds most of our life and can build and birth a human soul? How will we honor the living womb, that lives and sometimes dies within us?
This is a book about the theology found in the cycle of the womb, which births both life and death. Every day each one of us is invited to create, and every day we make a decision knowing that from our creation can come death or life. Women’s voices have been silenced for a long time as society and the church has quieted their bodies. Will we courageously choose to listen to the sound of your voice, the song of your womb, and speak for the world to hear?
This is a book about the theology found in the cycle of the womb, which births both life and death. Every day each one of us is invited to create, and every day we make a decision knowing that from our creation can come death or life. Women’s voices have been silenced for a long time as society and the church has quieted their bodies. Will we courageously choose to listen to the sound of your voice, the song of your womb, and speak for the world to hear?
184 pages, Paperback
Published December 6, 2019
85 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 21, 2022
I don't know how to talk about this book, so here's some random thoughts in a bullet point list:
-I think we have fundamentally different understandings of what the word Theology means, and as such this book was not at all what I was expecting nor was it what I really wanted
-Bauman is a good writer; she has quite a way with words. If this had just been a memoir and a loose reflection on her faith journey through the years I think this would have been much better.
-This book really meanders around & I wish there had been more structure, cohesion, and specific purpose.
-There is this constant correlation being drawn between something that happens in scripture and the cycle of the womb, but so very little is done to establish how these things could even remotely be viewed as connected.
-This book asks some good questions & invites some important ponderings, but if you're actually looking for any kind of answers you won't find them here
-Along side some really beautiful writing and theories there are also some real whackadoodle ones. I mean that with love. I don't want to yuck anyones yum, and I don't want to discourage anything that will help you connect with your woman-ness and God, but there are just. some real weird assertions in these pages.
-There is a cool list of verses where God is described as feminine, but it's unclear if these verses describe feminine attributes or if the original language is actually feminine; that's the kind of Theology I wanted from this, and there wasn't much of it.
-There are some really jarring moments where deep trauma is very suddenly brought up without much warning
-A lot of time is spent on miscarriage & infant loss and I wasn't totally prepared for just *how much* time would be spent there
All in all, this gave me some interesting things to think about, and I think Bauman is a decent writer, but ultimately disappointed by what was presented based on the title and synopsis.
-I think we have fundamentally different understandings of what the word Theology means, and as such this book was not at all what I was expecting nor was it what I really wanted
-Bauman is a good writer; she has quite a way with words. If this had just been a memoir and a loose reflection on her faith journey through the years I think this would have been much better.
-This book really meanders around & I wish there had been more structure, cohesion, and specific purpose.
-There is this constant correlation being drawn between something that happens in scripture and the cycle of the womb, but so very little is done to establish how these things could even remotely be viewed as connected.
-This book asks some good questions & invites some important ponderings, but if you're actually looking for any kind of answers you won't find them here
-Along side some really beautiful writing and theories there are also some real whackadoodle ones. I mean that with love. I don't want to yuck anyones yum, and I don't want to discourage anything that will help you connect with your woman-ness and God, but there are just. some real weird assertions in these pages.
-There is a cool list of verses where God is described as feminine, but it's unclear if these verses describe feminine attributes or if the original language is actually feminine; that's the kind of Theology I wanted from this, and there wasn't much of it.
-There are some really jarring moments where deep trauma is very suddenly brought up without much warning
-A lot of time is spent on miscarriage & infant loss and I wasn't totally prepared for just *how much* time would be spent there
All in all, this gave me some interesting things to think about, and I think Bauman is a decent writer, but ultimately disappointed by what was presented based on the title and synopsis.
Read
April 18, 2024This book was a bit of a conundrum for me, I found myself drawn to some parts and repulsed by others. I think some of Christy’s conclusions were a bit inconsistent or drawn from ambiguous sources to make a biblical claim, but other parts were powerful to think about as a woman.
I found it beautiful to explore the theology of our womb—how our bleeding, growing a baby inside our body, breastfeeding, miscarrying and other things specific to women display the nurturing and mother aspects of God. I think there is a scarcity in our theology when it comes to describing the mother heart of God, and talking about the numerous verses where God is described like a mother. I wonder if those who have been hurt by their earthly fathers and can’t see the loving side of their Heavenly Father would be quicker to see God as a God of love—if seen through the eyes of the qualities they loved in their mother (who is created in the image of God).
HOWEVER, and this is a big however—I don’t think this means we need to use feminine pronouns for God, as Christy did in her book on occasion. Even though God is not a sexual being, neither male nor female—He did choose to send Jesus to earth as a man. I think we can talk about the feminine characteristics of God without ascribing them feminine pronouns. To me, there is a big difference.
All in all, a very thought- provoking book.
I found it beautiful to explore the theology of our womb—how our bleeding, growing a baby inside our body, breastfeeding, miscarrying and other things specific to women display the nurturing and mother aspects of God. I think there is a scarcity in our theology when it comes to describing the mother heart of God, and talking about the numerous verses where God is described like a mother. I wonder if those who have been hurt by their earthly fathers and can’t see the loving side of their Heavenly Father would be quicker to see God as a God of love—if seen through the eyes of the qualities they loved in their mother (who is created in the image of God).
HOWEVER, and this is a big however—I don’t think this means we need to use feminine pronouns for God, as Christy did in her book on occasion. Even though God is not a sexual being, neither male nor female—He did choose to send Jesus to earth as a man. I think we can talk about the feminine characteristics of God without ascribing them feminine pronouns. To me, there is a big difference.
All in all, a very thought- provoking book.
December 27, 2020
•The beginning felt like an anthropology of menstruation and I could not get enough.
•Bauman's perspective is christian, but I'd say it's not evangelical. She has a variety of different denominational backgrounds and is radically accepting of different experiences. She's uses a lot of beliefs from other religions and cultures to learn and inspire awe and it was honestly refreshing.
•The author's welcoming attitude towards her own thoughts, feelings, and experiences is so comforting and translates well into how we should be postured towards ourselves. This book felt so full of empowerment and respect for the power of a woman's body that I want to send it to every single male I know.
•Even though it is from a christian perspective, I feel like women from any kind of spiritual practice would feel comforted by this book as it isn't preachy at all.
"MAY YOU REALIZE THAT THE THEOLOGY OF THE WOMB IS NOT CONFINED TO THE WORDS IN THIS BOOK ALONE BUT EACH WOMAN, AS SUNSET EACH DAY, IS WHAT MAKES UP THE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AS THE SUNRISE AND THEOLOGY OF THE WOMB."
•Bauman's perspective is christian, but I'd say it's not evangelical. She has a variety of different denominational backgrounds and is radically accepting of different experiences. She's uses a lot of beliefs from other religions and cultures to learn and inspire awe and it was honestly refreshing.
•The author's welcoming attitude towards her own thoughts, feelings, and experiences is so comforting and translates well into how we should be postured towards ourselves. This book felt so full of empowerment and respect for the power of a woman's body that I want to send it to every single male I know.
•Even though it is from a christian perspective, I feel like women from any kind of spiritual practice would feel comforted by this book as it isn't preachy at all.
"MAY YOU REALIZE THAT THE THEOLOGY OF THE WOMB IS NOT CONFINED TO THE WORDS IN THIS BOOK ALONE BUT EACH WOMAN, AS SUNSET EACH DAY, IS WHAT MAKES UP THE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AS THE SUNRISE AND THEOLOGY OF THE WOMB."
June 7, 2020
3.5: Beautiful, grounded, and insightful. This book is woven with theology, psychology, and personal insight and brings a much needed unapologetic embrace of the sacred feminine. What bugged me: 1) not all women have periods/wombs & not all who have periods/wombs are women. This book should have been more inclusive of all the feminine bodies that show the image of God. 2) despite articulating clearly that, for the purposes of the book, God can be mother and sister, the author still uses male pronouns for God throughout the book.
April 27, 2025
Wept through the final pages.
This read was deeply personal and intimate, yet also so communal. If you’ve talked to me in the past few months you’ve heard about this book.
A beautiful read ❤️🩹
This read was deeply personal and intimate, yet also so communal. If you’ve talked to me in the past few months you’ve heard about this book.
A beautiful read ❤️🩹
January 18, 2024
**I wanted to update this review on further reflection once I was less emotional about the book.
There are a few fairly important problems with this book. The first one being in the foreword, where the author states that she "struggles to think of a biblical genealogy with more than one woman in it." And while it's true that genealogies tend to be more male focused, the first chapter of Matthew has three explicitly named women.
There are strange themes that are not necessarily wrong, but just strange- bauman talks about married sex releasing "gold dust" into the atmosphere as an act of defiance against evil.
One of her major points centers around the idea of the red tent- a place women were sent to out of the camp during menstruation. However, this idea isn't biblically mandated or found in any old testament writings that I can find. It is possible that this was a cultural practice but it was not something instructed by God.
The power that this book holds still stands for me. However, I wish that the author had taken her gifting and coupled it with a healthy dose of research. And perhaps not named a book "Theology of___" when it is not particularly a theology book.
Original review:
I cried more during this book than I have during any other this year. I think I have been longing to understand why God created women the way they are- modern feminism often depicts women as less than perfect men, while fundamentalist Conservative Christianity can push women into a role of submission which leaves no room for reflecting the image of God. This book weaves a beautiful path through recognising the power, dignity, gift and burden given to women.
There are a few fairly important problems with this book. The first one being in the foreword, where the author states that she "struggles to think of a biblical genealogy with more than one woman in it." And while it's true that genealogies tend to be more male focused, the first chapter of Matthew has three explicitly named women.
There are strange themes that are not necessarily wrong, but just strange- bauman talks about married sex releasing "gold dust" into the atmosphere as an act of defiance against evil.
One of her major points centers around the idea of the red tent- a place women were sent to out of the camp during menstruation. However, this idea isn't biblically mandated or found in any old testament writings that I can find. It is possible that this was a cultural practice but it was not something instructed by God.
The power that this book holds still stands for me. However, I wish that the author had taken her gifting and coupled it with a healthy dose of research. And perhaps not named a book "Theology of___" when it is not particularly a theology book.
Original review:
I cried more during this book than I have during any other this year. I think I have been longing to understand why God created women the way they are- modern feminism often depicts women as less than perfect men, while fundamentalist Conservative Christianity can push women into a role of submission which leaves no room for reflecting the image of God. This book weaves a beautiful path through recognising the power, dignity, gift and burden given to women.
March 10, 2022
This book made me cry. There are passages that are so beautiful, poignant, and lyrical. The author weaves together history, biology, Biblical history, Christ’s suffering, life, and death so beautifully. The entire book is an invitation to understand the female body — in her beautiful maternal, procreative essence— as a way to reveal God to the world. The author gracefully tackles what it means to “birth death” — infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, etc, and what it means to embrace life after death, which is often laced with wounds and pain and the fear of death.
Having had a miscarriage, I found so much closure and healing in the passages. I thought the author discussed marital intimacy in an incredibly beautiful and sacred way as well.
I would caution readers of this book that the theology found within is not based in a particular faith. The book is not Catholic or any set creed.
The author has a Catholic upbringing, but has since then embraced many different Christian beliefs, practices, and so forth, and has sort of formed a mix of her own beliefs, which could be jarring and/or uncomfortable. So, I would recommend reading with discretion.
Having had a miscarriage, I found so much closure and healing in the passages. I thought the author discussed marital intimacy in an incredibly beautiful and sacred way as well.
I would caution readers of this book that the theology found within is not based in a particular faith. The book is not Catholic or any set creed.
The author has a Catholic upbringing, but has since then embraced many different Christian beliefs, practices, and so forth, and has sort of formed a mix of her own beliefs, which could be jarring and/or uncomfortable. So, I would recommend reading with discretion.
Read
January 7, 2022This book has ways of approaching the Bible that I’ve never thought about before. I’m not sure how orthodox all of the labels and names she has for things is, but the upending of the way I see who I am as woman was worth sifting through my conflicted feelings to access.
Most of my life I have overlooked the way that I as a woman reflect the image of God. He calls himself “the giver of life”, “the helper”, “mother hen”. So many times there are analogies of labor, nursing, and birth. I’ve heard these 1,000 times but forgot to see how those very acts are my reflection of God.
Tied into these thoughts are the authors own stories of grief, loss, and bonding with Christ through those moments!!
I highly recommend reading this esp if you don’t mind hearing and being changed by the stories of the relationship of others with God.
If you prefer to have everything you read reflect your worldview, just be aware of this going in!
Most of my life I have overlooked the way that I as a woman reflect the image of God. He calls himself “the giver of life”, “the helper”, “mother hen”. So many times there are analogies of labor, nursing, and birth. I’ve heard these 1,000 times but forgot to see how those very acts are my reflection of God.
Tied into these thoughts are the authors own stories of grief, loss, and bonding with Christ through those moments!!
I highly recommend reading this esp if you don’t mind hearing and being changed by the stories of the relationship of others with God.
If you prefer to have everything you read reflect your worldview, just be aware of this going in!
September 14, 2023
This book is at it’s best when it’s actually discussing biblical themes - but for a book with “theology” in the title, it did very little of that.
Each new paragraph is prefaced with a story, dives into her own personal experience, and then adds maybe one intellectual statement to try and spin it as “theology”.
For example, all of the chapters explain, in vivid detail, experiences of her own life. However only one, almost at the very end, lists out all the verses in the Bible where God refers to himself in a feminine light. However this is quickly followed by, “I will not be explaining or diving deep into these verses, do your own research” GIRL??? Isn’t that what this whole book was supposed to be about? lol
If you’re looking for a memoir about a woman’s journey through loss and motherhood, you may get a lot out of this. But if you’re looking for a deep dive on how the body of a woman is reflected throughout the Bible, unfortunately, this isn’t that.
Each new paragraph is prefaced with a story, dives into her own personal experience, and then adds maybe one intellectual statement to try and spin it as “theology”.
For example, all of the chapters explain, in vivid detail, experiences of her own life. However only one, almost at the very end, lists out all the verses in the Bible where God refers to himself in a feminine light. However this is quickly followed by, “I will not be explaining or diving deep into these verses, do your own research” GIRL??? Isn’t that what this whole book was supposed to be about? lol
If you’re looking for a memoir about a woman’s journey through loss and motherhood, you may get a lot out of this. But if you’re looking for a deep dive on how the body of a woman is reflected throughout the Bible, unfortunately, this isn’t that.
May 10, 2021
Honestly feels like a must read for women! A beautiful exploration into how our bodies reflect God. Many things I’ve never thought of before. I loved the author’s vulnerability in sharing her own journey of pain and joy in womanhood as well.
April 18, 2025
This book is as intriguing as it sounds. I started reading it, then listened to the audiobook. I appreciated the personal experiences that she shared around infertility, miscarriage, and infant loss. I didn't even know it was possible for one woman to experience that much loss. I felt a little uncomfortable when she referred to God as "she" in one of the chapters towards the end. I acknowledge all of the "feminine" qualities that are part of God's character, but that felt too far for me personally. Some people would appreciate reading this book, but maybe not everyone would. You be the judge.
July 15, 2020
This was probably one of the best books I’ve read! It completely changed my perspective and how I interact with the world and myself. 100% recommend this book to anyone!
January 24, 2022
Christy Bauman captures characteristics of God, rituals of living, and rhythms of life through an exploration of a woman's body. She invites her readers to see themselves as sacramental teachers, conveying something of the divine.
At times, reading "Theology of the Womb" was like going to confession, and my penance is to apologize to my body for defaming its glory. This book taught me of God's intentional craftiness when making humans. God formed us as creatures who are to be in touch with the divine. And yet, as Bauman realizes, we are timid in our pursuit of God. She boldly attaches ecclesial and spiritual rhythms to the cycle of the womb, claiming our corporeal connection to God.
"Theology of the Womb" has a specific audience: women with the biological makeup of a female's body who embrace the features of that body. Reading with the understanding or experience that not all women have the same bodily capabilities and/or desires can be challenging. At times, even with an embrace of my own womanhood, I found that some of Bauman's concepts and themes were abstract and disconnected. This may be due to my own intellectual naiveté, or because it is hard to imagine that my womb can teach the church more about holy week, as an example of a far-reaching connection.
Imperfections in mind, this book is a worthwhile read. Understanding a woman's body does have implications for understanding God. Bauman understood that. Give it a gander if you are so inclined.
The Thesis: Bodies are so good.
At times, reading "Theology of the Womb" was like going to confession, and my penance is to apologize to my body for defaming its glory. This book taught me of God's intentional craftiness when making humans. God formed us as creatures who are to be in touch with the divine. And yet, as Bauman realizes, we are timid in our pursuit of God. She boldly attaches ecclesial and spiritual rhythms to the cycle of the womb, claiming our corporeal connection to God.
"Theology of the Womb" has a specific audience: women with the biological makeup of a female's body who embrace the features of that body. Reading with the understanding or experience that not all women have the same bodily capabilities and/or desires can be challenging. At times, even with an embrace of my own womanhood, I found that some of Bauman's concepts and themes were abstract and disconnected. This may be due to my own intellectual naiveté, or because it is hard to imagine that my womb can teach the church more about holy week, as an example of a far-reaching connection.
Imperfections in mind, this book is a worthwhile read. Understanding a woman's body does have implications for understanding God. Bauman understood that. Give it a gander if you are so inclined.
The Thesis: Bodies are so good.
April 29, 2020
Easily a life changing book. My soul honestly needed this. It's an invitation, a mix of rich theology, psychology, biology, and personal story, to begin understanding female as made in God's image. And not just theoretically, but practically, as each chapter concludes with questions to help process the reader's own journey. I will be recommending this book for a while, be forewarned.
Some sections could have been expanded upon a bit more, and other times the personal anecdotes were a bit heavy handed, but overall I appreciated that Bauman takes care to address the processes, both potential and inevitable, that women go through across the lifespan.
Some sections could have been expanded upon a bit more, and other times the personal anecdotes were a bit heavy handed, but overall I appreciated that Bauman takes care to address the processes, both potential and inevitable, that women go through across the lifespan.
July 14, 2021
This book was very thought provoking and brought up some good points that I had never thought of before. I would be hesitant however to recommend this book to others because there was some questionable theology / teaching on God throughout the book.
October 31, 2025
I really loved this book, despite a few minor disappointments (which is why it's getting four stars instead of five). But seriously, if you are a woman, and also if you are a man who loves a woman, (actually really just if you are a living breathing human) this book has important things to say. Things the church needs to hear and talk about.
Bauman's basic premise is that since women are made in the image of God, then the things about our bodies that make us distinctly female are not a mistake or by chance. They are created, designed, and intended to show us something about God and who He is. I found that to be such a beautiful and freeing revelation, and the book proceeded to expand on that in really lovely and thought-provoking ways. (I was already tearing up just reading the introduction).
I was a little disappointed by the chapter on birth, because she spent a lot of time talking about her experience with infant loss and miscarriage. Don't get me wrong, those are really important topics, but I thought she missed an opportunity to explore the spiritual significance of birth that results in life. I also felt my enthusiasm for the book waning towards the end, and it started to feel less specific to being a woman and more just about death in general. Again, an important topic, but perhaps misplaced in this book.
There are some things in this book that would feel really strange and far-out to some readers, so read it with an open mind I guess?
But all in all, this is one of those books that shaped my thinking so profoundly that there are ways I am not the same since reading it.
"I am woman, imago Dei, an image bearer of God, chosen to carry a message of creation, death, and ultimately everbearing life."
Bauman's basic premise is that since women are made in the image of God, then the things about our bodies that make us distinctly female are not a mistake or by chance. They are created, designed, and intended to show us something about God and who He is. I found that to be such a beautiful and freeing revelation, and the book proceeded to expand on that in really lovely and thought-provoking ways. (I was already tearing up just reading the introduction).
I was a little disappointed by the chapter on birth, because she spent a lot of time talking about her experience with infant loss and miscarriage. Don't get me wrong, those are really important topics, but I thought she missed an opportunity to explore the spiritual significance of birth that results in life. I also felt my enthusiasm for the book waning towards the end, and it started to feel less specific to being a woman and more just about death in general. Again, an important topic, but perhaps misplaced in this book.
There are some things in this book that would feel really strange and far-out to some readers, so read it with an open mind I guess?
But all in all, this is one of those books that shaped my thinking so profoundly that there are ways I am not the same since reading it.
"I am woman, imago Dei, an image bearer of God, chosen to carry a message of creation, death, and ultimately everbearing life."
February 3, 2023
I expected a lot out of this book and was personally disappointed, so I probably gave it lower stars because of that. There are a few parts I really like (red tents, community, the importance of women and their bodies in concept). I just thought the delivery had the depressing floweriness of a sad poem. I love theology, but some lines I could barely understand and really had no basis in actual theology. They were just the author’s storytelling, which is fine. But wasn’t my fave. I probably just like a more straight forward delivery.
If you like Ann Voskamp’s writing, you’ll probably like it though. Lots of metaphors, floweriness, focus on grief, symbolism that feels like it’s trying to connect things that don’t always connect for the sake of a beautiful imagery and story. Heavy emphasis on loss and shame, which probably meets a lot of people so definitely could be helpful to some people. But overall delivery was not my personal preference.
If you like Ann Voskamp’s writing, you’ll probably like it though. Lots of metaphors, floweriness, focus on grief, symbolism that feels like it’s trying to connect things that don’t always connect for the sake of a beautiful imagery and story. Heavy emphasis on loss and shame, which probably meets a lot of people so definitely could be helpful to some people. But overall delivery was not my personal preference.
January 18, 2021
This book is a compelling invitation to see God in the design and lifecycle of the female body and to recognize the ways that Imago Dei is expressed uniquely through women. Theology of the Womb celebrates the depths of beauty and strength wrapped up in womanhood while also not shying away from the pain and difficulties that women must face.
This is completely changing how I view my own body and understand aspects of being a woman. I will never relate to God the same way again. I've not read anything like this before. I so appreciate Christy's raw honesty and willingness to share her own experiences of motherhood and loss.
The writing was a bit choppy and disorganized at points and so it took me awhile to read through this admittedly short book. I will be thinking about this one for a long time though. Truly life changing. 4.5 stars.
This is completely changing how I view my own body and understand aspects of being a woman. I will never relate to God the same way again. I've not read anything like this before. I so appreciate Christy's raw honesty and willingness to share her own experiences of motherhood and loss.
The writing was a bit choppy and disorganized at points and so it took me awhile to read through this admittedly short book. I will be thinking about this one for a long time though. Truly life changing. 4.5 stars.
May 18, 2021
I enjoyed this book a lot. The author cited The Red Tent (which is a novel) for a lot of her discussion on historical Israel. I found that disappointing as a lot of what she suggests for ancient Israel seems to be a possibility, but (from my understanding and her sources) cannot be stated as fact. But beyond that I appreciated the author's perspective a lot.
January 10, 2023
This book is beautiful and very gentle - I'd give it to my mother in law. She focusses A LOT on motherhood - which makes sense - but as a woman who's never tried to get pregnant and does not have fallopian tubes, I still think there's a big whole wide theology of my womb to explore where I'm the one who lives in it, I'm the one being nourished and held, I'm the one being born. I think we have so much work still to do in recovering body - my body is mine - from birth to death, this body is mine.
February 16, 2021
This was unlike any book I have read before. Very eye-opening and empowering. I am so pleased with what I have learned from reading this book, and what I will continue to learn as I inevitably re-read this book multiple times.
January 28, 2024
Speaks of the femininity of God and the God-like-ness of women.
Should be a staple theology book.
Moving stories about the cycles of life and death which take place in women’s bodies, and women’s unique understanding of God through those cycles
Should be a staple theology book.
Moving stories about the cycles of life and death which take place in women’s bodies, and women’s unique understanding of God through those cycles
October 30, 2022
Took me forever to finish this but it was a delight. It brought me to tears many times but holds joy and grief so beautifully. It was such a gift to read
December 11, 2023
Moving, empowering, and emotional. I would have liked it to lean more into the theology side, it seems to leave it as you go through the book as it starts to skew more into a memoir kind of style.
January 8, 2025
There are little nuggets of wisdom and valuable perspective, just hard to read due to the structure of the book being rather scattered. Definitely a thought-provoking book.
June 1, 2025
Such potential. Sadly, lacked substance and bordered on heretical in a couple places
April 27, 2025
It's conceivable that someone could write a book that combines theology with poetry and memoir but this is not that book.
Bauman plays fast and loose with the term "theology" and her hermeneutic seems very subjective. She makes good points about the motherhood of God, but most of the writing was disjointed and myopic. Disappointing, unfortunately.
Bauman plays fast and loose with the term "theology" and her hermeneutic seems very subjective. She makes good points about the motherhood of God, but most of the writing was disjointed and myopic. Disappointing, unfortunately.
December 21, 2024
“God designed the uterus to convey God’s image as Creator.”
I LOVED this read. Bauman has really changed my perspective on the female cycle and how it relates to God, Jesus, and The Cross. She turned something that culturally is a hush topic into something powerful and beautiful. I’m so grateful to have read this book and to have gained this new perspective-how beautiful is it to be a woman who the God of the universe allows to work alongside in creating life and letting death work through us.
This is a book I would highly recommend to all readers, will be the philosophy I hope to one day teach my daughter, and would be really beneficial for any male readers to gain a deeper insight into the beauty of a woman’s monthly cycle.
I LOVED this read. Bauman has really changed my perspective on the female cycle and how it relates to God, Jesus, and The Cross. She turned something that culturally is a hush topic into something powerful and beautiful. I’m so grateful to have read this book and to have gained this new perspective-how beautiful is it to be a woman who the God of the universe allows to work alongside in creating life and letting death work through us.
This is a book I would highly recommend to all readers, will be the philosophy I hope to one day teach my daughter, and would be really beneficial for any male readers to gain a deeper insight into the beauty of a woman’s monthly cycle.
January 2, 2021
I am most definitely not Bauman's intended audience.
This book had been on my to-read list for a relatively long time because I dreaded the gender essentialism. There are men who menstruate & give birth, there are women who don't have wombs, and a great variety of other genders. Bauman equates women and wombs, and as I am happily childfeee I bristled every time she referred to a pregnant womb as "full."
I'm grateful that Bauman addresses menstruation, orgasms, and menopause; while this book reinvents the wheel in my perspective, I'm also aware that most Evangelicals (her target audience) have never heard of Ensler, Daly, Muscio, and other feminist authors who have already written extensively on this. Her words are probably the first hat her intended audience have ever read on the topic. Everyone's gotta start somewhere, and this would have been a decent start were it not for its gender essentialism.
This book had been on my to-read list for a relatively long time because I dreaded the gender essentialism. There are men who menstruate & give birth, there are women who don't have wombs, and a great variety of other genders. Bauman equates women and wombs, and as I am happily childfeee I bristled every time she referred to a pregnant womb as "full."
I'm grateful that Bauman addresses menstruation, orgasms, and menopause; while this book reinvents the wheel in my perspective, I'm also aware that most Evangelicals (her target audience) have never heard of Ensler, Daly, Muscio, and other feminist authors who have already written extensively on this. Her words are probably the first hat her intended audience have ever read on the topic. Everyone's gotta start somewhere, and this would have been a decent start were it not for its gender essentialism.
November 11, 2020
Christy’s writing is absolutely poetic. It’s beautiful and raw. I appreciated how she tackles the ignored beauty of the female body. Her writing on pregnancy loss is so relatable.
I do wish she’d talked about infertility through hysterectomy. She speaks beautifully about a women’s song from her womb. As a person who no longer had a womb I found this deeply painful. I also wish, when she was talking about attachment with your children through breastfeeding paralleling God’s attachment to us, that she’d included those of us who were not able to breastfeed.
All in all, it’s a beautiful book. I just wish there was more inclusion for this of us who had a difficult, different road in our female fertility journey.
I do wish she’d talked about infertility through hysterectomy. She speaks beautifully about a women’s song from her womb. As a person who no longer had a womb I found this deeply painful. I also wish, when she was talking about attachment with your children through breastfeeding paralleling God’s attachment to us, that she’d included those of us who were not able to breastfeed.
All in all, it’s a beautiful book. I just wish there was more inclusion for this of us who had a difficult, different road in our female fertility journey.
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