What do you think?
Rate this book
Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength
Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (Christian Living & Discipleship)
Outreach 2022 Recommended Resource (Christian Living)
"[A] powerful debut. . . . This persuasive testament will appeal to Christians interested in the lesser-known women of the Bible."-- Publishers Weekly
"Armas expertly weaves her own abuelita's history of personal faith and resistance into each chapter and intersects it with biblical text, creating an approachable work."-- Library Journal
What if some of our greatest theologians wouldn't be considered theologians at all?
Kat Armas, a second-generation Cuban American, grew up on the outskirts of Miami's famed Little Havana neighborhood. Her earliest theological formation came from her grandmother, her abuelita, who fled Cuba during the height of political unrest and raised three children alone after her husband passed away. Combining personal storytelling with biblical reflection, Armas shows us how voices on the margins--those often dismissed, isolated, and oppressed because of their gender, socioeconomic status, or lack of education--have more to teach us about following God than we realize.
Abuelita Faith tells the story of unnamed and overlooked theologians in society and in the Bible--mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters--whose survival, strength, resistance, and persistence teach us the true power of faith and love. The author's exploration of abuelita theology will help people of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds reflect on the abuelitas in their lives and ministries and on ways they can live out abuelita faith every day.
Outreach 2022 Recommended Resource (Christian Living)
"[A] powerful debut. . . . This persuasive testament will appeal to Christians interested in the lesser-known women of the Bible."-- Publishers Weekly
"Armas expertly weaves her own abuelita's history of personal faith and resistance into each chapter and intersects it with biblical text, creating an approachable work."-- Library Journal
What if some of our greatest theologians wouldn't be considered theologians at all?
Kat Armas, a second-generation Cuban American, grew up on the outskirts of Miami's famed Little Havana neighborhood. Her earliest theological formation came from her grandmother, her abuelita, who fled Cuba during the height of political unrest and raised three children alone after her husband passed away. Combining personal storytelling with biblical reflection, Armas shows us how voices on the margins--those often dismissed, isolated, and oppressed because of their gender, socioeconomic status, or lack of education--have more to teach us about following God than we realize.
Abuelita Faith tells the story of unnamed and overlooked theologians in society and in the Bible--mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters--whose survival, strength, resistance, and persistence teach us the true power of faith and love. The author's exploration of abuelita theology will help people of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds reflect on the abuelitas in their lives and ministries and on ways they can live out abuelita faith every day.
212 pages, Paperback
Published August 10, 2021
148 people are currently reading
3353 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
January 3, 2022
Magnificent!
Kat's exegesis is impeccable and her stories are captivating. She weaves personal and international stories with stories of women in the Bible. The result is a tour de force -- a compelling invitation to reconsider what counts as theology and to (re)discover the voices of those hiding in plain sight. An absolute must read. I devoured it in one day!
Kat's exegesis is impeccable and her stories are captivating. She weaves personal and international stories with stories of women in the Bible. The result is a tour de force -- a compelling invitation to reconsider what counts as theology and to (re)discover the voices of those hiding in plain sight. An absolute must read. I devoured it in one day!
August 25, 2021
Kat Armas has masterfully woven together her own story of faith with Scripture and theology, drawing on liberation theology as well as postcolonial, feminist, and womanist theology. The driving question she wants us all to consider is “What if some of our greatest theologians wouldn't be considered theologians at all?” Throughout this book, Armas tells the stories of the overlooked theologians in the Bible and in our world today. And they have so much to teach us.
“For centuries Scripture has been used and misused to justify atrocities across the globe, and as a Western, biblically educated Christian, my conviction is to offer tools so that others can read and reread it through life-giving lenses, as I believe liberation is central to God’s story.”
Like Kat, I believe liberation is central to God’s story.
I found this part to be particularly encouraging:
“Ada Maria Isasi-Díaz once said that “La vida es la lucha—the struggle is life.” She explains that for over half of her life, she thought her task was to struggle and then one day enjoy the fruits of her labor—“but above all I have realized that I can and should relish the struggle,” she says. “The struggle is my life; my dedication to the struggle is one of the main driving forces in my life.” Relishing the struggle involves recognizing God’s presence within it, realizing that the struggle is sacred. And while la lucha is a personal struggle for survival, it also marks our collective struggle for liberation.”
“As Aboriginal elder Lilla Watson articulates so beautifully: our liberation is bound together. And that too—our collective struggle—is holy.”
“For centuries Scripture has been used and misused to justify atrocities across the globe, and as a Western, biblically educated Christian, my conviction is to offer tools so that others can read and reread it through life-giving lenses, as I believe liberation is central to God’s story.”
Like Kat, I believe liberation is central to God’s story.
I found this part to be particularly encouraging:
“Ada Maria Isasi-Díaz once said that “La vida es la lucha—the struggle is life.” She explains that for over half of her life, she thought her task was to struggle and then one day enjoy the fruits of her labor—“but above all I have realized that I can and should relish the struggle,” she says. “The struggle is my life; my dedication to the struggle is one of the main driving forces in my life.” Relishing the struggle involves recognizing God’s presence within it, realizing that the struggle is sacred. And while la lucha is a personal struggle for survival, it also marks our collective struggle for liberation.”
“As Aboriginal elder Lilla Watson articulates so beautifully: our liberation is bound together. And that too—our collective struggle—is holy.”
Read
August 26, 2021I liked this even more than Reading While Black!!! We looooove a good decolonizing work!
January 24, 2022
Reading this book solidified for me that we *need* to listen to a wide variety of commentary on the Bible or we WILL miss things. I loved the author's retelling and explanations of lesser-known women in the Bible I hadn't given much thought (or EVER heard sermons on). Even if you don't agree with all her conclusions, the commentary on the biblical women in and of itself is worth reading the book for.
August 9, 2023
4.5 ✨— really, really important text and super accessible, especially to those adjacent to theological education. I thought the last two chapters were particularly powerful and poignant, tying together lived (abuelita) theology and academic scholarship really well.
January 17, 2022
I value Armas’ perspective on life as a woman of color living in Western Christianity, and she gives some good insight into women of the Bible and Latina women throughout history. However, I believe liberation theology takes the truth that God values justice and offers freedom, and places it on a pedestal instead of the gospel. I also felt that she misrepresented some of the biblical stories for the sake of making a point, without ever explaining how she reached her unusual interpretive conclusions.
September 13, 2021
The subtitle of Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength drew me to this book by Kat Armas. The author calls attention to “Abuelitas” (female spiritual leaders who often remain unrecognized) as she recalls the narratives of Biblical people, historical figures, and modern-day leaders.
My favorite aspect of Abuelita Faith was Kat Armas’ examination of the women and their actions. While I enjoyed her fresh perspective on familiar Biblical women (Miriam, Ruth, Tamar, etc), I absolutely loved learning about the historical women (post-Biblical times) that I was previously unfamiliar with. I did not personally agree with all of the author’s points, but I found them interesting and worthy of reading and consideration. (i.e.: In my mind, J. Lo & Shakira’s 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Performance does not equate to Miriam’s victory dance after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and saw the Egyptian army defeated.)
Other things to consider about Abuelita Faith by Kat Armas:
While the book focused on theology and spiritual leadership by women (as expected from the title), I would have appreciated more connections between the spiritual lessons and the teachings of Jesus.
Kat Armas’ love and admiration for her own abuelita shined in each chapter, but I found it difficult to relate to. Those (like me) who come from dysfunctional families may struggle to internalize the concept of one’s abuelita as someone to be looked up to. (Similar to the difficulty of believing in God as a good, good father when one has been abused or abandoned by his or her earthly father.)
Frequently in Abuelita Faith, Kat Armas underscored her topics and points with discussion on race and social justice. While the information was relevant and necessary, it sometimes overshadowed the women’s stories and actions.
The author lived several years as an enthusiastic, solidly conservative Evangelical. She speaks with credibility as she calls out previous racism and marginalization by the evangelical establishment. I consider her accusations fair, but the manner in which the author presents the grievances is likely to only cause defensiveness rather than change. Exvangelicals and progressive Christians will likely embrace Abuelita Faith.
In conclusion, I found Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength by Kat Armas educational and interesting. This work offered plenty of information and perspective to consider and appreciate. I did not enthusiastically agree with every thought and conclusion, but I found value in reading this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
My favorite aspect of Abuelita Faith was Kat Armas’ examination of the women and their actions. While I enjoyed her fresh perspective on familiar Biblical women (Miriam, Ruth, Tamar, etc), I absolutely loved learning about the historical women (post-Biblical times) that I was previously unfamiliar with. I did not personally agree with all of the author’s points, but I found them interesting and worthy of reading and consideration. (i.e.: In my mind, J. Lo & Shakira’s 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Performance does not equate to Miriam’s victory dance after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and saw the Egyptian army defeated.)
Other things to consider about Abuelita Faith by Kat Armas:
While the book focused on theology and spiritual leadership by women (as expected from the title), I would have appreciated more connections between the spiritual lessons and the teachings of Jesus.
Kat Armas’ love and admiration for her own abuelita shined in each chapter, but I found it difficult to relate to. Those (like me) who come from dysfunctional families may struggle to internalize the concept of one’s abuelita as someone to be looked up to. (Similar to the difficulty of believing in God as a good, good father when one has been abused or abandoned by his or her earthly father.)
Frequently in Abuelita Faith, Kat Armas underscored her topics and points with discussion on race and social justice. While the information was relevant and necessary, it sometimes overshadowed the women’s stories and actions.
The author lived several years as an enthusiastic, solidly conservative Evangelical. She speaks with credibility as she calls out previous racism and marginalization by the evangelical establishment. I consider her accusations fair, but the manner in which the author presents the grievances is likely to only cause defensiveness rather than change. Exvangelicals and progressive Christians will likely embrace Abuelita Faith.
In conclusion, I found Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength by Kat Armas educational and interesting. This work offered plenty of information and perspective to consider and appreciate. I did not enthusiastically agree with every thought and conclusion, but I found value in reading this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.
August 1, 2022
I highly suggest reading Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us about Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength alongside Of Women and Salt—it helps provide more texture and concreteness to the kinds of women Kat Armas describes in the book.
I loved this book for its centering of women on the margins in scripture and its weaving of Kat Armas' Cuban-American experience. After reading this book, my eyes are more open to women in the text of scripture, and how their actions celebrate and show God's wisdom. I especially loved the chapters on wisdom and exodus, on how God prepares a way for his salvation through the actions of women. It made me think of my own Abuelita and how she embodies the Proverbs and wisdom of scripture. I also particularly appreciated the recognition that life is gray, not black and white. Sometimes, survival requires doing "morally ambiguous" things, and God meets us in the complexity of our action. Sometimes, he even blesses those actions.
Also, I would totally read a memoir of her Cuban-American experience. Those stories filled the book with so much vida y gozo.
On the other hand, I grew frustrated at times with the decolonial perspective. It might just be me— I've probably read too many liberation theologians lately lol. From my perspective, the decolonial lenses often led to a reductionistic or mischaracterization of a text or story. I'm not saying that the Bible does not contain hard texts or that certain stories need to be handled with even more care. But if we want to "wrestle with the text until it blesses us," that also means allowing the text to breathe and critique us and our perspectives (and not necessarily the other way around).
All in all, would highly recommend!
I loved this book for its centering of women on the margins in scripture and its weaving of Kat Armas' Cuban-American experience. After reading this book, my eyes are more open to women in the text of scripture, and how their actions celebrate and show God's wisdom. I especially loved the chapters on wisdom and exodus, on how God prepares a way for his salvation through the actions of women. It made me think of my own Abuelita and how she embodies the Proverbs and wisdom of scripture. I also particularly appreciated the recognition that life is gray, not black and white. Sometimes, survival requires doing "morally ambiguous" things, and God meets us in the complexity of our action. Sometimes, he even blesses those actions.
Also, I would totally read a memoir of her Cuban-American experience. Those stories filled the book with so much vida y gozo.
On the other hand, I grew frustrated at times with the decolonial perspective. It might just be me— I've probably read too many liberation theologians lately lol. From my perspective, the decolonial lenses often led to a reductionistic or mischaracterization of a text or story. I'm not saying that the Bible does not contain hard texts or that certain stories need to be handled with even more care. But if we want to "wrestle with the text until it blesses us," that also means allowing the text to breathe and critique us and our perspectives (and not necessarily the other way around).
All in all, would highly recommend!
February 23, 2024
I never knew a book could make me cry until I read this one. Saying that Armas’s storytelling is captivating is really short selling her work here. This is both devastating and hopeful; both disheartening and empowering. What a beautiful collection of stories.
“We are creatures of the dirt, bound together.”
“We are creatures of the dirt, bound together.”
August 10, 2021
I loved this book. The way Armas has interwoven her own story and the stories of her abuela and other marginalized women with the stories of women in Scripture is enlightening and eye-opening. Abuelita Faith reminds us, especially those of us who are white in the West, that theology is being done on the ground in communities all around us and it's just as true and just as powerful (and sometimes more so) as the theology being done in the academy or from the pulpits of our churches. It points us to the need to widen our perspective, to decolonize our ways of thinking about the world and our faith. Armas has given her reader a powerful exploration of the absolutely vital fact that if the Gospel we're preaching isn't actually good news for those on the margins, for the poor single mother, for the widow, for the struggling immigrant, then it's not truly the Gospel.
January 23, 2024
Not a fan of this one. The author reads the Bible through the lens of oppression, and this seems to lead her to use stories in the Bible to say what she wants to say rather than letting God speak through His Word and tell us what He wants to say. Authorial intent doesn’t seem to be on her radar.
Some stories are twisted…She writes that Naomi tells Ruth to wait until Boaz is intoxicated to go in and seduce him?!? That’s not in my Bible.
In spite of having taken classes at seminary in the original languages, Armas makes much of the feminine gender of the Holy Spirit, but the grammatical gender of the Spirit is no different than a table or chair being feminine in the Spanish language. God is a Spirit and has no body as we do.
She writes about being an exile, although it was her ancestors who immigrated here. She was born and raised in Miami among a community of folks who shared her ethnic background. I understand feeling like a misfit, not fitting in, being persecuted for being different. But what she never does is write about how being a Christian transcends ethnic boundaries. Yes, we may come from different cultural backgrounds, but we don't have to dwell on our differences when we are united to Christ who reconciles us to God and one another. (We don’t minimize them and can appreciate them, but ultimately, our faith in Christ transcends ethnic boundaries.)
This book had the potential to be beautiful, but it tried to glorify women instead of glorifying Christ, and I think that made it weak. This book is about women rising above struggles, but it really doesn't show us how King Jesus is making all things new to the praise of God's glory. In the end, it left me wanting.
Some stories are twisted…She writes that Naomi tells Ruth to wait until Boaz is intoxicated to go in and seduce him?!? That’s not in my Bible.
In spite of having taken classes at seminary in the original languages, Armas makes much of the feminine gender of the Holy Spirit, but the grammatical gender of the Spirit is no different than a table or chair being feminine in the Spanish language. God is a Spirit and has no body as we do.
She writes about being an exile, although it was her ancestors who immigrated here. She was born and raised in Miami among a community of folks who shared her ethnic background. I understand feeling like a misfit, not fitting in, being persecuted for being different. But what she never does is write about how being a Christian transcends ethnic boundaries. Yes, we may come from different cultural backgrounds, but we don't have to dwell on our differences when we are united to Christ who reconciles us to God and one another. (We don’t minimize them and can appreciate them, but ultimately, our faith in Christ transcends ethnic boundaries.)
This book had the potential to be beautiful, but it tried to glorify women instead of glorifying Christ, and I think that made it weak. This book is about women rising above struggles, but it really doesn't show us how King Jesus is making all things new to the praise of God's glory. In the end, it left me wanting.
September 16, 2021
i can't begin to describe the emotion i felt reading this book. it is something special and rare to read a book that integrates latina scholarship, latina theology, and everyday latina experience. it was like this book was written for me. as a 3rd generation, half-anglo boricua in the U.S., i felt so seen by kat's explication of in-betweenness and sacred exile. her family's stories were my family's stories. my eyes are welling with tears just reflecting on the beauty and wisdom of this book. kat armas has a way of using intense scholarship paired with welcoming life stories to lead the reader into a sense of la Espíritu Santa - the Wild Child of the Holy Trinity, as armas calls Her - in the everyday and the ways in which the women of the Bible and the modern world embody and share that Espíritu for the survival and liberation of themselves and their communities. this book thrilled me and taught me SO MUCH (like, i will never read the Bible the same again). i am so grateful for it. estoy orgullosa y me siento amada por eso. gracias, kat. :')
January 6, 2022
I listened to the author on a podcast as she guested on Emily P. Freeman’s The Next Right Thing and immediately ordered this book. It is a well thought out, researched, and sound exploration of women in the Biblical narrative who have been systematically ignored by church leaders determined to maintain the patriarchal chokehold on the Christian church. I have been navigating a lengthy season of deep disillusionment with church leadership that fails on so many levels to be a reflection of how Jesus treated others. This book really helped me to discern key/core issues and possible steps towards finding faith communities committed to teaching, preaching and modeling concern for those Jesus focused his ministry on - those in the margins due to poverty, gender, or race.
October 15, 2021
I really liked the way the author drew out some of the women and their stories from the Bible and tied it to current day connections. It was really distracting for me to have the angry sentiment toward the colonizers and the dominant culture as a theme also competing for the central focus. It didn’t feel to fall into line with the idea of these abuelitas teaching us through their hardship- it seemed to contradict that: being angry at hardship but then grateful for all we learn through it. I can appreciate the struggles and that journey is certainly a hard road, but it didn’t seem to fit with the celebration of these unsung women.
August 22, 2022
This book is healing, restorative, and mind blowing. The ways that Kat Armas breaks down the colonial way of reading and interpreting the Bible especially when it comes to women and then teaching us to see it through the lenses of our elders and ancestors faith and through our culture, is so beautiful! I’m proud of this book, I will forever cherish it and revisit it and recommend it! 10/10 ❤️
July 11, 2022
“The dominating culture taught me to separate myself from what I study, and consequently, to live with a fragmented identity. But when our musings about life and faith exist only in fragments, we live disembodied realities. God becomes disembodied too.”
“What if the world’s greatest theologians are those whom the world wouldn’t consider theologians at all?”
“…abuelita theology is deeply personal. For me, it is created in real time as I decolonize: decenter and recenter, deconstruct and reconstruct. It is the practice of uncovering and naming our abuelas who have inspired, taught, and guided us in our process of becoming and belonging.”
“Abuelita theology stems from the reality that in Latine religious culture, matriarchal figures such as abuelitas preserve and pass along religious traditions, beliefs, practices, and spirituality. They function as ‘live-in ministers,’ particularly because the privilege to receive ‘formal’ religious instruction is often unavailable. Thus, abuelitas are the functional priestesses and theologians in our familias.”
I knew from following Kat Armas on social media that I needed to read her book, and it did not disappoint. “Abuelita Theology” is a beautiful tapestry of lived experiences across generations from Kat’s family as well as women of the Bible—some of them even unnamed—and the ways their experiences as marginalized people embody a deep, expansive faith. Armas writes from her identity as a Cuban American who lives “between worlds” in various aspects of her identity. She draws on a liberation theology perspective that helped me see familiar Bible stories with a fresh lens. I love how these stories point to a decolonized understanding of the divine. I highly recommend this to anyone who is on a journey of deconstructing, reconstructing, and decolonizing their faith and understanding of Christianity!
“What if the world’s greatest theologians are those whom the world wouldn’t consider theologians at all?”
“…abuelita theology is deeply personal. For me, it is created in real time as I decolonize: decenter and recenter, deconstruct and reconstruct. It is the practice of uncovering and naming our abuelas who have inspired, taught, and guided us in our process of becoming and belonging.”
“Abuelita theology stems from the reality that in Latine religious culture, matriarchal figures such as abuelitas preserve and pass along religious traditions, beliefs, practices, and spirituality. They function as ‘live-in ministers,’ particularly because the privilege to receive ‘formal’ religious instruction is often unavailable. Thus, abuelitas are the functional priestesses and theologians in our familias.”
I knew from following Kat Armas on social media that I needed to read her book, and it did not disappoint. “Abuelita Theology” is a beautiful tapestry of lived experiences across generations from Kat’s family as well as women of the Bible—some of them even unnamed—and the ways their experiences as marginalized people embody a deep, expansive faith. Armas writes from her identity as a Cuban American who lives “between worlds” in various aspects of her identity. She draws on a liberation theology perspective that helped me see familiar Bible stories with a fresh lens. I love how these stories point to a decolonized understanding of the divine. I highly recommend this to anyone who is on a journey of deconstructing, reconstructing, and decolonizing their faith and understanding of Christianity!
March 12, 2025
Eye-opening Read
I so appreciate how the author weaves together the personal stories of the women in her family—heroic and tragic, with varied rhythms of literation and marks of oppression—and those of both leading lights and forgotten glimmers in the Biblical narrative. As someone with some theological training and a fellow believer, I believe this text will have important takeaways for the ardent follower of Christ, the curious seeker still wary of many of our problematic hierarchies, and the detached academic looking to better understand the faith practices of women on the margins.
I so appreciate how the author weaves together the personal stories of the women in her family—heroic and tragic, with varied rhythms of literation and marks of oppression—and those of both leading lights and forgotten glimmers in the Biblical narrative. As someone with some theological training and a fellow believer, I believe this text will have important takeaways for the ardent follower of Christ, the curious seeker still wary of many of our problematic hierarchies, and the detached academic looking to better understand the faith practices of women on the margins.
August 17, 2021
So very good. It was almost as though Kat’s life was lived for this book — scripture weaves tightly into her life stories and the history of Cubans(-Americans). The elegant writing is part-memoir and part-theology to form one beautiful whole. As a white man, I treasure the perspective and perception Kat shares here. She is driving me to see scripture in a new light, and to teach far more at church about the courageous, defiant women celebrated by the God Who Sees. Thank you for your honesty and wisdom, Kat! Already bought an extra copy for a friend.
June 27, 2022
One day I will reread this book when I am more awake and energized and then I will have to give it 6/5 stars because it will probably be even better than my tired first reading. I am challenged by the stories of so many theologians and activists and fresh readings of Scripture. Armas reminds me that we learn about God from so many people in our lives whose theological training is from life and wisdom instead of books and papers and letters behind their names. This book renewed my love of stories, culture and reminds me of the immense impact of our elders. Beautiful.
January 2, 2022
Kat Armas may find herself to be precisely the abuelita faith theologian missing from many a seminary's bookshelves. I'm not sure if there's an age minimum for being a faithful abuelita, but I hope she is on the path to becoming one if she isn't one already. A Cuban-American woman stifled by the profoundly male and white-dominated theology in American seminaries and churches, Armas writes of the heroines of South American faith - mothers, grandmothers, and aunties whose lives live out their theology.
Read
December 4, 2021Yes & amen
December 5, 2021
Excellent book that gave me a fresh perspective of faith and how another culture views and understands Biblical stories. Definitely worth the read.
July 5, 2022
Ugh, so good. Subversive. Prophetic. Hopeful. Such a great read!
August 17, 2022
Such a beautiful introduction to Abuelita Theology or Kitchen theology. Must read for any pastor!
June 6, 2023
I loved this book as I was able to learn so much about Cuban history as well as hidden bold women in the Bible. The flow was choppy but in general it was a good educational book.
June 16, 2025
Excellent book! This is beautiful writing on a deeply important topic.
August 9, 2025
Kat Armas’ book sheds light on the women characters in the Bible that are often forgotten or misrepresented with expert (usually male) analysis. Her writing causes me to reframe every mention of women in scripture in terms of her historical context: What were the mores and laws of the day? What were her options within and outside of that structure? Women had very little power in those days; if they found themselves in a vulnerable position, they often used their wits to claim their rights as a person.
Although there are some prominent women of the Bible that are studied and well-known, like Ruth the Moabite, Mary (Jesus’ mother), Deborah who was a judge—there are many others who are mentioned only fleetingly, and often aren’t even named.
One example was a “wise woman” who was called from the city of Abel to beseech Joab not to destroy her city (2 Samuel 20:16). Her rhetoric was effective and she saved the city from destruction. This short passage raises many questions about the woman and her particular role. I have to think, that if the Bible had been written by women, we would have heard more details about these female characters. Armas uses many examples from the Bible and from her own life experience (sprinkled with Spanish phrases that personalize her stories about her Cuban ancestry, and of course, her Abuelita).
These brief mentions of women and the assertive, active roles that they play within their cultures in order to optimize things for themselves and their loved ones are critical to take note of as we as women work through the cultural challenges in modern times. We were never meant to be passive and reactive, letting others do our thinking. I can only conclude that God likes gutsy women of faith.
It's made me speculate how the Bible would read if some of it had been written by women. I think it would carry the same message in a totally different way.
Some references:
Genesis 38: Tamar, a Canaanite, daughter-in-law to Judah, confronted him boldly on breaking his promise
Exodus 2: Jochebed, Moses' mother and the midwives who refused to kill the infant sons born to the Hebrew women, saying they are "vigorous, and give birth before the midwives arrive." The midwives feared God more than Pharoah.
Exodus 15:20: Miriam, a prophetess (Aaron's sister) brought a timbral to dance and celebrate after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea
Numbers 27: Zelophehad's daughters --Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah demanded Moses allot them the property their father would have, since he had died. God confirmed to Moses that they were right, and changed the law to include female heirs. Persistence was their virtue, too, as they had to remind the leader again years later, Joshua this time (Joshua 17:4) But they did get their father's land.
Judges 1:12; 13; 1 Chronicles 2: 4,9: Asserts herself to ask for more land from her father Caleb for her and her husband
Judges 4-5: Deborah, a judge, a prophetess, gave God the glory. A wise mediator, advisor, counselor; did not let being a woman limit her.
1 Samuel 1: Hannah, mother of Samuel, who prayed for a son that she would dedicate to God's work
1 Samuel 25: Abigail prevented David from taking vengeance on her husband Nabal
2 Samuel 14: A "wise woman" was brought from Tekoa to convince King David not to exile Absalom.
2 Samuel 3:6-11; 21:1-14: Rizpah radically asserts herself, remaining as a protest beside her sons' dead bodies, seeking justice from king David. Not until she received it, did the famine end.
2 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 34: Huldah the prophetess, well-regarded and listened to
Esther: had to play within the rules, being deferential, patient but wisely used her position to speak truth to power.
Matthew 15:21-28: A Canaanite woman recognized Jesus for who he was--"Lord, Son of David" Jesus engages her, kind of debates her, and praised her for her great faith.
Luke 1:46-55: Mary's song of praise for a God who uplifts the poor and humble
Luke 8:1-3: Women who traveled with and supported Jesus--Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Suzanna, and "many others". Jesus depended on them, valued them, and empowered them.
Acts 9:36-40: Jesus resurrected Tabitha (Dorcas) who must have been an important, beloved woman. In fact, the women were the first to see Jesus resurrected. In John 20:17 Jesus himself instructed Mary Magdalene to tell the Gospel news to the disciples.(all four Gospels cover this story in various forms)
Acts 16:19: Lydia, "a dealer in purple cloth" in a group of other women of faith in Philippi, Macedonia.
Women sometimes had to play the role of the "joderone," or trickster who use wits and deception to reveal a greater truth. They lie, cheat, joke, and deceive to unmask truths obscured by the dominant culture's moralists. They're subversive--they frustrate the power structure by shaming and exposing them. Still, they remain ethical--operating in a realm beyond the good and the evil. They are the disenfranchised trying to survive their reality and lead to a greater good.
Although there are some prominent women of the Bible that are studied and well-known, like Ruth the Moabite, Mary (Jesus’ mother), Deborah who was a judge—there are many others who are mentioned only fleetingly, and often aren’t even named.
One example was a “wise woman” who was called from the city of Abel to beseech Joab not to destroy her city (2 Samuel 20:16). Her rhetoric was effective and she saved the city from destruction. This short passage raises many questions about the woman and her particular role. I have to think, that if the Bible had been written by women, we would have heard more details about these female characters. Armas uses many examples from the Bible and from her own life experience (sprinkled with Spanish phrases that personalize her stories about her Cuban ancestry, and of course, her Abuelita).
These brief mentions of women and the assertive, active roles that they play within their cultures in order to optimize things for themselves and their loved ones are critical to take note of as we as women work through the cultural challenges in modern times. We were never meant to be passive and reactive, letting others do our thinking. I can only conclude that God likes gutsy women of faith.
It's made me speculate how the Bible would read if some of it had been written by women. I think it would carry the same message in a totally different way.
Some references:
Genesis 38: Tamar, a Canaanite, daughter-in-law to Judah, confronted him boldly on breaking his promise
Exodus 2: Jochebed, Moses' mother and the midwives who refused to kill the infant sons born to the Hebrew women, saying they are "vigorous, and give birth before the midwives arrive." The midwives feared God more than Pharoah.
Exodus 15:20: Miriam, a prophetess (Aaron's sister) brought a timbral to dance and celebrate after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea
Numbers 27: Zelophehad's daughters --Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah demanded Moses allot them the property their father would have, since he had died. God confirmed to Moses that they were right, and changed the law to include female heirs. Persistence was their virtue, too, as they had to remind the leader again years later, Joshua this time (Joshua 17:4) But they did get their father's land.
Judges 1:12; 13; 1 Chronicles 2: 4,9: Asserts herself to ask for more land from her father Caleb for her and her husband
Judges 4-5: Deborah, a judge, a prophetess, gave God the glory. A wise mediator, advisor, counselor; did not let being a woman limit her.
1 Samuel 1: Hannah, mother of Samuel, who prayed for a son that she would dedicate to God's work
1 Samuel 25: Abigail prevented David from taking vengeance on her husband Nabal
2 Samuel 14: A "wise woman" was brought from Tekoa to convince King David not to exile Absalom.
2 Samuel 3:6-11; 21:1-14: Rizpah radically asserts herself, remaining as a protest beside her sons' dead bodies, seeking justice from king David. Not until she received it, did the famine end.
2 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 34: Huldah the prophetess, well-regarded and listened to
Esther: had to play within the rules, being deferential, patient but wisely used her position to speak truth to power.
Matthew 15:21-28: A Canaanite woman recognized Jesus for who he was--"Lord, Son of David" Jesus engages her, kind of debates her, and praised her for her great faith.
Luke 1:46-55: Mary's song of praise for a God who uplifts the poor and humble
Luke 8:1-3: Women who traveled with and supported Jesus--Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Suzanna, and "many others". Jesus depended on them, valued them, and empowered them.
Acts 9:36-40: Jesus resurrected Tabitha (Dorcas) who must have been an important, beloved woman. In fact, the women were the first to see Jesus resurrected. In John 20:17 Jesus himself instructed Mary Magdalene to tell the Gospel news to the disciples.(all four Gospels cover this story in various forms)
Acts 16:19: Lydia, "a dealer in purple cloth" in a group of other women of faith in Philippi, Macedonia.
Women sometimes had to play the role of the "joderone," or trickster who use wits and deception to reveal a greater truth. They lie, cheat, joke, and deceive to unmask truths obscured by the dominant culture's moralists. They're subversive--they frustrate the power structure by shaming and exposing them. Still, they remain ethical--operating in a realm beyond the good and the evil. They are the disenfranchised trying to survive their reality and lead to a greater good.
April 15, 2025
I really appreciated the perspectives in this book! Being exposed to so many overlooked women of the Bible made me want to look into their stories further.
July 1, 2021
Loved the way Armas has blended her own stories, women of the Bible, and related them to modern evangelicalism. Definitely worth your time.
February 9, 2022
There's a lot of challenge present in this book. A challenge to look at the choices women in the Bible and the women who surround us. Armas challenges us to look at them and elevate their decisions, she challenges us to see that God lives in the gray. She also challenges us to see that our theology shouldn't only come from the white western man's point of view. Though I don't agree with everything in this book, this was an eye opening book that challenges theology, culture, and the system we find ourselves supporting or fighting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews