Daughters of Eve: Women of the Bible Speak to Women of Today

by Virginia Stem Owens

HAVE WOMEN CHANGED THAT MUCH SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME? Is there something about being a woman that transcends time and cultural differences? Are we, even after centuries of change, still "sisters under the skin" with women of radically different cultures who lived so long ago? Daughters of Eve invites you to examine some of the fascinating stories of biblical women. Some of these characters may be familiar to you; many you may have never heard of. As you learn about them, you may be surprised at what you learn about yourself. Be forewarned-the women of the Bible weren't always nice. But they were very real. And the ways in which they were courageous or cowardly, devoted or deceitful, are uniquely women's ways. Many of the issues they faced (violence, multiple marriages, manipulation, motherhood) are issues of urgent importance to women today. Much has changed since the first woman walked the earth. But at least one thing remains the being a woman is as challenging as it ever was. Come discover the uniqueness of womanhood-the things that after all these years still unite us as Daughters of Eve. "A lively, provocative, sensitive engagement with familiar and lesser-known biblical women. It touches all that women encounter-translating the dialogue into contemporary idiom and filling in the narrative space so often found in biblical stories."-Kent Richards, Ph.D., professor of Old Testament, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado "Virginia Stem Ownes has done a wonderful service in uncovering the best stories of women in the Bible, dusting them off, and presenting them in fresh, vivid prose."-Philip Yancy, editor at large for Christianity Today, and author of such books as Disappointment with God and The Gift Nobody Wants "Virginia Stem Ownes' illuminating portrayal of biblical women bridges time and culture, shattering any prevailing, one-dimensional view of these characters. She paints these women as neither heroines nor villains but vulnerable, chosen instruments of God."-Cynthia Hicks, author of The Feminine Journey TABLE OF Women's Ways-Women of the Bible Speak to Women Today MOTHERS The First Mother Sarah Mary WOMEN AND MARRIAGE Ruth Michal and Abigail Samaritan Woman WOMEN ON THE OUTSIDE Hagar Syro-Phoenician Woman Woman with the Issue of Blood SINGLE WOMEN Martha Jephthah's Daugher WOMEN AND VIOLENCE Tamar Rizpah Woman Taken in Adultery SENSUAL WOMEN Potiphar's Wife Shulammite Maiden Mary of Bethany MANIPULATIVE WOMEN Rebekah Delilah Salome, Wife of Zebedee POLITICAL WOMEN Esther Jezebel Herodias BUSINESS WOMEN Rahab Sapphira Prisca WOMEN AND THE SUPERNATURAL The Necromancer of Endor Huldah Mary Magdalene

244 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Kathy Piehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was very uneven. I discovered women I didn't know about, but sometimes the connections to the theme chapters were rather tenuous. Also, the "study guide" was rather superficial.

[Deborah-Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly have to say this this book is probably one of the best I have read on women in the Bible. I love how it addresses the socio-historical culture of the day (which has just given me an incredible amount of insight into a number of things I previously did not know about). Owens is obviously not able to list every single woman in Scripture (I am so sad she left out Deborah), however, she has a very good range of people she talks about from mothers to professional women to single women and everyone in-between. The chapters are short and I was completely hooked on reading this book any chance I got. I also really appreciate her desire to bring these ancient women into a modern context not in the feminist sort of way so many people try to do, but rather in addressing the areas that women back then as well as today face (such as being more susceptible to domestic abuse or being taken advantage of sexually). All in all, this was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about famous Biblical heroines.

[Tiz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I expected...not very interesting, actually. Bummer...but I trudged along and finished the thing! Ugh!