Sarah Bessey

NYT Bestseller A Rhythm of Prayer, Miracles and Other Reasonable Things, Jesus Feminist, Out of Sorts, @evolvfaith, Not in DMs., | Mum x 4, she/her

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Book Recommendations:

SB

Recommended by Sarah Bessey

“This is a @bethallisonbarr appreciation tweet: if you haven't yet read her important and brilliant book, "The Making of Biblical Womanhood," get your life right. If you have, then today is a great day for a review or share. 🏅She's good people.” (from X)

USA Today Bestseller Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (History & Biography) Foreword INDIES 2021 Finalist for Religion "A powerful work of skillful research and personal insight."--Publishers Weekly Biblical womanhood--the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers--pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn't biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments. This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history--ancient, medieval, and modern--to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr's historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women's roles in the church and help move the conversation forward. Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor's wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ.

SB

Recommended by Sarah Bessey

“Brilliant, searing, and completely new, Prop doesn’t just teach us about terraforming, he literally terraformed something new and generous—and funny!—with this book. It will give you a whole language and lens for co-creation of a more beautiful and true world.” (from Amazon)

In this debut collection of essays and poetry, musician, speaker, and activist Propaganda inspires us to create a better, more equitable world. “If we get to make the very cultures that shape who we are, then let us remake them in the best way possible.”In this deep, challenging, and thoughtful book, Propaganda looks at the ways in which our world is broken. Using the metaphor of terraforming—creating a livable world out of an inhospitable one—he shows how we can begin to reshape our homes, friendships, communities, and politics. In this transformative time—when we are redefining what a truly just and equitable world looks like, and reflecting on the work that needs to be done both in our spiritual and secular lives—Propaganda rallies readers to create that just world. He sheds light on how nefarious origin stories have skewed our views of ourselves and others and allowed gross injustices, and demonstrates how great storytelling and excellent art can create and shape new perspectives of the world and make all of us better.