#6–The Making of Biblical Womanhood–2021 Best Reads

The 6th book on our Top Ten list is Beth Allison Barr’s The Making of Biblical Womanhood. Barr got a lot of buzz for this book, making her perhaps the country’s most popular medieval historian. Barr also happens to be an evangelical Christian trying to help her branch of the Christian church move out of its patriarchal distortions. She revisits Christian history to reveal periods when women had far greater latitude for leadership in the Church. She also uncovers the not so biblical roots of the contemporary biblical womanhood movement.

Mainline Protestant denominations have been having this discussion for awhile but recognition of the full equality (and full humanity) of all people is still an ongoing work. Barr’s book is a great, accessible spur to continue that work. You can read my full review here.

#7 — Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry by Ted Kooser & Jim Harrison

#8 — Saint Agnostica by Anya Krugovoy Silver

#9 — Across the Airless Wilds by Earl Swift

#10 — On Juneteenth by Annette Gordon-Reed