And now I am reading "Recovering From Biblical Manhood & Womanhood," by Aimee Byrd
I like this author. She has said so many of the things I've said and asked so many of the things I've asked over the years.
One bit: She's talking about women's Bibles vs men's Bibles, and hello, why, because we were all given the same Scriptures, and she mentions pretty, flowery Bibles and says that she doesn't like to judge a book by its cover, but when she sees that she can't help but find it embarrassing and insulting - "especially on God's Word. The Bible isn't an accessory that decorates my Instagram feed or bookshelf. While the amazing grace of God is a beautiful thing, there's also a lot of downright ugly in Scripture, isn't there? Sin is horrifying. And Scripture gives us the uncut version. Is the pretty cover supposed to soften this? It seems to cheapen the whole message in Scripture. I find it all very condescending. I want to read my Bible just as seriously as the men. The pretty cover on the women's Bible already begins to send a message that women will approach Scripture less seriously than men. I'm judging the cover as I see the cover judging the readers by their gender."
posted by melilotnfosco | 10:18 PM
3 Comments:
Counterpoint - Is the leather bound copy so traditionally manly that women might find that the Bible couldn't be for them, or for them only in a lesser sense in that they need to view through the lens of a man?
I think "men's" Bibles and "women's" Bibles are atrocious, however I would love to see a man walking around with a flowery Bible if that's what spoke to him.
I personally don't see leather bound as manly, I see it as deep, but maybe some women feel that way. Basically, though, yeah, "men's" and "women's" Bibles are an absolutely stupid idea. God spoke the same words to all of us.
Interesting.
When I hold a leather bound, I feel like it's a pass into the pastor's club. Am I really going to bring my flower Bible-cover - ed Bible up to the pulpit? Am I just an interloper if I bring up a leather bound because it's not really my Bible/ what my Bible should be? But seriously, do I have the balls (:D) to bring up my flowery silliness?
Post a Comment
<< Home