Bible Study Review - 1

We began another ladies' Bible study last night using the book When Life and Beliefs Collide by Carolyn Custis James. A statement made by a seminary professor set the author on a journey that eventually led to the writing of this book. The statement? "You know, there have never been any great women theologians." I'll admit that no female names readily come to my mind as do the names John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, or a number of other theologians throughout history. But the problem is not really that women haven't had the opportunity; rather, it's a matter of theology being too narrowly defined. Don't get the wrong idea; the author is not promoting some sort of religious feminist agenda. Rightly defined, a theologian is anyone who pursues a deeper understanding of God's character and ways, so all Christian women are theologians to some degree of understanding. The Lord desires that we become good ones. He knows we need a deep understanding of theology as a foundation to our faith, so we are not ill-prepared when the storms of life hit. As the author states, the time we spend learning more about Jesus will fortify us against the difficult days ahead. Knowledge of His character provides us with a reliable compass to carry us through those storms. We need to know that God is on His throne and that He is always good. We need to know that He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign over all the affairs of man. We need to know that He works all things together for our good in conforming us to Christ, and more importantly for His own glory. We need to remember that, as transgressors of His law, we deserve His judgment, so it's only by His grace that we receive our blessings. And we Christians must remember that this world is not our eternal home, so we must hold on to things and people lightly.

As part of our study, we looked at Luke 10:38-42, the familiar account of Mary skipping out of kitchen duty to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from Him, rather than helping Martha prepare the dinner. From that account, women have often divided themselves into two camps..."women who think" and "women who serve." The author states, "The distinction is unfortunate, for it leads women to conclude that these two spheres of life are disconnected and incompatible instead of inseparably intertwined and that theology has no part in the living of our lives. We are convinced that deep thinking about God is only for individuals with the disposition and aptitude for it." (p. 21) As revealed in those verses, this dichotomy is not acceptable to Jesus. Though he was not exempting Mary from a life of serving, He was calling both women to make knowing God their highest priority, to sit and learn at the feet of their Creator, just as the Lord continues to call us. What a wonderful privilege that is!