Book Review - Nobody's Mother, Sandra Glahn, IVP Academic

 

One of the most confounding, complicated, and confusing passages in all of Scripture is 1 Timothy 2:11-15. Scholars and theologians have long debated its details and application regarding women in ministry. 

I'm not taking this space to dissect all of the issues at this time. But like the final boss of a video game, the paragraph ends with Paul making the statement that "women will be saved through childbearing". This would be the same Paul famous for developing and proclaiming salvation by faith in Christ. One steeped in modern-day vernacular might be tempted to ask, "what in the world bruh???"

While "Nobody's Mother" does touch on the wide variety of issues in 2:11-15, this book has its greatest relevance on that final gender-role-specific statement. Make no mistake, as cloudy and confusing as these verses are, Dr. Glahn offers critical clarity based on what we know about first century cultural context (I apologize for all the 'C' words). 

This book outlines the various levels of difficulty in interpreting 2:15. But after diagnosing the problems, the author surgically goes to work offering solutions and interpretive answers. She takes advantage of the under-studied world of first-century Ephesus and the cult of Artemis. Good bible students will recognize from passages like Acts 19 that the worship of Artemis was a formidable and popular cultural identification marker in Ephesus. But Dr. Glahn expands upon that premise using historical and extra-biblical records that still exist from that time period. Even architecture and art that remains from that world helps us understand just how entrenched the cult of Artemis was at that time and in that place. 

What I found fascinating was how much additional information we have from discoveries from just the past few decades and how that new information is just now being connected to biblical scholarship. This book puts the pieces together to see a more-coherent picture, offering an very reasonable explanation as to why Paul might tell Timothy and his Ephesian church that "women will be saved through childbearing."

I highly recommend any interested party purchase and read this book for themselves. But here is a summary of what I learned based on her research and conclusions:

• Artemis was among other things a celibate goddess of the hunt and goddess of midwives and childbirth. 
• Against what some have often assumed, she was not a fertility goddess and her temple was not grounds for sacred prostitution. Her cult was not anti-male but it was female-led. 
• Artemis is often called “savior” as protector and warrior who specifically could help deliver women through the childbearing process. 
• Sex and pregnancy were viewed in a somewhat negative or dangerous light by her devotees. This negative impression was based on women's mortality rates during childbirth combined with Artemis' own mythic backstory. The legend states that she was the first born of a set of twins and as an infant observed how her mother strenuously and painfully died to give birth to her twin brother. 
• Her goddess mission then was to help women in the birthing process or provide a quick and painless death if the birth was headed to a tragic end.

As it relates to 1 Timothy 2, I'm convinced of Dr. Glahn's conclusion that can be stated this way:

• Paul's confounding “saved through childbearing” statement is a direct counter to the Artemis myth. Artemis is not a real “savior”. Women Christ-followers can have confidence that Jesus is their hope with respect to the sometimes-dangerous and difficult process of childbirth. Jesus will deliver them, not Artemis. Pregnancy is not a curse, it is a good thing. And our security lies in faithfully following Jesus. Childbirth is not something to fear, for those in Christ have a true Savior.

The book offers other additional relevance for both 1 Timothy 2 and other parts of the New Testament, but I'm especially appreciative of the clarity it brings to a notoriously strange part of Paul's letter.

Book Review - Savoring Scripture, Andrew Abernethy IVP Academic

 

Right off the bat I should share in interest of full disclosure that I know the author of this book...maybe knew is a better term. To be honest we really don't know each other presently other than interactions on social media. I played basketball against him in college and with his twin brother during that time as well. We spent a week as counselors at a Christian camp one summer in college too. 

Clear as mud, right?

Andrew has gone on to distinguish himself in the academic world of Christendom. Proficient as a scholar, especially in the area of Isaiah and the prophets. 

Savoring Scripture (2022) is broader than that singular genre though. It aims to help its reader be a better student of the Word of God as a whole. As he states in the prologue, this is a book for any believer to learn "how to read the Bible".

Dr. Abernethy offers six helpful steps readers to better relate to Scripture and the Author behind it. They do not come off as rigidly formulaic, but he spends time developing each carefully enough where they separately be used to deepen our love for God and his Word. 

The steps work out like so:

• Posture: We need to evaluate our heart as we approach Scripture and make sure our attitude is one of humility and teachability. 
• Flow: Once a passage has been selected, we need to be sure we understand what's being said and what the main ideas that are being communicated.
• Context: Beyond the particular passage, we need to discern the setting of a passage both of the book and where the book and passage fit historically.
• Whole Bible: This step focuses our attention on how a passage connects to the redemptive arc of Scripture and how, even tangentially, it relates to Christ.
• Savor God: This is a devotional step where we meditate on what we've learned in the above areas and pray to God, considering what we learn about him in the process.
• Faithful Response: This final step assesses how we can apply what we learn from the passage. "What is God calling me to do in and through this passage?"

Going through this book, it fanned a flame in my own heart to break out of stale routines when it came to my own personal time with God's Word. There's a certain liturgy to these steps and I appreciate how each carries its own weight and importance in and of itself. They all build on one another of course too, but Abernethy has outlined a process that can be utilized in part and as a whole.

Kudos to him for authoring a work that can benefit any pastor, scholar, or beginning student of the Bible.

Not really a Music Monday

At the end of this blog, I'll post a music selection for this week. But I wanted to feature something else this week. 

Last Friday I sent out a bunch of tweets regarding biblical interpretation and theological discussions. It seemed to be well received but because of the character limits and the format of Twitter, the entirety of my rant was hard to follow. 

So, thanks to one friend's suggestion, I'm posting it as a whole here. I am likely to add some short additions but I hope you enjoy and maybe even are provoked to think deeper on these things.

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I've been in ministry around 15 years with a M.Div that was 90+ credits. But the most helpful theological instruction I ever received was something I got early on in my first Systematic Theology class when I believe I was a freshman in college. What follows is from the late Dr. Dave Plaster.

There are levels of authority/certainty when it comes to asserting theological truth. To quote Dr. Plaster, "An understanding of where a statement rests in authority helps us to determine our attitude towards others who disagree with us."

"(The level) does not mean we do not hold various statements with conviction even when others disagree...but we should avoid a 'flat' theology which does not distinguish between levels of authority." These are the 6 levels:

1. Direct Statements of Scripture. These carry the greatest weight of authority. The plain statements of God's Word offer us doctrinal truths that should be non-negotiable. But let's be sure these essential truths are not interpretations.

2. Direct Implications from Scripture. These are very substantially established truths from Scripture but are implications (maybe even applications) and not always 100% directly stated in the Bible.

3. Probable Implications of Scripture. These are inferences drawn tentatively. Some evidence is probable but these are theological statements not totally provable from the Bible.

4. Inductive Conclusions from Scripture. This is where statements/beliefs come from the overall data of Scripture with lots of deducing. There is less direct Biblical evidence being employed.

5. Conclusions inferred from General Revelation. These involve assertions that come from nature, science, and non-biblical wisdom/knowledge. Dr. Plaster taught that if the clear Biblical truth is opposed to this "General Revelation", the Biblical position should be taken.

6. Outright speculations. These are theological statements that could possibly be derived from obscure references in the Word.

The early levels will have more direct ties to a lot of Scripture, but this will lessen the further down the continuum one goes. Also, we should hold firmly to Level 1 truths, but loosen our grip the further we go.

For example, I will never compromise on faith in Jesus Christ as God's way of salvation. That's Level 1. I would die for that. But I am not willing to risk my life on whether or not the Church will live through a 7 year literal tribulation in the end times. That is more a Level 4 (maybe 3) truth, mostly because there is plenty of biblical data for different viewpoints.
These levels are important to think through for a lot of other issues of course. When life begins, Human Sexuality, Creation vs. Evolution, the reality of Heaven/Hell, and Eternal Security are all popular hot-button topics that even people outside the faith engage in at times. These topics need to be viewed through the lense of these levels, even before we ardently defend our views on them.

I have seen more basic versions of these levels of interpretations - where core doctrine is differentiated from traditional dogma which is differentiated from personal preference. But I appreciate this more-specific lens through which to look at theology. We will better understand our own beliefs and better engage in discussions if we accurately assess what level our positions come from.

Good reminders for us all, thanks Dr. Plaster.

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As promised, here's a musical selection for anyone who has persevered this far. This song is directly connected to my sermon from Sunday, which was out of Isaiah 24-26.

It's by a well-known worship artist, Chris Tomlin but it is not one of his popular tunes. I fell in love with it off of his "Live from Austin Music Hall" album of 2004. The cool thing about it is that it features David Crowder and really improves on the original.

A tempo change in the live version plus addition of the lyric "Jesus, Lord and Savior" within the chorus were perfect ways to improve the song - at least in my opinion.

And the original studio edition: