What I had intended to be a series of posts over a couple of days rather typically turned into one post and then nothing. So here is the very belated continuation of Kindle Quick Hits …
Scott McKnight is a very engaging writer and blogger. He tackles some serious subjects but does so in a very engaging and relatable style. So when I saw he had a Kindle essay available on an interesting subject, I one-clicked my way to reading it. The essay/book is Junia Is Not Alone. What is that subject?
In this fierce essay, leading Bible scholar Scot McKnight tells the story of Junia, a female apostle honored by Paul in his Letter to the Romans—and then silenced and forgotten for most of church history. But Junia’s tragedy is not hers alone. She’s joined by fellow women in the Bible whose stories of bold leadership have been overlooked. She’s in the company of visionary women of God throughout the centuries whose names we’ve forgotten, whose stories go untold, and whose witness we neglect to celebrate.
But Junia is also joined by women today—women who are no longer silent and who are experiencing a re-voicing as they respond to God’s call to lead us into all truth.
McKnight, the author of over 30 books and the blogger and curator of the blog “Jesus Creed,” is a trusted, authoritative, and accessible voice on the Bible and theology. Junia Is Not Alone is a must-read for longtime followers, a valuable introduction for new readers, and a necessary call to awareness and action for the entire church.
I found it to be a passionate and informed argument about the subject of Junia and the role of women in the church. More below.
What McKnight offers is an impassioned plea for the church to recognize its past errors and celebrate the women past, present and future who play such a critical role in the furthering of the Gospel.
The historical case of the erasing of Junia from the Bible is really just a jumping off point in this essay turned e-book. But it is a story I was unaware of and I am sure a great many others are ignorant of the episode and its implications as well.
Given my lack of knowledge in this area, and my lack of study to rectify such lack of knowledge, I will fully admit that I am not well suited to judge whether McKnight exaggerates the history or pushes the limits of the impact of this particular episode in the history of the church. A quick Google search will give you lots of reviews to read and ponder.
I certainly lean much more in the egalitarian direction than the complimentarian but I think this book would be challenging and enlightening no matter where you fall on that spectrum.
A quirky story in many ways but an important subject and McKnight brings passion and knowledge to it.
