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Review Summary: Designing Women |
Date: 2007-08-05 |
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Details: Wow. Rarely have I seen an author whose position I dislike, but who's style I love. Susan Hunt's a formidable woman who writes with zest, even if her definition of womanhood is rather incomplete.
Hunt definitely presents the complimentarian view better than many (and I mean MANY) before her. One of the best things about her is her open-mindedness and compassion for women whose positions she doesn't agree with. For example, she admits that the feminist movement opened with good goals and, when giving an example of women's Bible study groups that might steer in the wrong direction, she said that such women probably didn't intend for any wrongdoing to occur. In short, she generally gives women the benefit of the doubt.
Although Hunt speaks against "militant feminism", she's no shrinking violet herself. In fact, much of her words are spoken in a fighting spirit. I often got the impression of her rallying troops of women armies together and preparing them to fight in God's name. One of my favorite parts of the book was when she corrected an often misused quote of the Bible, in which women are told to have a quiet and gentle spirit. Hunt bluntly says, "The Bible was speaking of the spirit women should have with their husbands, not towards culture as a whole. There is a time and a topic for women to speak". Excuse me, but can I get a standing ovation for this woman? I've heard people tell women to be quiet so often, quoting that passage at them, it's about darn time someone set them straight. And a complimentarian, no less! How perfect is that?
This book, as Hunt herself affirms, is not to defend the position of male headship, but to uplift the concept of women's position. Unfortunetly, Hunt's view of woman's position is that of helper to men; this idea is stressed over and over in the book and deflects the true individuality God gives women. Hunt, like every other complimentarian under the sun, claims that male headship is not degrading to women and in no way gives them a secondary role. Actually, Hunt, it does. No one on Hunt's side of the argument seems to get this, but the concept of men being heads and women being helpers is VERY secondary to women! It's nothing BUT secondary to women. The idea is that our sole purpose is to help our men, the only leaders. Women can't be, in Hunt's view, more than helpers. Thanks Hunt, but I'd prefer to promote God's headship, not man's.
Hunt was for the most part open-minded, but the occasional one-track mindset crept in when addressing certain issues. For example, although Hunt acknowledged the fact that the first feminists had noble mindsets, modern feminists apparently can do no right in her eyes. Her statement that "no matter what extreme feminists go to, their agenda goes against God's design" was painfully inaccurate of many feminists, not to mention me! I understand Christians have to step on toes, but it's never good if you insult your reader's position and making swooping generalizations is a great way to do that.
If you strive to be more than a helper, this book isn't for you. If you're a staunch complimentarian trying to better understand your position as a woman, on the other hand, this is possibly the best book you could get. |
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Review Summary: It's About Time! |
Date: 2003-03-24 |
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Details: I found this book to be a breath of fresh air in Christian literature aimed at women. Susan Hunt clearly outlines God's amazing and unique design for women(an empowering design) - a refreshing contrast for Christian women caught in the tug-of-war between feminism and Biblical interpretations of women's roles. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finally having a solid foundation on which to base their identity as a Christian woman or leaders interested in great material to pass on to others. Susan Hunt has done a great job! |
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Review Summary: It's About Time! |
Date: 2003-03-24 |
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Details: I found this book to be a breath of fresh air in Christian literature aimed at women. Susan Hunt clearly outlines God's amazing and unique design for women(an empowering design) - a refreshing contrast for Christian women caught in the tug-of-war between feminism and Biblical interpretations of women's roles. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finally having a solid foundation on which to base their identity as a Christian woman or leaders interested in great material to pass on to others. Susan Hunt has done a great job! |
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Review Summary: The most definitive book on Biblical womanhood I've read! |
Date: 2001-04-09 |
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Details: Susan Hunt holds to Biblical precepts when discussing God's design for women - how women were created differently from men - for a purpose! This book does not teach women to return to the kitchen and slave to men. This book opens the eyes of women who are unsure of why God made them differently in the first place. I am a stock broker and single mom, and I found this book to be intellectually stimulating and by no means stifling. It was refreshing to read something so practical and God-glorifying. |
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Review Summary: Conservative Bible Literalists will like this book. |
Date: 1999-05-21 |
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Details: The right person may find they can identify with this book's philosophy and would therefore rate it quite differently than I did. I had the book in my hands for less than 30 minutes and knew I would return it. I am a liberal Catholic feminist and yet I am spiritual and seek to build a relationship with God. This book made me feel like I couldn't. One of the first stories are of martyrs of the Reformation - the tone against Catholicism left me cold. This followed shortly by a lecture against the sins of feminism. The "Design" of the book's title is one of "helper" to our males. If you are a Bible literalist and a conservative Protestant Christian you may enjoy this book - outside of that population, keep looking! |
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out of 5 Reviews
