It’s that time of year when—more than any other part of the liturgical calendar—we hear a woman’s name extolled from pulpits across the country. The Blessed Virgin Mary. It is bittersweet for me, this long-awaited reverence of a woman that sneaks in at the tail end of each year. Bitter because it reminds me of the rarity of finding a woman as the central character in our biblical narratives. Sweet because of the beauty of the pivotal role she plays in bringing Jesus into the world, changing it forever.
That brings me to the point of this post. While we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus this Christmas and recognizing Mary’s role in that miraculous story, let’s remember that Mary is not alone in representing women’s role in God’s ever-unfolding story. It’s so much more than Mary. More than all the women named Mary, in fact. A new book, Women Who Didn’t Shut Up & Sit Down by Shawna Atteberry, is an invaluable companion should you want to expand your knowledge of the women who were behind God’s work during biblical times.
You’ll learn more about women you’ve heard of like Deborah, Priscilla and Phoebe, while familiarizing yourself with some who may have escaped your notice, like the daughters of Zelophehad. And lo and behold, we even learn these daughters’ name, coming to know them as Malhah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah, not merely as unnamed daughters of a venerated father. You’ll come face-to-face with wise women like Tamar, Abigail and Huldah, leaving the text with an expanded vision for how God works through women.
One of the most profound lessons Shawna teaches through these women’s profiles is to show us that it is exactly at those moments when they didn’t “shut up and sit down” (as cultural expectations would dictate) that Godde* used them to ways that would not have happened had they been the subdued, submissive creatures we were erroneously taught they should be by virtue of their gender.
Finally, she unpacks the eight verses in the Bible that have been used for centuries to limit the effectiveness of women in ministry, both in the public (church) and private (home) spheres. They are, of course, 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15. With grace, wisdom and a deep biblical understanding, she creates a space in which we can explore these texts alongside her, considering their contexts, the authors possible motives and more.
And, blessedly, she doesn’t leave us hanging, inspired but unequipped to do more. Instead, she ends the book with a cheat sheet on bringing the women of the Bible out from the shadows, providing us with tools of discernment for interpreting scripture on our own. After all, we’ve been shown that powerful things happen when we refuse to shut up and sit down. She empowers us to find our voice and use it. The only thing I would change about this book is to make it available in a paper format, rather than restricting it to e-book. I want to carry it around with me and highlight liberally!
* This is the word Shawna uses in place of God. “Godde” is a combination of the words God and Goddess. It’s intended to show that Godde is both male and female and transcends both genders.
Shawna R. B. Atteberry is a writer, theologian and storyteller who empowers women to be the leaders Godde calls them to be at home, work and church by exploring the Divine Feminine and stories of the women in the Bible. In addition to Women Who Didn't Shut Up & Sit Down, she is working on her second book, Career Women of the Bible. She blogs at Shawna R. B. Atteberry, a safe haven for women to explore their calling and vocations without antiquated judgments about what a woman's role should be. She also provides spiritual direction for women who want to explore their different callings and roles.
She is also an associate editor for The Christian Godde Project: Exploring the Divine Feminine Within the Christian Godde. The goal of The Christian Godde Project is translating the New Testament using Divine Feminine names, images, and pronouns for Godde. The Divine Feminine Translation is a work in progress. The Gospels According to Matthew and Mark along with epistles to the Galatians, Philippians, Colossians are available free of charge on the Christian Godde website.
Shawna has over 10 years of pastoral experience, and she worked in the publishing industry for six years. She was an ordained minister and is now a lay leader at Chicago Grace Episcopal Church where she teaches on the women of the Bible and occasionally preaches. She lives in Chicago with her husband Tracy and their cat Victoria.
