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Beth Allison Barr, PhD

@bethallisonbarr

17 Nov

@ASChurchHistory

I'm reading an article published @ASChurchHistory Journal from 2004. It is by Valerie A. Karras and is titled "Female Deacons in the Byzantine Church." It is a fantastic example of how much scholarship exists on women as leaders that evangelicals just don't know.

such as:

Valerie A. Karras, "Female Deacons in the Byaznatine Church," Church History 73:2 (June 2004), 272-316.

Ute E. Eisen, Women Officeholders in Early Christianity, trans. Linda Maloney (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical, 2000).

and

Roger Gryson, The Ministry of Women in the Early church, trans. Jean Laporte and Mary Louise Hall (Collegeville, Minn.: Ligurgical 1976).

Karen Jo Torjesen, When Women were Priests: Women's Leadership in the Early church and the Scandal of their Subordination," (Harper, 1993)
&

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Beth Allison Barr, PhD

@bethallisonbarr

11 Aug

I try to not speak in anger. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to speak. I think it is time for me to speak out against that review. Because this matters. Because it encapsulates most of my points in #MakingBiblicalWomanhood.

Because it shows that men who believe women should not lead in church discredit women’s leadership in church history.

Because it shows that men who teach women are less than men treat women as less than men.

Because it shows how biblical womanhood hurts real women.

It’s time for the church to man up & act like Jesus.

Jesus treated women as fully human. Jesus listened to women. Jesus didn’t judge women by sexual status. Jesus told a woman she was of great faith—not when she stayed silent at home but when she called out to him in the street.

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Beth Allison Barr, PhD

@bethallisonbarr

22 Jul

I have three things to say.

1. I didn’t write #MakingBiblicalWomanhood for me. I wrote it to help women trapped in an ungodly system that is damaging the Gospel of Christ. I threatened an entrenched power structure, and they are trying to take me down….

2. I wrote over 4000 years of history in a tiny book. Yes it is an overview with windows into specific historical moments. Yes there is a lot more to say. Yes I didn’t explain all the nuances of Arianism. Others have done that. Go read them. I gave you hundreds of citations….

3. I told my story. I told it broadly because it involves real people. I didn’t tell the story for vengeance, I told what was needed to help you see the full implications of “biblical womanhood.” This isn’t just an abstract idea; it is a harmful system that hurts people….

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Beth Allison Barr, PhD

@bethallisonbarr

29 Jun

Maybe I should write a history/memoir on being married to a pastor.

I just read another heart-wrenching message from a pastor’s wife.

I know being a pastor is hard; but being married to a pastor is just as hard…..

It isn’t a paid position, but the work expectations are real.

It has no authority, but often what you say or do is seen as authoritative—as representing your spouse—and used against you.

It comes with lots of social obligations, but real friendships are hard to make…..

You see how hard your spouse works, often with little or no downtime, often in high-stress and emotion-filled situations…and the impact often seems so small.

People still leave the church, not because of you, but because it isn’t right for them….

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Beth Allison Barr, PhD

@bethallisonbarr

11 Jun

I know I shouldn’t tweet when I’m angry, but I’m going to break that rule. Because this matters. The SBC needs to realize how much this matters—a 🧵

I haven’t been on Twitter much lately. Not because I’m tired of criticism, but because I was tired of how self-centered it was making me.

I was focusing too much on what people thought about my book when I really didn’t write the book for me.

I wrote it to help women.

And every time I have jumped on lately, I have seen something else about the corruption inside the SBC.

Racism. Sexism. Angry men accusing each other. Calling victims of sexual assault whore and Potiphar’s wife…

Is there anything of this that looks like Jesus?

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Beth Allison Barr, PhD

@bethallisonbarr

23 May

Y’all this week has been fun. I missed all the convos. I suspect I’ll be going in and out for a while, though, so I just want to be clear on a few things before I go quiet again…. 🧵

1. I wrote #makingbiblicalwomanhood because I believe complementarianism is wrong. I agree with egalitarians/mutualists (I think I like term mutualist best) that God calls women and men equally to serve in church and home.

2. I think the claim that patriarchy is God-ordained is wrong. I think patriarchy is a product of human sin.

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