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BOOK REVIEW: WOMAN THE FULL STORY

By Kriss Erickson

In Woman: The Full Story, Michele Guinness asks the question, "What does it mean to be a woman today?" She invites readers to explore experiences of contemporary women, and biblical and historical texts to answer this question.

Guinness, who was raised in a Jewish home and married a Christian husband, brings a unique and comprehensive understanding to the way God views the feminine half of humanity. Her candor unravels the manipulations and misunderstandings that have been passed down for thousands of years regarding God's view of women.

The book is broken into three parts. In part 1, "The Kosher Woman -- A Jewish, Matriarchal Heritage," Guinness discusses early images of women. In Genesis, she says, a woman's "job spec is fairly straightforward at this stage -- someone who will share his (Adam's) heart, body, soul and mind." It's only as human society progresses that women's jobs become gradually limited to "cook, dishwasher, cleaner, child minder and general drudge."

Though she doesn't profess to be a Hebrew expert, Guinness's knowledge of Hebrew wording and her natural feel for the flow of the language help unravel many traditional interpretations of limitations on women. She explains that the Hebrew name Adam gives his wife is Chava. This word means more than the traditionally recognized definition: "life" or "chai." "The name given to women has a verbal implication that actually means 'spoken word of life.'" This suggests that God created women to speak words of life. What an affirmation of women's importance in God's kingdom!

In Part 2, "A Woman of Little Status?," Guinness shows that women held a more equal position with men throughout Jewish history than is commonly believed. However, by the time of Jesus' ministry on Earth, learning at the feet of a rabbi had become a male prerogative. By welcoming women like Martha and Mary as disciples, Jesus showed that women no longer had to be limited to domesticity and social entrapment.

Between the third and fifth centuries, the early church fathers "appeared to have worn mental, emotional and spiritual blinkers when it came to the place of women." Unfortunately, their views became entrenched in the Church's gender-limited mindset and influenced biblical exegesis for centuries.

In Part 3, "The Contemporary Woman: Living our Bequest in Today's World," Guinness points out that while society may be obsessed with sex, the Church would rather ignore the subject and hope it will cease to exist. God created men and women as sexual beings, yet sexuality has often been used against women. 

Guinness also discusses women's relationships with other women by sharing anecdotes, poetry and diary entries from her daughter, Abby. These entries illustrate the depth of the relationship between Guinness and Abby, as well as offering readers an intimate view of their mother-daughter relationship.

In the final analysis, Guinness asserts that life comes down to choice. We can't ignore gender hoping it will disappear, but we can decide how we will use our femininity or masculinity. We can choose who and what will control our lives. Ultimately, the choice is between human methods and God's plan.

©2004, Christians for Biblical Equality, 122 W. Franklin Ave., Suite 218, Minneapolis, MN 55404

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