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 Books and Presbyterian Women
by
Viola Larson

 The Presbyterian Women's new little catalog, "Best Books for Presbyterian Women," offers some good books. For instance, N.T. Wright's series, "For Everyone" is very good and easy reading. And although I haven' read it I Want To Live These Days With You: A Year of Daily Devotions, taken from the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, should be the kind of devotional that brings, to the reader, the strength of Christ in the midst of trying times.

However, Jack Rogers' book, Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality, and Douglas F. Ottati's book, Theology for Liberal Presbyterians and Other Endangered Species, which both argue for specific sides to social issues, are offered without a counter side. These particular books fit the needs, interests and positions of some Presbyterian women yet there seems to be no alternative books offered for other Presbyterian women. But, it may be that there are no alternative books published by Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.

Included in the offering is A Multitude of Blessings: A Christian Approach to Religious Diversity by Cynthia Campbell. Campbell’s book, which pushes pluralism, is, surprisingly, listed under "Support the Mission of the Church Worldwide."

One book that is listed, Helpmates, Harlots, and Heroes, 2^nd ed., by Alice Ogden Bellis, is useful when attempting to understand feminist and womanist identity as well as feminist hermeneutics. In fact, I have not found a clearer book or chapter in a book on these subjects. However, once the author begins applying feminist hermeneutics used by various feminist theologians the biblical text is totally dismantled. God’s story is lost and the women of the Bible are all leveled to unremitting goodness. Accordingly and untruthfully, using the author’s focus, there are no evil women in the scriptures.

Looking at Presbyterian Publishing’s new catalog as well as my own library I find there are some good additions that might be placed alongside these books. One of the new books offered in the Presbyterian Publishing’s new catalog is Thomas the Other Gospel by Nicholas Perrin. This book places the Thomas gospel in its proper time period and allows the reader to understand how it was formed. The book has the recommendation of N.T. Wright and Marianne Meye Thompson.

And speaking of Thompson, who is a Presbyterian, and Professor of New Testament Interpretation, she also has an excellent book published by WJK Press in 2000. The Promise of the Father: Jesus and God in the New Testament. The back cover explains:

God’s identity as ‘Father’ served as an example for the entire community of faith as one who promotes mercy, justice, and humility. Jesus’ address to God as ‘Father’ thus did not introduce a new private experience of intimacy with the divine, rather, it evoked Israel’s ancient and corporate hope of God’s saving power and covenant faithfulness.

Alongside Thompson’s book one might read, for a fuller understanding of Reformed faith, Encountering God: Christian Faith in Turbulent Times, by Andrew Purves and Charles Partee, published in 2000. Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition is another good book written by Purves and published in 2001.

Now if I could “slip the surly bounds” of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, my suggestions could go on forever. It is good, however, to have boundaries. Still, just one more suggestion, all Presbyterian women should have The Book of Confessions and it, alongside the Scriptures, could be the missing alternative to such books as Jack Rogers' Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality.