Along with the Western Seminary Blog let me make two announcements.
First, Carolyn Custis James, author of Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women (purchase from Zondervan here), will be speaking at Western Seminary (5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR, 97215) on Saturday, May 11th, from 9:00-11:00AM. To learn more about this event and/or to RSVP go here.
Second, we will be giving away a free copy of this book. All it takes to enter is that you leave a comment either here or on the corresponding post at the Western Seminary Blog (which can be found here) telling us what you think is the most concerning obstacle facing women globally today and what the church can do to be a witness to Christ in that situation. Again, leave a comment here or on the Western Seminary Blog and you will be entered to win a free copy of Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women by Carolyn Custis James.
The deadline to enter will be next Friday, the 15th.
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Read my review that I posted here.
the archives near Emmaus 
Count me in. BTW–love that mustard background!
The fact that practices are infinitely more challenging to change than beliefs. I can change my mind a million times a day on a given day on a given abstract theological concept, but, in the end, my practice demonstrates, all to often, that the question was never really asked. I am stuck in my ways.
Count me in!
@Stephen: Thanks for the comment!
@Jason and @Brian: You need to read the full instructions. It requires the commenter to mention something about a global issue facing women. 🙂
I don’t know much about women’s global issues …
… so I’m going to say that a global issue that the church needs to address is apathy and a lack of knowledge. My church doesn’t say much about them, and I don’t do enough to find out on my own, so we’re both wrong. Until we (and I) start learning more about what’s going on outside our own comfort zones, we won’t be able to do anything to help.
I’m another one who isn’t sure what the biggest global issue… for all that we sometimes feel egalitarianism has not taken hold well enough here in the West, for most of us western women, we’ve got life REALLY good compared to the rest of the world. In many parts of the world women still have no control over their lives… Girls being sold into slavery… married off young… the list of horrors just goes on and on when you start reading some of this stuff… and lack of education too…
@Justin and @Ally: Thanks for commenting! Our ignorance of global women’s issues is something that needs to be addressed (and this book helps get that conversation going). And the list Ally provided hits on many of the points James covers in her book.
aww booo! lol! fine… one women’s issue that needs to be address is that of spousal abuse in the Central Americas, and in Spain, and in, well, just about everywhere… – it is very prevalent and tragically so…
Women are still viewed as the underclass even in Western society and in Western churches. Men must start letting women’s voices be heard more – and not just through teaching Sunday School! A Patriarchal Church is not attractive. Genuine, and radical change is needed to restore Christianity to a faith of equals. Headship is a pernicious doctrine that needs to be rethought. It will be difficult – who willingly gives up power? – but it is not impossible.
Ignorance definitely is an issue. As I thought about it, there’s only one issue I know anything about, and that’s the sex trade, which is a huge issue. So I’ll go with that. Man we live in a bubble in the US (not that there aren’t issues here too).
The sex trade weighs heavily on my heart. It’s such a bigger issue than I imagined and the more I learn about it, the more my heart breaks. I do believe the sex trade and other female oppression issues here and abroad thrive when women are viewed as less than men or seen as less important or valuable. Education is SO important. Women need to understand their value!
Toughest challenge: “What is expected of me?”
I believe the answers come as we women seek to know who God is and who He created ME to be. Confusion stems from not only our pasts (what we must unlearn), but also the conflicting messages we receive from society, even in “church.”