BOOK REVIEW: 'Women of the word' by Jen Wilkin

In her excellent book ‘Women of the Word’, Jen Wilkins sets out to establish what the bible is as Gods complete revelation of Himself, and how to therefore approach it. The main thrust of her book is dedicated to equipping readers with a set of practical principles to hold to when reading Gods word to result in deeper understanding of Gods revelation of Himself.  These overlapping principles are: to study with purpose, perspective, patience, process and prayer. I'll provide a quick outline of each of these now -

Studying with purpose points to understanding the creation-fall-redemption-restoration ‘metanarrative’ of scripture, and considering how the passage fits into this.

In her chapter on studying with perspective, Jen assures readers that

1.     The bible is in no way diminished by being designated as literature

2.     Your ability to understand the Bible will be greatly enhanced if you treat it as such.
She therefore affirms and outlines the basic interpretation principles of highschool English as we approach Gods word.  That is, examining the context, style & reason the passage was written.

 Jen humbly & helpfully highlights the importance of patience as a learner: encouraging the reader to embrace the feeling of being challenged and lost as it ‘is actually a sign that our understanding is being challenged and that learning is about to take place’ (p 79).  Patience of circumstances and Gods work are also elaborated on in this chapter.

The process of how to go about understanding a passage is also broken down into Comprehension (What does it say?), interpretation (what does it mean?), & application (how should it change me?).  Jen delivers several strategies to seep out answers at each of these steps.  For me personally, this chapter compelled me to utilise an english dictionary even for simple words like ‘honor’, as well utilising the tool of paraphrasing verses to enhance my learning.

Overarching all of these principles is Jens encouragement to pray – before, during, and after the study. She helpfully fleshes out things you may be praying at these times.

Jen also includes a working example of pulling all of these principles together from a passage in James, as well as a helpful chapter written specifically to women who are teachers of Gods word in bible study settings.

I would highly recommend this book as a tool to equip women to engage with their bibles better – both for quiet times and participating in bible studies / one to one bible reading interactions. As a gifted teacher, Jens book is more about equipping readers with ‘how to learn’ rather than ‘what to think’. I am scripturally convinced of Jens approach to Gods word and I’m so grateful for her encouragements impassioning and equipping Christian women on their life long learning journeys of renewing their minds through scripture - by healthily increasing ‘bible literacy’.  This is a short and snappy book to be knocked over within a couple of hours and to be used as a resource for years.  The way this read could change your bible reading approach and effectiveness is invaluable! If you’ve ever struggled with the why / what / how of daily bible reading this is definitely for you... and if you know of people that need some direction in this then have a read so you can recommend this book to others!

And a quick note on who this book is NOT written for: People looking for guidance on teaching Gods word in illiterate or cross cultural contexts. You also won't find applications on what it means to teach Gods word in informal settings. It's also NOT a book for men, haha - a shame really, as the principles are genderless!

The verdict: 5 outta 5!

Available in hardcopy at Koorong