Telling Her Story: Theology out of Women's Struggles

A.J. Pell is rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Diocese of New
Westminster, British Columbia.

This slim volume is the fourth in The McGeachy Papers series, each the
product of the study and research of a McGeachy Memorial Senior Scholar
in the United Church of Canada. The scholar responsible for this book is
Lois Wilson, first woman Moderator of the United Church of Canada and a
past president of the World Council of Churches.

Wilson’s feminist approach to biblical stories arises out of three
questions: (i) “Have you taught your three-year-old grand-daughter the
Nicene Creed?”; (ii) “What is there for girls in the Bible?”; and
(iii) “If there is so little, then why don’t you do something about
it?” In response, Wilson examines the Bible to see if and how women
are represented, and whether women’s perspectives on faith and life
are reflected in biblical stories and scholarly theological
interpretations of them. Discovering that women are underrepresented,
misrepresented, and often just plain ignored, she suggests ways to
introduce women’s perspectives into the Bible. The book closes with
the retelling of Mary’s anointing of Jesus (John 12:1–8) and
Miriam’s role in the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 13:17–18; 14;
15:1–2).

Two questions are raised by some of Wilson’s suggested methodologies.
How much authority does Scripture have? What form does this authority
take? Wilson does not answer these questions directly, but indirectly
reduces the authority of Scripture by emphasizing its patriarchal roots
and advocating a writing-into (as opposed to rewriting) of stories with
stated, or even implied, female characters. But in the end, she does not
dismiss the Bible, and so her struggle to provide a feminine eye for
scriptural storytelling is a useful step in the ongoing efforts to make
the Christian faith attractive to women in the late 20th century.