 |
While works on faith and spirituality inundate the literary ecosystem, Ring’s work is rare in that it provides a nuanced dimension and perspective when interpreting biblical events. At a time when women were marginalized, Jesus’ love-centered approach led to numerous engaging interactions that, upon examination, paved the path for modern women to follow, thrive, and, even more so, connect with them at a deeper level.
Ring’s work commences with a retelling of her early seminary days, where her first course, “Church History,” with prominent theologian Guy Lytle, was a jarring lesson on the perception of the role of women in the Bible. From Hebrew purity codes to modern-day glass income ceilings, women have been forced to conform. Through a succinct and compelling study of Jesus’ interactions with women, Ring delivers a strong message: women not only communicated but aligned with Jesus on a higher level, one of empathy and love. It is this tenet that the author carries into her own women’s retreats, where she discerns countless similarities between group members and women from biblical times.
The stories and the subjects of them vary widely. Among many examples, there’s the Samaritan woman at the well, the non-Jewish Phoenician woman determined to exorcise her daughter’s demons and heal her, and, of course, the Virgin Mary herself. Throughout the various sections that are conveniently broken down into guided meditations, comments, and reflections, audiences not only resonate strongly with the women but also quickly grasp the forms of love that Jesus manifests as qualities such as trustworthiness and patience. In a time when women were so trivialized that they mostly go unnamed in the Bible, Jesus Christ sought to let their voices be heard. Ring’s fearless writing style weaves together a clear analysis of the Bible with a tailor-made guidebook that is unquestionably thought-provoking and endlessly enlightening.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review