October 30, 2006

Women's Ministry & Apologetics

I continue to encounter women who, like myself, wonder why church women's ministries do not make efforts to train women in apologetics. I'm confident the problem runs deeper, most churches don't teach apologetics. In fact, most churches don't teach theology-proper, to expect that they'd teach a subset of theology is probably to expect too much.

But there are many churches doing a solid job in Christian education, yet women's ministries continue to flounder in the excesses of entertainment disguised as fellowship. There exists a misnomer that women don't need to do the heavy lifting of of concepts and ideas, that that's men's work.

In a world where women have careers, are waiting til later in life to marry and have children, and for those then who do have children, isn't a solid theological foundation important to pass on to the next generation? I say it is, and this would include apologetics. The role of women in church and culture continues to be considered of little importance by compartmentalizing isolationists. Women are in the world, in culture, and have a tremendous influence on the present and future. Theology and apologetics are necessary, not only to answer objections and give an answer for the faith (1 Peter 3:15) but if we are to take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5) and seek to liberate Christianity from it's cultural captivity (thank you, Nancy Pearcey) then we must be training women in apologetics, in Christian worldview.

Ok, so you're unsure about curriculum? Here are some books that are phenomenal for classes curriculum and book discussion groups. Invite speakers who know something about theology and apologetics. Check out one of these books today:

Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey
Every Thought Captive by Richard Pratt
Christian Apologetics by Cornelius Van Til
The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, He Is There and He Is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer

3 comments:

Sarah Ankenman said...

Hello Sarah.

I thought your post was very timely and interesting. We just started The International Society for Women in Apologetics. I would love for you to take a moment and look it over!
(www.womeninapologetics.com)

Sarah Ankenman
ISWA President

Sarah Ankenman said...

I just realized that you posted this years ago!!! Wow. It comes up second when you search "women in Apologetics" on Google. (shows how much I pay attention!) Have you seen any response or increase in interest in your opinion on the topic since then?

Sarah J. Flashing said...

Sarah, awesome to hear from you! I've been doing apologetics for a lot of years, got my start writing for Midwest Christian Outreach. I then moved into the area of women's ministry and focusing on apologetics in my academic studies. Have you been to my website, www.womenfaithculture.org? I'm looking at your site now.