Aimee Byrd's Recovering From Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is a book written in response to John Piper and Wayne Grudem's 1991 book, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Byrd begins her book with a summary and explanation of a short story, The Yellow Wallpaper, which was written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in the 1890's. This short story tells of a woman who is suffering from post-partum depression and is prescribed rest therapy by her physician husband. She spends her days alone in a room she does not like, the walls of which are covered in yellow wallpaper. She eventually begins to see hallucinations of a woman struggling inside the wallpaper. In an effort to free the woman in the wallpaper, the narrator tears down the wallpaper and is found creeping around the room. Byrd references this story often throughout her book and addresses the issue of "yellow wallpaper" present in our churches. Byrd states in her introduction that Recovering From Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is not a "man-bashing book. And this isn't a womanempowerment [sic] book. This is a book that appeals to the reader to look at the yellow wallpaper in the church and to do something about it." 
Summary
Byrd's book is divided into three sections, each of which confronts an area Christians need to "recover" regarding biblical manhood and womanhood. The first section deals with recovering the way we read Scripture. Byrd writes that although men and women read the same text in Scripture, the Bible is marketed differently to men than it is to women, both in sales and in church culture. Some things Byrd cites as major gender-based issues in the church are the availability of Bibles in beautiful patterns, the fact that women tend to post Bible study pictures on social media in picture-perfect shots, and women not being taken seriously for their theological insights. Byrd states, "I want to read my Bible just as seriously as the men. The pretty cover on the women's Bible already begins to send a message that women will approach Scripture less seriously than men. I'm judging the cover as I see the cover judging the readers by their gender." She addresses that there seems to be an unwritten message that men cannot be taught by women, which she states is not consistent with Scripture. She writes of Huldah, Ruth, Naomi, Rahab, Shiphrah and Puah, Achsah, and Deborah, etc. as "gynocentric interruptions", who were active in God's overall plan throughout Scripture, not merely in women's ministry.
Section two builds upon the first section, addressing how Christians need to "recover our mission". This section specifically addresses Piper and Grudem's book. Byrd tells of her first encounter reading their book as a new bride, compared to her next reading of their book years later. She claims Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood promotes an unorthodox view of the Trinity, called eternal subordination of the Son, which she states Piper and Grudem use to build their premise of women being subordinate to men. She confronts what it means to be a masculine male and a feminine female. All this discussion is to build up to her main question: Is Biblical manhood and womanhood our aim in discipleship? Byrd rightly states, "Christian men and women don't strive for so-called biblical masculinity or femininity, but Christlikeness. Rather than striving to prove our sexuality, the tone of our sexuality will express itself as we do this."
Byrd discusses how parachurch organizations are taking over the church's responsibility of discipling believers and why this is an issue. There is much truth in her statement, "We reap the fruit of our interpretive community. The public teaching of the Word shapes our private reading." She adds, "It's the continual meeting together under the Word and sacraments, the continual receiving of God's means of grace, the continual benedictions of blessing and call to bear fruit, and continual personal time spent in the Word that truly shapes us." In essence, what we learn in our church shapes how we read Scripture, and we need the community of men and women in the church setting, as God designed, to help us learn, interpret, and apply Scripture.
Byrd's final section is titled, "recovering the responsibility of every believer". In this section, she addresses women as necessary allies to men, rather than as ones who are "to continuously be looking for, affirming, and nurturing male authority", which she quotes John Piper as stating. She uses the example of Phoebe being commended by Paul to show that in the New Testament, women were entrusted with great responsibilities, even delivering and subsequently explaining Paul's letter to the Romans.
My Thoughts
I was first introduced to Aimee Byrd about 2 years ago, through her book No Little Women, which I reviewed here. I enjoyed that book and was excited to read another book by Byrd. I liked how No Little Women called for discernment and challenged women to be doctrinally sound. I expected the same of Recovering From Biblical Manhood and Womanhood but was surprised to find that was not entirely the case. Though Byrd called for those things in words, she referenced many egalitarian authors and agreed with them, which was discouraging. I expected more discernment from her.
Having never read John Piper and Wayne Grudem's book, Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, I did not realize what I was about to read when I selected Byrd's book. I found myself wishing her book had been laid out more clearly, quoting specific sections of Piper and Grudem's books so that the context of the ideas she was conveying was more clear. At times it was difficult to understand the point she was trying to make. Perhaps being more familiar with Piper and Grudem's book would make this easier. I have read and listened to John Piper many times, and I have much respect for him and his teaching. I find it difficult to believe that he is promoting the things Byrd claims, and I would like to study more what Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is conveying.
There were several issues Byrd addressed as major that I consider very minor. The beautiful covers on women's Bibles are just simply beautiful covers. They appeal to a gender that is attracted to beautiful things. If anything, it is a profitable marketing scheme to compel women to purchase more Bibles. I do not think my church takes my theology less seriously based on my flower-print Bible that I purchased because of its beauty and lined margins, perfect for my colorful notes that help me visually remember the flow of Scripture. Her statement about women in Scripture being active in God's overall plan, not just women's ministry put me on the defensive. Of course women are active parts of God's plan. In my complementarian circles, I do not personally know anyone who denies that.
Byrd makes some statements in generalities that I personally have not experienced. She states that pastors' sermons are geared toward men rather than women. My experience has been that pastors give illustrations based on their own lives. These illustrations do likely speak more to men, simply because the ones speaking are men. This does not mean pastors do not consider how Scripture impacts women. This does not change the application of a passage. Byrd also speaks of not being taken seriously by the pastors in her church. This is unfortunate, though not my own experience. I have been blessed with godly leaders who have invested in my life through book recommendations, Scriptural preaching, and being willing to participate with me personally in theological discussions. As a pastor's wife, I am blessed to have daily theological discussions with my pastor in my own home. My husband/pastor encourages me to study Scripture and recommends resources to help to that end. I know from watching him that he treats other women in the same manner.
Byrd's book was disappointing in that it did not address key Scriptures regarding women in the church. 1 Timothy 2:12 - "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather she is to remain quiet." I would expect this would be a key text to confront in a book on this topic. Also, she took much liberty in expounding on the unknowns of Scripture regarding the women mentioned previously.
Denny Burk, current president of the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) reviewed Aimee Byrd's book. Regarding statements Byrd claims the CBMW makes about the eternal subordination of the Son (ESS), Burk states, "The Council has never approved any official statement endorsing ESS. Byrd’s case against CBMW relies on there having been some official endorsement of ESS at CBMW, but that has never happened. Many of the council members have never held to any version of ESS (however it is defined) and would resist any implication that they have. But Byrd misrepresents this."
Overall, I was disappointed in this book. I expected more of Byrd, based on her previous writings. Unfortunately, this is not a book I can recommend to others.
Rachel's Rating:
★★☆☆☆
Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
