New book challenges patriarchal interpretations of Christianity

A new book is challenging long-held assumptions about women’s role in Christianity. In The Ultimate Reformation: Why Our Patriarchal Legacy is the #1 Obstacle Facing the Church, author Pauline R. Beer argues that patriarchal interpretations of scripture, not the gospel itself, have shaped Christian theology while downplaying women. “When only the male voice is heard in interpreting scripture, it distorts our understanding of God and human identity,” says Beer, a Christian social worker and licensed massage therapist. “It also weakens the radical impact of Jesus’ life and ministry in the way he treated women and restored them to equal human status.”