Captivating End

Finished a couple of days ago, but haven't been able to sit down with the book, plus I was mulling some things over. I don't really have an answer for this, but I'm thinking about the femininity/masculinity of Christ. Without really having specific Biblical passages to point to, I've always kind of thought that God was without gender and that since we are made in His image that men and women are just varied expressions of his masculine or feminine traits. If that's the case and then since I also believe that Christ is fully God, how do I reconcile his earthly masculine persona with a non-gendered heavenly one? If I'm supposed to try to live my life like Christ, what of what he did was masculine and not what I as a female should be doing? How do I avoid what they caution "You must not let them [I think they mean 'the World' but didn't think it was too clear] shape you into their view of what a woman is. You'll end up a man" (212).

Another part that I'm not sure how to deal with is this from the final chapter: "God desires that wherever and however you offer yourself to the Body of Christ, you'll have the protection of good men over you. Not to hold you back, but to set you free as a woman. Christ has made man as his warrior, to offer his strength on behalf of Eve so that she might flourish. If that's not the context you've found yourself in find one that is" (211). That seems difficult to do in a fallen world, how on this earth can we do that? Often times the men in our worlds are not these kind of men, so I think women need to rely on God and His power and strength in them, regardless of the men around them. And the fact that the Eldredges have a whole chapter on "Warrior Princesses," makes it hard for me to accept that man is Christ's only warrior.

Anyway, this book has brought up some interesting things to talk and think about--good choice, Eden!