In the second half of the nineteenth century a theological shift began to take place in America. In contrast to The Second Great Awakening that ushered in a new age of Protestantism largely influenced by Puritan and Calvinistic beliefs, this age was characterized by subjective internal experience. In many ways, this thinking mirrored what some theologians and historians describe as the Democratic mood or spirit of the country. Revivalistic Arminianism, promulgated by Charles Finney, supplanted Reformation thinking and objective biblical truth was trumped by subjective experience. Part of the fallout of this development was that virtue, which once found its origin in Scripture, would now be shaped by feelings and driven by self-absorption.
What does this have to do with women? Everything. When the emphasis shifted from God to man, secularism, as Susan Hunt explains, “slithered its way into the hearts of women through the messages of feminism.”1
Listen as Susan Hunt gives us more insight and provides snippets of conversations with Christian women. To my shame, I can hear echoes of myself in these voices.
“Modernity has taken its toll on womanhood, and the new woman has displaced the true woman. It is not a pretty picture. The defection is not just among non-Christian women. Consider these conversations I have had with women who Sunday after Sunday sit on the pews of evangelical churches”
My husband left me. My unmarried daughter is pregnant. I have always tried to serve God, and what has it gotten me? I don’t deserve this.
I have never been happy in this marriage. It just isn’t working. I know God doesn’t want me to be unhappy. I guess it was never meant to be.
My church doesn’t meet my needs. No one reaches out to me, and I don’t like the pastor. He preaches from the Bible, but his sermons are boring. I see no reason to keep going.
My husband doesn’t understand me. He is absorbed with his career. I know divorce is wrong, but there’s got to be more to life than this. I want to have some fun! I am going to start thinking about myself and do things for me. I’ll just let him live his life, and I’ll live mine.
We had looked forward to our retirement. We planned to travel and even go on some mission trips. Now my husband’s mother has had a stroke, and we have to care for her. It just doesn’t seem fair.
Jeff is pressuring me to move in with him. I know it’s probably not right, but I’m thirty-five years old and single. I want a husband and a baby. I’m afraid if I don’t agree, he’ll leave. We do love each other, and he says he is a Christian. It can’t be that wrong, and surely once I am pregnant he will want to get married.
My husband has been unemployed for six months. He has been able to do some part-time work to pay the bills, but I feel overwhelmed with the financial pressure. I resent my friends who have no financial problems, and I can’t understand why God doesn’t do something.
My childhood was so painful. There is no way I can forgive those who hurt me. I am often depressed, and no one seems to understand how hard it is for me.
“This is the voice of the new woman in the body of the Christian woman. This is unrestrained, immature selfism. I don’t mean to stand in judgement of others. What is so terrifying is that too often this is my voice.”2
May God grant us the grace to not deviate from the Truth of God’s Word, the standard whereby all things are, and will be judged. May Scripture be the lens that we view all the providences and hard circumstances of our life. May He raise up a new generation of true women, ready to sacrifice pleasure and comfort for duty and Truth. Amen.
1. Hunt, Susan, (1997) The True Woman: The Beauty and Strength of a Godly Woman, (50) Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
2. Ibid, (50-51)
Christina,
Amen and amen! You are so right about God’s Word being the standard, and we’re paying the price for refusing be in the Word and hold it as our delight. I think many women, at the heart of it all, believe His Word simply is irrelevant for their situations today. “Did God really say…” And it’s so easy for all of us to think we’re the exception to His truth. God bless you for once again speaking that truth in love. Love to you, my dear sister!
How right you are to point to Eve. The issue has not changed throughout the ages, has it? When Satan cast doubt over the veracity of the Word of God — and when Eve yielded, Truth became convoluted and compromised. By God’s grace, we must be fearlessly and relentlessly committed to the Authority of Scripture.
This is a truth that needs desperately to be heard and defended. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking our lives are too complicated and muddled to be ruled by the simplicity and clarity of the Bible. God is not in our debt but in our flesh I think sometimes this is what we feel. Yes, the same old lie from the garden…
That is 100% right. In fact, the message that obedience brings simplicity in that it settles the matter of WHO is in control, is part of our lesson for the young women …
“objective biblical truth was trumped by subjective experience” You nailed it Christina. And now what are we left with? True believers that are merely misguided? Or hoards of people on their way to Hell who don’t know it?
It’s something to consider.
Have a blessed Lords’ Day sister.
It’s amazing to see how far the implications reach for this kind of theology .. “Not a pretty picture” as Susan Hunt has stated … in more ways than is comfortable to acknowledge.
Just thinking some more about this Christina. I’m thinking about the need for those of us who are leading in women’s ministry to always bring the gospel message into every message, even when we’re speaking on gender specific topics. And also to teach women to be very discerning about the authors they chose to read.
Love you!
Interesting that you should bring this point up. The question came up as I prepared for the last young women’s mtg. The thing is this … if you are teaching the doctrines of grace then the gospel message IS being preached. So, for example, in our last lesson we compared Mary, the mother of Jesus to Lot’s wife. The text says that the angel Gabrielle came to Mary and told her that she was “highly favored”. The question that I posed to the girls as we went through the text was, “WHY was Mary favored?” Was she favored because she was more spiritual or humble than other girls? Of course, this leads into a discussion of God’s sovereignty in election. We love Him because He FIRST loved us. This issue that you just raised, I think, highlights the need for preaching that has a high regard for the sovereignty of God in salvation and gives God, not man, the glory… am I making sense?
Amen and amen! Such a cavernous gap between Perpetua and the women Susan Hunt quotes here. Those comments truly reveal the lack of spiritual growth in these women, as well…they are still babies thinking “It’s all about me.” As you know, I’ve been reading “Spiritual Mothering” and so very encouraged by Susan Hunt’s inspiration. xox
So true Patricia … quite a contrast between Perpetua and the likes of the women represented in the Susan Hunt quotes. And you hit on something pretty significant. The Susan Hunt curriculum for the teenage girls attempts to break down specifically the false notion that “it’s all about me.”
“What is so terrifying is that too often this is my voice.” Let’s be real! Scary indeed!
“May God grant us the grace to not deviate from the Truth of God’s Word, the standard whereby all things are, and will be judged. May Scripture be the lens that we view all the providences and hard circumstances of our life. May He raise up a new generation of true women, ready to sacrifice pleasure and comfort for duty and Truth. Amen.” Amen and Amen!
Love you! A happy and blessed Sunday to you, my friend!
Yes, I hear myself in those voices much more than i care to admit, too!
Have you been eavesdropping on me? (: Feminism, and the legions of its misguided followers, has done more to wreak havoc on marriages and families than almost any other demonic ideology in recent memory. Thank you for your amazing insight into the things of God. Luv you.
It absolutely IS a “demonic” ideology. It’s sole purpose is to deface and destroy God’s design. As for my so-called “amazing insight” — just wanna be clear in that I am only presenting the material in Susan Hunt’s book. Every woman, ESPECIALLY Christian women need to hear it … Love you dearly, my sister! XO
Ready to sacrifice pleasure and comfort for duty and Truth??? In the eyes of the world, that would be a crazy prayer. But as you wrote, unrestrained, immature selfism permeates our culture and feminism has been one of the main causes. Feminist’s are not interested in obedience because they don’t want anyone else, (including God,) to be in charge. Been there, done that, but I have been rescued by my Wonderful Savior who has shown me the simplicity of living for Him.
Well said! I have “been there, done that” too and am happy to say that I am no longer drinking the Kool-Aid.
It’s so frightening reading quotes like that because it paints the ugly picture of our hearts without God’s grace. As Christians, we really do need to be reminded that our chief end in life is to glorify God and not serve our own self-interests. I’m praying that more women embrace the value and incredible dignity God grants them when they live their lives according to his beautiful design. Bless you sister!
Thanks Louis … and I join you in that prayer. God bless you!
Amen.