Episode 187
Ronna J. Detrick - Rewriting Eve: Rescuing Women's Stories From The Bible
October 25th, 2023
1 hr 16 mins 21 secs
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About this Episode
Meet my amazing guest, Ronna Dietrich, the author of Rewriting Eve: Rescuing Women's Stories from the Bible and Reclaiming Them as Our Own.
Biblical stories have long caused tremendous harm to women, not because of what they say, per say but because of how they have been interpreted over the centuries. These “sacred” stories have been used to silence and oppress women through tactics of shame and blame.
Ronna left the church and its dogma 20 years ago but instead of leaving the voices and stories of women in the bible behind, she took took them with her and dared to rewrite them in ways that empower the women who read them and honor those within the pages who have for centuries, longed to be seen, and heard.
With her background in feminist theology and her own experience of leaving the church, Ronna brings a fresh perspective to these ancient stories. She highlights the experiences of women like Eve and Hagar, shedding light on their true power and resilience. She also shares her premise of exploring women's experiences through the lens of biblical stories and the importance of recognizing the impact these stories have had on our personal development. She believes we need stories that uplift and empower women, and that we are literally starving to know each others stories as we have long been silenced and estranged from our own.
Ronna revisits and highlights the stories of several named and even unnamed women, such as The Midwives, and The Woman At The Well, and while she surfaces the challenges and negative interpretations imposed upon these women, she ultimately returns to “read between the lines” and remedy their their positions, presence and passion as being far more inspiring than we might initially think.
Throughout her tender book, Ronna shares her own personal experience and weaves her own story of liberation entwined with the women she writes about. As she releases her own shame and blame she takes back the pen to create a new narrative, filled with courage, sovereignty, and grace.
You will love this episode, and even more- her incredible book!
Ronna Detrick left the church and its dogma nearly twenty years ago but took the stories of women with her, longing for them to be seen, heard, and honored apart from doctrine and dogma. She gave a provocative TEDx presentation on an Eve who inspires and empowers women instead of shaming and silencing them and she is the author of "Rewriting Eve: Rescuing Women's Stories from the Bible and Reclaiming Them as Our Own." She holds a BA in Business and Communications and a Master of Divinity degree focused on feminist theology. Her career has spanned human resources, training and development, executive leadership, and since 2009, coaching and spiritual direction. She lives just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean in Hampstead, NC, where she continues to write, drink strong coffee, have beautiful conversations with her clients, and stand firm in her belief that her two daughters are the most amazing humans on the planet. Learn more at ronnadetrick.com.
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