On my bookshelf, I have a lot of C. S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, John Piper, and James Sire, and I'm starting to accumulate some Barth and Kierkegaard. I also understand that I ought to be reading J. I. Packer, Eugene Peterson, Spurgeon, and Edwards. I disagree with a lot of them, a lot of the time, especially Schaeffer, so that tells me that I'm probably reading the books I ought to read.
I have a couple of good Christian books by women, but they're not the sort of thing that will be read in a hundred years. (Notable exceptions are Corrie Ten Boom and Edith Schaeffer.)
Now, I don't hold that men are automatically better authors, leaders, and theologians. Rather, I'd probably mostly point to women as my primary spiritual influences. Who are some good Christian authors that are women? Why do you think that my bookshelf is so unbalanced?
Lewis, Barth and Kierkegaard are great writers, regardless of their gender! Even though I know Schaeffer got Kierkegaard wrong, he's an ok writer too.
ReplyDeleteWomen Christian writers are hard to come by, especially great ones... can't actually name any really...
I know the conservative theology answer to why there aren't any good theological books by women...
ReplyDeletebut it's debatable.
Elisabeth Elliot is a famous Christian woman author. I've only read Passion and Purity, but it was good. She wrote books about missions and relationships, and I think she's covered other topics, too. Wikipedia lists 21 books that she's written, so she's prolific at least.
ReplyDeleteThat last comment was me. I forgot to sign it. And yes, I should be sleeping.
ReplyDelete-Josh
try and start with the women medieval authors first;
ReplyDelete(although, I have not personally had time to, it is highly recommended!)
http://www.haverford.edu/library/reference/mschaus/mfi/whatis.html
And, I think the reason women authors aren't as common as men, because they were not afforded the chance to explore their gifts in writing, as men have had the chance to.
Flannery O'Connor, Lamott, Madame L'engle, etc. I'm unsure of any women who have written heavy theological/academic books, but there is quite a good number of women blooming in the church and academia who have really impressed me.