Women of Intelligent Faith

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Women, Religion & the Law: Does the Christian Worldview Offer the Best Hope for Women's Rights? Abstract:  Protecting women from violence and discrimination is a hot topic. The feminist movement claims to address these issues in its fight for women’s rights.     However, without knowing the true source for women’s rights—or human rights—communities will fail to accurately diagnose the problem and to effectively provide a solution. I propose to compare four major worldviews and their impact on laws regarding the treatment of women in order to convince the reader that Christianity offers the best treatment of women. First, I will define women’s rights in the context of defining human rights. Next, I will compare laws pertaining to women’s rights through the lens of the following major competing worldviews: Islam (i.e. Saudi Arabia), Hinduism (India), Atheism (i.e. China), and Christianity (United States).     Finally, I wi...

Women in Apologetics Conference 2018 at Biola University So the story begins with a young woman who marries a young man. On their first Easter together, they decide to cook a ham. The wife asks her husband if he will cut off the ham bone before she bakes it. When the husband asks “Why,” the wife replies, “That’s the way my mother cooked ham.” The husband suggests they should call her mother to find out why she cut the ham bone. When his mother-in-law answers the phone, she informs them, “That’s just the way my mother used to cook the ham.” Next, the husband suggests they call grandmother to find out why she cut the ham bone. When grandmother answers, she explains that her ham was too big for the pan, so she always had to cut off the bone to make it fit. After they hang up, the young husband and wife realize their ham will fit into the pan. Therefore, there is no reason to cut off the ham bone.  The moral of the story is that some “traditions” may have originated to solve a...

My dear friend Lisa Quintana (we call her "Lisa Q") captured this spectacular event beautifully in her blog post. All I can say is that it was a mountain top experience. I am so grateful for Biola for hosting this conference and for their generous support, especially Craig Hazen! And I am forever thankful for the amazing women to helped make this dream a reality--truly an answered prayer. Read Lisa Q's article here.  Mark your calendar for the next Women in Apologetics Conference at Biola University, January 11-12, 2019. See you there!

Dr. Sean McDowell, my professor in the M.A. Christian Apologetics program at Biola University, recently interviewed good friend and fellow female apologist Marilyn Tyner about the growing number of women interested in apologetics. He says: " In 2018, I am planning to use my blog to highlight some important trends in the wider culture and specifically in the world of apologetics. One important trend, that I thought would be important to start the year with, is the explosion of interest in apologetics among women. Marilyn Tyner   is on the front lines of this movement. She recently answered some of my questions about this new trend, the upcoming 'Women in Apologetics'  conference at Biola, and her personal ministry. Enjoy!" Read the entire article here!  Join the movement of Women in Apologetics !! It is a species of evangelism and discipleship!

Ratio Christi TV's Tony Gurule graciously interviewed us for the upcoming Women in Apologetics conference at Biola. Thanks Tony!! If you missed it, you can catch the video recordings here: Jade Turner on "Defending the Faith."  Laurie Stewart on "Love God with All Your Mind." Mary Jo Sharp on "Apologetics as Lifelong Discipleship and Evangelism."

          With transgenderism issues increasing in our culture, topics relating to gender and gender roles are hotly debated. While it may be interesting to tune in to popular conversations on the subject, even in church, I seek to sift out the lies, deception and man-made (even church-made) tradition, to arrive at the Truth, no matter what that Truth may reveal.           As you may or may not know, before I became a dedicated follower of Jesus, I identified as a liberal feminist. I believed in the right of women to be strong, independent, equal, and even the right to make hard "choices." My identity changed as I discovered who I really was as a special child of God. This led me to reject feminism (at least all those feminist ideas from the various waves of feminism which ran contrary to God's Word).           As a child of God I questioned who I was as a Woman of God. What is my role as a wife and mother?...

Eliminating False Teaching, Not Females Teaching JULY 24, 2016  /  MELISSA CAIN TRAVIS This will be my final post in what has been a series on gender roles in the church, and I thank all of you who have sent encouraging emails and tweets along the way! Soli Deo gloria! You can read the previous posts in this series by clicking here:  Part 1 ,  Part 2 ,  Part 3 ,  Part 4 ,  Part 5 ,  Part 6 . At the conclusion of  my first post on 1 Timothy 2 ,  I gave fair warning that I would be leaning upon respected New Testament scholars who have done much more thorough academic work on this passage of Scripture than I have had the time to do.  I have studied a few different interpretations, and for the sake of time, I will here explain the argument I find to be the most compelling. Dr. Craig Keener of Asbury Theological Seminary  has written an incredibly helpful book on this topic entitled  ...