A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church Year W by Wilda C. Gafney


A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church Year W
Title : A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church Year W
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1640654755
ISBN-10 : 9781640654754
Language : English
Format Type : Kindle Edition
Number of Pages : 579
Publication : Published August 17, 2021

What would it look like if women built a lectionary focusing on women’s stories?

What does it look like to tell the good news through the stories of women who are often on the margins of scripture and often set up to represent bad news? How would a lectionary centering women’s stories, chosen with womanist and feminist commitments in mind, frame the presentation of the scriptures for proclamation and teaching?

The scriptures are androcentric, male-focused, as is the lectionary that is dependent upon them. As a result, many congregants know only the biblical men's stories told in the Sunday lectionary read in their churches. A more expansive, more inclusive lectionary will remedy that by introducing readers and hearers of scripture to “women's stories” in the scriptures.

A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, when completed, will be a three-year lectionary accompanied by a stand-alone single year lectionary, Year W, that covers all four gospels.

A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church Year W Reviews

  • Natalie

    This is an important book. For those of us who worship in churches that use the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), a standarised set of readings in a three year cycle, used by many mainstream congregations, we are only reading a part of the Bible. Sadly, it means that many important stories are missed, particularly stories about women. Gafney is challenging this viewpoint in multiple ways in this book. Firstly, she provides a new lectionary that focusses on stories that include women. Secondly, she rearrranges the times at which we hear these stories; this provides new connections to be made between them. Thirdly, she provides a new translation for these readings, which is gender-expansive. Fourthly, she provides new historical and theological commentary to the readings.

    With every set of readings, I learn something new.

    Since the readings overlap with some that occur in the RCL the latter two parts of her work are extremely helpful even if your congregation does not take time out from the RCL.

    I am going to be using this book again and again, and will purchase her other books that keep
    the same themes as the standard readings of the RCL.

  • Amy

    While I no longer identity as a Christian, I still find the Bible a fascinating work of literature. I was given this lectionary as a gift and found it useful to read throughout the year, especially the translation notes and preaching prompts. My favorite quout came from Proper 16: "If our gospel proclamations are not true for the most marginalized among us—women, nonbinary folk, trans folk, gender-nonconforming folk, and LGBTQIA folk—then our gospel is not true."

  • Chris Halverson

    I read each lection as an evening devotion. It was good to read so much Bible focused on God's relationship with women. A worthwhile read!

  • Kristi Robinson

    This translation and accompanying commentary is refreshing and life-giving!

  • Stephanie Kendell

    This book is exceptional and my whole congregation is using it this year for preaching and teaching.