Eve in Exile: The Restoration of Femininity

If it weren’t already for the fact that I was confused about who she was writing to (stay-at-home moms? working moms?), I was even further turned off by the way she found a way to insult practically every kind of woman out there, whether working, not working, mother, not a mother, single, married, and she did so with such a bitterness that I can’t help but wonder who insulted her and this book was just the result. I can imagine there a better books out there to read on the subject and you wouldn’t have to fit the author’s approved mold of femininity in order to relate and learn from it. I would only recommend this book if you’re looking for a way to cause division among women and look down your nose at others... so, never.I gave it more than one star because she did have one or two chapters that I did appreciate, but I would have rather her have written some blog posts as that is how disconnected the good encouraging chapters were from the rest of the off-putting attitude throughout the rest of the book.

My review of, "Eve in Exile" by Rebekah Merkle:I found this to be an unbelievably refreshing perspective, she gave no quarter to the feminist movement, and the horrendous effect that it has had on the home and thus society.We Christian women really have no idea how much we have let the anti-biblical feminist worldview permeate our thinking and even how we view God's word, and how we so often let it be our hermeneutic while reading scripture. We far too often want a scripture to conform to our ideals instead of letting scripture form our ideals.I loved how she dealt with women who think if we could just go back to by gone era, be it the pioneer days or the 1950s when we perceive as a more godly or virtuous time, that will save us some how from the moral decay that we see all around us today.But that simply isn't the case, but it is however a terrible form of escapism, which fundamentally allows the decay to continue unabated.She also dealt really the lie that woman's life is only fulfilled if she is working out side of the home. Which has been patently debunked, especially when you see the rates women are medicating themselves to be able to cope with a role that biologically they were not designed for. While also not condemning the women who need to work in order to be a help meet to their husbands and by so doing are bringing glory to God for being obedient to the task that they are given.She tackle the tough subject of us, women despising our fertility and the feminist mantra of demanding for fertile wombs to be barren. That we godly woman who are Christ are commanded to fill the earth, this is a command exclusively given to women and we need to be obedient to that task. While at the same time dealing with the fact that ultimately this is heart issue. So, even women who are unable to for what ever reason, need to have a heart to fill the earth, if nothing else, by using their God given talents to bring glory to God and minister to the body of Christ.This book gave me a renewed vision for being the glory of my husband and in so doing bringing glory to God, to find the best way to serve God by finding the best ways I can serve my husband and children.It made me more excited about the power I have to shape the lives of my children and how God has given me and blessed me with 6 of them and how as the wife and mother, my job is to sharpen the arrows God has given me, so they can destroy the enemies of Christ Jesus.It has given me much to think about in terms of my own talents and how I can use them more effectively to not only bear good fruit but bring glory to God.It gives a kingdom mandate for women. Honestly more women need to read this book.I love that she didn't give you a to do list for saving Western Civilization from the decay of feminist horde, but encourage women to find the roles God has for them and to grow and bloom in that role. What God would have me do is not necessarily what He has for you do, together we can put the bricks back in the foundation that wrecking ball of feminism has wrought.Remember no time frame of history is perfect, but we must do what God has commanded us to do, no matter the circumstances. The consistent thing through out history is God's sovereignty over all creation. How can we women bring glory to God?

She is very opinionated in a harsh way. I literally would suggest 3 chapters of the book, as the rest is a personal rhetoric on her views of women and feminism, in a very unkind voice. While some of it provoked thought and conversation I would definitely not suggest this book to others.

Some of what this author was great, but it was taken too far. Yes, I believe that the role of wife and mother is important, but it is not the only role we should take up. This book took the evils of our culture and blamed the feminist movement. I really don't think the "downfall" of the culture can be boiled down to one single group.

I finished the Eve In Exile (the restoration of femininity) book tonight. Overall, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. We agree on SO much, but I think there were a couple of key areas she could have expounded on in order to make the bigger picture a bit more clear... especially as it relates to women who have to work outside the home. While she makes it clear she believes women CAN work in the public sector, she doesn't delve into how it might look when one has to balance both worlds. The focus is mostly centered on either an at-home model, or on those who are single and/or childless. Sadly, I think the majority of the church falls into the category she overlooked. The reader can still use their imagination and creativity in order to take the lessons shared for the other categories of women and find a way to translate that into their own life setting; it just may take a bit more effort.Ultimately, though, her book isn't about how to fulfill the modern woman's calling in ALL aspects of life, but to draw us back to the biblical intention for womanhood, and how God designed us to be a part of subduing and filling the world alongside "Adam". She gets us back to the root, and shows us practical examples of how that plays out in a 21st century way. She makes the home important again... she challenges even the conservative Christian mindset on what thoughts we've allowed to creep into our psyche that may stem from unbiblical propaganda. She highlights self-centeredness as well as martyrdom, pushing both ends of the spectrum to find that "sweet spot" in the middle where true femininity resides.While I feel her axis tilts a bit too much toward the traditional view of femininity (focusing on beauty [not just physical] and domestic pursuits), she also makes her encouragement clear in that each home is going to look as different as the women who manage them. It leaves plenty of room for the non-domestic goddess to find ways to bloom, but the concepts are decidedly whimsical and... frilly. I'm not bent in the same direction, but I did feel called to check my mindset and make sure that's truly because of how I was designed and not just something I was put-off by due to outside stimuli.We get a good history lesson of the feminist movement and an explanation of how we can agree on certain issues but still need to distance ourselves from the "how" and the "why" of their cause because the trajectory is vastly different than what we should be pursuing in Christ. She ends the book with a call for Christian women to be a part in rebuilding our value system, but warns that it has to look different than the way it was torn down:"The one thing to keep in mind, however, is that making a mess and cleaning up a mess are two entirely different activities, and the tools will look different. We should not look to the feminists for a business model. A wrecking ball does not look like brick-laying equipment. The feminists have been in demolition mode, and that looks like marching and shouting and demanding and lobbying. If we want to start building, it's going to look a lot like small and seemingly insignificant acts of obedience."I recommend this book to my fellow female friends, but think it would be best suited as a group endeavor so that we can help each other find ourselves in the pages. It would certainly generate GREAT discussion. Be careful going in to know that she is an unashamed Complementarian, and has strong words for women who feel as though they can pastor churches and serve as Elders. While this isn't the crux of the book at all, it IS covered and she doesn't mince words. This is the ONLY other area where I felt she could have been better at articulating the fullness of the role of women in theological pursuits. While she acknowledges our NEED and MANDATE to study doctrine, she doesn't fully expound on how that CAN look, only in how it shouldn't. Still, overall it's a great read that would benefit all women.-Melanie Mansfield

Overall this was a fantastic book.I think too many Christian women identify as feminists without really understanding the baggage that comes along with that label. The first part of this book gives a potted history of feminism (mainly in the US) and reveals what feminists have stood for over the years - what their campaign for ‘liberty’ and ‘equality’ has actually entailed. The pioneers of feminism, beginning with Mary Wollstonecraft in the 18th century, weren’t just trying to obtain equal rights for women (which in itself is a loaded term); they were actively opposed to God and to biblical standards of morality, particularly sexual morality. They refused to let God define what it means to be a woman, and to be a human, and instead claimed the ‘freedom’ to decide for themselves. The results have been devastating, for the family, for wider society, and, most tragically, for the unborn child.Of course, this doesn’t mean that feminism has never given us anything of value. But as the author points out: “We need to get over the fact that sometimes we happen to agree with feminists on this or that issue. Just because we occasionally agree with the what does not mean we were ever agreed on the how or the why.”The second part of the book looks at what God’s purpose for women is: “Subdue, Fill, Help, Glorify” and how that’s lived out in our lives.One of the things I found most inspiring about the book was the encouragement to see our work (whatever that is) and our home-making as something which in itself can be used to glorify God and bless others, not just something to get through to reach our hard-earned rest at the end of the day.I have a couple of minor quibbles, which loses this book one star (might only be half a star if that were possible!)The first is that the author sometimes makes broad, unqualified statements about women which, although they sound appealing, seem to lack any biblical or scientific basis. As an example: “women are uniquely gifted at being able to take a wordy, dry, abstract concept - and then weave it into incarnate poetry” (to clarify, she wasn’t meaning literal poetry). I’m not sure I have that gift! Also I’m not sure why women are any more likely to have that gift than men.The second is that I feel too much airtime was given to women who are married and have children. The author does, several times, point out that the principles she’s describing apply to single people too, but I came away feeling that I would like to see that fleshed out a little more. Also, she briefly mentions that women gifted in science/mathematics can fulfil their potential in traditional gender roles, and I was looking forward to more on that but it never came!As I say, only fairly minor things. On the whole, I’d wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Rebekah is so on point!!...I am not a religious person, but I am a firm believer that us women are biologically designed to be nurturing, more emotional and hard working YES, but in the sense of looking after our family and putting they’r needs first! Sadly we live in a world now where the average woman is a complete narcissistic numb skull who tries to compete with men and doesn’t see the role of a mother as important..I blame 2nd wave feminism for so many fatherless children and why we now have 2 sexes hating each other, when man and woman should be a team! The Role of a Mother is the most important and our natural Femininity is power not weakness!

I've read this book twice now and I have loved it both times. The author weaves through the history of the feminist movement without the rhetoric and explains how we as women are called to more, much more. Complex but ever so easy to read, my view of God's plan for me as a woman has been challenged, encouraged and cemented. Merkle is also a very entertaining writer. Every woman should read this book! Thank You Jesus for this extraordinary piece of witness!

Insightful, well constructed treatise, persuasively and beautifully written. A powerful wake up call to see and live out the true beauty and glory of God-honouring feminity.

Beautifuly written, easy to follow.