As a minister, one of the most common requests made of me: "What's ago of study Bible?" It's a difficult question to answer, precisely because the published options offer such diversity in the possibilities.
Given all that diversity, then, what's left to say about The Woman's Study Bible?
It's written by women -- with training in biblical studies, theology, and ministry -- for women. The study notes range from excellent commentary that help to read the Bible with understanding, to essays on the nature of "Biblical Womanhood". The general editor is Dorothy Kelley Patterson, a trained theologian in her own right, who's also the wife of Paige Patterson, the president of Southwestern Baptist Seminary. All the contributors come from the best minds of Baptist life in women's studies, and the work together to create an excellent study Bible for those complementarians among us.
As with most "specialty"
study Bibles, though, I fear this one also contributes inadvertently to
the very Corinthian-style divisions in the Church that Paul warned us
about. That is, a speciality Bible of this sort can't help but appeal
to a particular audiences in a way that separates them from other
Christians.
While I think the study notes are excellent, this is the one hurdle Holman's Study Bible for Women simply can't clear, by it's very nature.
Therefore,
I recommend this one to my sisters who need a good study Bible but I also warn them to read with a
cautionary eye. Some of the notes are better than others. Some of the
essays are great, others display that Corinthian hurdle all too
clearly.
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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.