Beth Allison Barr: The Making of Biblical Womanhood

"The problem isn’t with God. The problem is with flawed people — and this is why we need Jesus." — Beth Allison Barr

Beth Allison Barr talks with us about speaking up, leaning into questions, and thriving as a woman in academia.

Let me invite you into a conversation with Dr. Beth Allison Barr, history professor and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth. This book has deeply impacted the conversation around gender roles in the church since its publication in April 2021. I was thrilled to interview Beth so I could ask her just a few of the many questions that came up for me as I read her powerful book.  In our conversation, Beth explores the terrain between her personal experience and her historical research, and talks about her journey toward sharing her findings with the wider world — and the fallout that came along with that choice. Beth talks candidly about her experience as a tenured professor, and offers generous advice and encouragement for other women who hope to find their way in academia. Beth is a warm and gracious conversation partner, full of wisdom and knowledge and laughter too, and I think you’ll enjoy this interview.​

So have a listen! We're so glad you're here.

— Ann Boyd

Further resources for this interview:

• The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr
• First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament by Terry M. Wildman 
• Elizabeth "Libbie" Schrader, scholar of Early Christianity at Duke University

Photo by Dmitri Popov on StockSnap