If you’re reading this blog, I hope it’s because you love theology as much as I do. I am a self-proclaimed theology nerd, spending many of my days looking for new books about theological topics I’m interested in and spending many of my nights writing about theology for you all to read. I attended Bible school for several years studying theology day in and day out, and I continue to read my Bible and learn more about God on a near-daily basis. Like I said, I love theology.
But maybe you don’t quite have the affection for it as I do. Perhaps, you tend to view theology with apathy, disdain, or confusion. You don’t like it, you don’t care about it, or you just can’t seem to understand it. Maybe you don’t see why studying theology would in any way be helpful or necessary in your everyday life—as a stretched-thin student, as an underappreciated stay at home mom, as an overworked employee.
As theologian R.C. Sproul once argued in a book of the same name, everyone is a theologian, and that includes all of us—sisters and daughters, wives and mothers, employed and unemployed. No matter our circumstances, theology is essential for our lives, which means we must ensure that our theology matches with what the Bible teaches. And this is exactly what Phylicia Masonheimer writes in her newest book, Every Woman a Theologian.
Phylicia lays out three reasons why studying theology is such an important piece of the Christian life. First, when we study theology, we learn more about God, which leads us to love Him more and praise Him for His goodness and righteousness.
“Doctrine leads to devotion, attention to adoration.”[1]
Second, when we study theology, we become more familiar with Christ, and our lives become more conformed to His.
“As we align our theology with Scripture and graciously walk with fellow believers, we become more and more like Jesus.”[2]
And third, when we study theology, we better understand what we believe as Christians and why we believe it, and we’re able to share our beliefs with those around us.
“Understanding what we believe and explaining it graciously does not guarantee that our family, friends, and coworkers will follow Jesus. But it equips us to have those conversations and introduce them to His heart.”[3]
Clearly, studying theology is important, but what exactly is theology and what all does it entail? This is what Phylicia explores in Every Woman a Theologian. She examines eight key topics of systematic theology and explains what the Bible has to say about each topic. In the book, she covers everything from how we can trust the Bible and how God can simultaneously be both loving and just to the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled during His time on earth and the symbolism that is used in the book of Revelation. Throughout the book, Phylicia shares her own struggles and stories where these theological topics became essential in her own life, and she teaches theology in a clear and understandable way.
Something that I’ve always appreciated about Phylicia’s ministry and found incredibly refreshing in this book is that she does not just tell you what to believe and what not to believe about certain debated topics and practices. Instead, she presents all the prevalent views, shows you how these views are grounded in different scriptures, and lets you decide what you believe best aligns with God’s Word. In Every Woman a Theologian, Phylicia discusses different theories about creation and atonement, various views of the end times and the foreknowledge of God, and distinct salvation theologies across denominations.
And while Christians debate these and many other theological topics, Phylicia also emphasizes the importance of theological triage (prioritizing first-tier issues, like the nature of the Trinity or the physical resurrection of Christ, and not allowing second- or third-tier issues, like one’s practice of baptism or the consumption of alcohol, to divide Christians) and being gracious to believers who don’t believe the same exact things that you do. She writes,
“This is the foundation of healthy Christian fellowship: the ability to unite around essentials of our faith, give grace for different expressions of Christianity, and gently correct our sisters when necessary.”[4]
Overall, Every Woman a Theologian by Phylicia Masonheimer is a wonderful book and would be a great choice for your next theology read. Phylicia’s writing is very down-to-earth, and she does an excellent job at succinctly summarizing what the Bible says about several weighty topics. At the end of every chapter, she shares interesting tidbits and answers important questions, like how our Bibles today became divided by chapters and verses and how people in the Old Testament were saved before Jesus. When you finish reading this book, you will have a firmer grasp on the truth of God’s Word, a closer relationship with Christ, and a greater confidence in your identity as a theologian.
“Every woman is a theologian, including you.”[5]
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[1] Phylicia Masonheimer, Every Woman a Theologian: Know What You Believe, Live It Confidently, Communicate It Graciously (Nashville: W Publishing, 2023), 176.
[2] Ibid., 103.
[3] Ibid., xiii.
[4] Ibid., 138.
[5] Ibid., xvii.
