What You Did Not Learn In Sunday School

2 Dec

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

This might shock some of you. . .

I went to Sunday School.

Yes, I really did. And I hated it.

I was told what girls could and couldn’t do. I was reprimanded for asking questions. And when I had the audacity to ask if I could become an altar boy, I was told not to be silly.

I remember so clearly wanting to understand and how often that was misinterpreted as something negative.

It was in Sunday School that I learned that girls didn’t really have a place at church.

So I left. I turned away from the idea of church and religion, and even God, never to look back.

Well, at least not for a very long time.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a book called What You Didn’t Learn in Sunday School: Women Who Didn’t Shut Up & Sit Down!

Getting to know the author Shawna Atteberry has been an eye-opening experience. We first connected as part of the CustomerLove online community and followed it up when Shawna interviewed me in her podcast series on women who leave the church.

I’ve got to admit, I was a bit apprehensive about the conversation, which I attributed to that old fear of getting into trouble for sharing my views (much as I did in Sunday School!)

That conversation stayed with me and contributed to completing that old wound with the Church. Now, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t go back to Sunday School if you paid me but growing up that very young conversation I had about religion was a much welcome breakthrough!

And now onto our spotlight.

What I appreciate about Shawna is her courage. She pursues her passion for women in the Bible with a vengeance intended to strip away the misinformation, leaving you with clarity. Not only that, you know it takes a whole lot of courage and heart to stand up and speak her truth to an organization that is to this day still very much male-dominated.

In my opinion, she is a present day role model of those same women she writes about so passionately. She is committed to empowering women to live and tell their own stories.

Whether you are religious or not, believe in God or not, how she pursues her vision of what’s possible for women in religion is inspiring.

I’m pleased to share her in today’s spotlight. Enjoy.

 

1.  Why are you here?

Women can do whatever they want to do with God’s blessing.

That is my core message.

I want to help women see God did not make them second class citizens to men. God did not make women and men equal in being but give them different roles. God made man and woman equal, period. God calls plenty of women into leadership roles, both in the sacred and secular realms, as well as business. Just look at the women in the Bible if you don’t believe me. You’ll find women religious leaders, tribal leaders, merchants, and traders.

God made both man and woman in God’s image. I explore what it means to be in the image of God as a woman.

I also want to give people a bigger view of God. So often God is caricatured into a strict disciplinarian, an indulgent grandparent, or a holy war warrior. We take one view of God the Bible gives us and make that the predominant image.

2.  What is your future self calling for?

To finish my books: one is a novel, and the other is a non-fiction book on the women in the Bible called Career Women of the Bible.

The point of the non-fiction book is, that women have always worked and supported their families is nothing new, and there are plenty of women in the Bible who clearly show this—they just never get talked about.

I also want to help women expand their own visions of their lives as well as their views of God through spiritual direction (spiritual coaching). There have been far too many limitations placed on both women and God, and I want to set women free from all of those cultural, historical, and theological lies.

My future self is also telling me to remember C. S. Lewis. I want to write both fiction and non-fiction (Bible, theology), and it took me forever to realize that one of my favorite authors did just that. My writing doesn’t have to be all these boxes that never touch: they can flow in and out of each other just as Lewis’ writing did.

3.  How do you honour that calling?

By just keeping on going on. No matter how disappointed I get, no matter how disappointed I am in myself sometimes, I get up the following morning ready to try again. I’ve wanted to give up, but I just don’t.

I keep on thinking this dream is possible. I have found that I am a much more tenacious person than I’ve ever given myself credit for.

4.  What is both effortless and life-giving to you?

Definitely reading. I love to sit down and get lost in a book. I love to learn new things. I’m always reading seven or eight books at the same time. I just love books. That leads into my love for writing and wanting to give the same blessings to my readers, my favorite authors have given to me. I wouldn’t say writing is effortless, but it can be life-giving (when I’m not banging my head against the table or closest wall).

I also love to cook. I worked full-time while I was in seminary, and I discovered that cooking was a great way to unwind and relax, so I find making a good, hearty meal to be effortless and life-giving as well. And there’s nothing as life-giving as eating a good, hearty meal. I love food—both cooking and eating.

5.  What do you do best?

Telling women’s stories. I’m telling the stories of the women in the Bible. The next thing I want to do is tell living women’s stories.

What I do best is storytelling.

6.  What is extraordinary about your work?

There aren’t many people looking at the women of the Bible as everyday career women, women who had jobs and earned a living for their families. On one side there is a lot of work on women religious leaders in the Bible to support ordaining women as priests and pastors. On the other side there is a lot of work on how women are only wives and mothers in the Bible, and that God didn’t create women for either careers or leadership positions.

No one is really doing a lot of work in the middle of those two poles like I am.

7.  What is guaranteed to inspire you?

Looking out of my window over Lake Michigan. I’m always amazed at the personality of the lake and how it changes with the weather, the time of the day or how the sun is shining.

A good book. A good movie. Music—especially live music. One of the great things about living in Chicago is the music venues, and some very good programs are free.

Spending time with friends, especially if we’re eating and there’s a good bottle of wine.

8.  What will your epitaph say if you’ve lived life on your terms?

She lived well and loved well.

Shawna R. B. Atteberry is a writer, theologian and storyteller who empowers women to be the leaders Godde calls them to be at home, work and church by exploring the Divine Feminine and stories of the women in the Bible. She is the author of the E-book, What You Didn’t Learn in Sunday School: Women Who Didn’t Shut Up & Sit Down and lives in Chicago with her husband Tracy and their cat Victoria. 


Connect with Shawna 

At Shawna R. B. Atteberry

On Twitter

On Facebook

 

 

 

  • http://twitter.com/jackiewalker Jackie Walker

    I loved Sunday School until I got kicked out!  In particular I loved the stories, it’s so lovely to see Shawna resurrecting that love, I’m looking forward to reading her book.

    • http://www.devacoaching.com Sandi Amorim

      Haha, I see I’m not the only one with Sunday School issues ;-)  

  • Anonymous

    I love how you answered ‘how do you honour that calling?’…That’s very courageous!  I went to Sunday school too!  And, thankfully, had a very positive experience…My mom was a Sunday school teacher (and a great one!).  Thanks for an inspiring spotlight, Sandi. And Shawna, keep going!

    • http://www.devacoaching.com Sandi Amorim

      Your mom was a Sunday school teacher??? I should talk to her to get over my issues ;-)

  • http://www.starpolisher.com Carol Hess

    I was raised in an agnostic/atheist family (I was/am never quite sure which), so I wasn’t raised in a church.  The only time I got to go was when my paternal grandmother insisted (Easter Sunday) or I went with a friend.  I felt different and less than because I didn’t go to Sunday School like my friends.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Sandi Sunday School Troublemaker! :-)   The fact I eventually found faith in a Higher Power was a great source of disappointment to my mother.  Hmm, maybe I was living in Upside Down Land, now that I think about it.

    I love, love, love Shawna’s unusual and refreshing take on the women of the Bible.  You rock, Shawna!  Love that your writing is defying the genre boxes — I think/hope mine is heading that way too.  I think writing is life-giving (and life-saving) too.  In fact, you feel like a kindred spirit, Shawna.  I’m really glad to have made your acquaintance.  Sandi, thanks so much for introducing us.   

    • http://www.devacoaching.com Sandi Amorim

      And that is why I love to do these spotlights! Is there anything better than introducing amazing people to each other? I think not ;-)

  • Pingback: Me and the E-book Are Making the Rounds | Shawna R. B. Atteberry

  • http://www.ShawnaAtteberry.com shawna.atteberry

    Thank you for the wonderful comments and support. I’m so glad what I do resonated with you.

    • http://www.devacoaching.com Sandi Amorim

      Thanks again for saying yes Shawna. And your Hire Me page: http://www.shawnaatteberry.com/hire-me/ looks great! 

  • http://breakthroughadventures.com Jason Sugar

    Thanks for introducing Shawna to us, Sandi. 

    And thank-you, Shawna, for expanding our vision of God, and women’s vision of themselves, and for your work in setting all of us free from the historical and theological lies—and the suffering that comes from these limiting points of view… (I grew up as a born again Christian and am well-familiar with the suffering that results from a narrow, disconnecting and fear-based view of God and ourselves.)

    Rock on, sister!

  • http://dsbrennan.blogspot.com Diana

    I remember very vividly when girls were allowed to be altar servers – it was right around the time when I decided I was too old to be one myself…

    The Catholic church is so, so slow to make changes, but I do hope that it continues to change and grow in the right direction (I have my concerns that it may regress, but remain optimistic).  I attend a wonderful, vibrant church with fantastic music and a fantastic Priest – I wish everyone could grow up in such a welcoming community.

    So yeah, my experience with religion is a positive one… but OH how I hated Catholic school, more because of how the kids treated me than the adults.  :-)

    It’s wonderful to hear Shawna’s thoughts.  I wish her LOTS of luck and love as she pursues her dream.

  • Anonymous

    I remember not asking to do things I wanted to do, because I knew girls would not be allowed. In particular, I would have played drums if it were within my reach. 1969 in my town? Don’t even ask. I was lucky with my particular church, we didn’t get too limited. Music? I had to play Clarinet, not even on the list of instruments I wanted to play. Flute was also forbidden by my father. Life goes on… my voice became my primary instrument instead.