Episode Details

In this archived episode of The Alabaster Jar, Dr. Lynn Cohick speaks with Dr. Caryn A. Reeder about her book The Samaritan Woman’s Story: Reconsidering John 4 After #ChurchToo. Reeder explains how the wave of abuse disclosures in the church led her to re-examine how Scripture is taught, especially stories involving women and sexuality. Together they challenge the long-standing portrayal of the Samaritan woman as a sexual sinner, arguing instead that her marital history reflects the harsh social realities of the ancient world and that Jesus treats her as a theologically serious conversation partner. They also highlight the woman’s role as a perceptive disciple and effective evangelist whose testimony leads her community to Jesus, contrasting her faith and clarity with the confusion of the disciples.

Resources Mentioned:   

The Samaritan Woman's Story: Reconsidering John 4 After #ChurchToo by Dr. Caryn A. Reeder

The Enemy in the Household: Family Violence in Deuteronomy and Beyond by Dr. Caryn A. Reeder  

Let Her Learn Classes

The Visual Museum of Women in Christianity

Dr. Lynn Cohick

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Episode Sponsor:  

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a 501©3 nonprofit organization whose purpose is to equip women in a context that is biblically rooted, theologically robust, and ethnically diverse to thrive as leaders in the academy and the Church. Follow them on Instagram @leadershipwithoutapology.