Wisdom for Mothers: Proceed with Caution

Wisdom for Mothers: Proceed with Caution

     Wisdom for Mothers is the first Bible study/workbook published by Kardo International Ministries under the MotherWise logo.  “Although a woman may use this workbook for individual personal Bible study,” notes the Introduction on page 9, “she benefits most from being part of a MotherWise group that participates in the full MotherWise program” in which a group “meets for two hours once a week for 10 weeks.”  This claim is open to debate for a number of reasons. 

First, a major flaw with this “program” is the frequent lack of focus, cohesion, and unified thought as well as author Denise Glenn’s penchant for proof-texting and her frequent violation of the historical-grammatical method of Biblical exegesis.  Her reliance upon sources that many consider suspect or controversial is equally troubling.  (See p. 87 as well as the Bibliography on p. 267 for examples.)  An unseemly presentation of the concept of “blood covenant” (p. 116-117) is another. 

Although well-intentioned and passionate, Glenn’s lack of expertise and care in handling the Biblical text seriously hampers the bulk of her “Bible study” materials. Additionally, some women find Glenn’s breezy, chatty style appealing.  Some don’t.  It has been described as ”warm, charming and engaging” as well as “bubble-brained,” “air-headed” or “irritating.”  Likewise, some ladies deem both the video presentation and Wisdom workbook “insightful and inspirational.”   Others dub them “patronizing”, “plodding” and “tedious.”  (One lady I talked to, a college-degreed professional, said she found Wisdom “insipid, insulting” and “a waste of my time.”) 

Also problematic is the fact that the typical class format and leadership structure are easily susceptible to cliquishness.  Leadership Qualities as listed in the accompanying Wisdom Leader’s Guide fail to connect with—or even mention–leadership skills and can easily place women in leadership or “mentoring” capacities who are “nice,” but painfully deficient in basic leadership skills.  Leader’s Guide directives such as meeting “regularly outside of class to discuss the progress of the class” are often vague and ambiguous and seem to do little more than encourage gossip and other counter-productive behaviors. 

To be fair, many of the Biblical principles and applications offered in this 260+ page resource are sound.  However, the material founders dangerously when it strays off Scriptural charts and heaves onto the reefs of personal agendas and peculiar application from questionable sources.  Some women will benefit from these studies.  Other may find them geared toward quick, mass consumption on a “burgers and fries” level. 

If you’re going to use MotherWise materials for your ladies group, then please, please, please let women know up-front that Wisdom for Mothers is not for everyone.  This study is best suited for women who’ve been married a few years – say, five or less- or for women who’ve been married longer but are baby Christians or non-Christians.  

Neither Wisdom for Mothers nor its companion volume, Freedom for Mothers, are for mature Christian women and should not be marketed otherwise.  Serious students of Scripture will find little here to fuel authentic spiritual appetites and can opt to look elsewhere for more balanced, substantive meals.   (If you choose to use Wisdom, be sure to also offer something for more vigorous appetites, such as Elisabeth Elliot’s Let Me Be a Woman.)

Like food from a Drive-Thru window, a suitable label for Wisdom might be: “WARNING.  Contents hot, marginally nutritious, and incredibly average.  Proceed with caution.” 

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For a more in-depth review, visit: http://hevencense.wordpress.com/2007/10/27/book-review-wisdom-for-mothers/

For related discussions, click on:

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/giftedforleadership/2007/08/why_i_dont_do_womens_ministry.html

or visit:

 http://hevencense.wordpress.com/womens-ministry/nuggets-and-nudges/