On this episode of The Alabaster Jar, Dr. Lynn Cohick and Kelly Dippolito talk with Shannon Harris, author of The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife. Shannon shares her personal journey of living within the confines of societal expectations as a pastor’s wife, emphasizing the emphasis on performance and the struggle for perfection. They also delve into Shannon’s childhood, her experience in the purity culture, and the criticism and surveillance she faced within her church community. Through her story, Shannon explores breaking free from societal constraints and how she found her own voice and identity in the intersection of faith, theology, and ministry.

Episode Breakdown:

0:03 – The illusion of the good Christian wife and personal growth
5:13 – Sexual history, purity culture, and performance in a Christian context
10:30 – Church culture, perfectionism, and personal transformation
17:57 – Theology and culture’s impact on women’s lives
22:46 – Gender roles and personal identity in the Bible
27:28 – Identity, trauma, and healing through storytelling

Episode Resources:

The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife by Shannon Harris

Shannon Harris (Bonne)

Episode Sponsor:

The Alabaster Jar is brought to you by The Center for Women in Leadership, a newly formed 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.