In this two-part interview on the Alabaster Jar podcast, Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing discusses her book Lead Like the Real You: Wisdom for Women on Finding Your Voice, Pursuing God's Calling, and Leading with Courage with Dr. Lynn Cohick. This book explores women's challenges and opportunities in male-dominated spaces and offers practical advice on finding and using their voices. It also delves into the topics of work, intellectual integrity, and love in leadership. In this episode, Dr. Orr-Ewing and Dr. Cohick delve deeply into biblical interpretation, particularly around the creation narrative in Genesis and how it has been misused to justify patriarchal structures and gender-based hierarchies in the church. Dr. Orr-Ewing provides a nuanced and empowering perspective, highlighting how the Bible affirms the equal dignity and agency of men and women as image-bearers of God. They also have a poignant discussion about Dr. Orr-Ewing's personal experiences navigating a toxic situation within the Ravi Zacharias International Ministry (RZIM). They explore concepts like "DARVO" (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) and gaslighting and how these manipulative tactics can be weaponized against women seeking accountability and justice in religious contexts.

Key Takeaways: 

• The Bible affirms the equal dignity and value of men and women as image-bearers of God, challenging patriarchal interpretations.
• The concepts of “headship" and "authority" in the Bible need nuanced explanations since they do not inherently imply male dominance or female subordination.
• The "DARVO" (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) pattern helps those in religious settings understand when they are being manipulated.
• There is a big danger of misapplying the redemption narrative to excuse abusers. We should be cautious against rushing to reconcile abusers without true repentance, as this can further harm victims. 

Resources Mentioned:   

Lead Like the Real You: Wisdom for Women on Finding Your Voice, Pursuing God's Calling, and Leading with Courage by Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing  

Report of Independent Investigation into Sexual Misconduct of Ravi Zacharias  

The Center for Institutional Courage  

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.