Out of curiosity and a little bit of nostalgia, I listened to the audiobook of Beth Moore’s memoir, All My Knotted Up Life, (read by the author herself — my favorite kind of audiobook) last month.
When I worked at our local Christian bookstore in high school, Beth Moore’s Living Proof Bible studies were ubiquitous. There were so many of them, and we were selling them constantly. Christian women couldn’t get enough of her work. And even though I never participated in any groups using her material, I knew her Bible studies were a big deal.
I honestly hadn’t thought about Beth Moore in years. I was still on Twitter when she spoke up for herself and other survivors of sexual assault and abuse after the now infamous Trump Access Hollywood tape emerged shortly before the 2016 election. I remembered hearing that she had left the Southern Baptist Convention. But beyond that, I really hadn’t thought about her or engaged with her work in years.
She and I were on divergent paths and of different generations. Even when I was still attending church, I was a little too young to participate in any of her Bible studies. And we ended up in different places. She left evangelicalism but remained Christian and ended up in an Anglican church. I left evangelicalism and then left the church completely.
So though it wasn’t my usual reading fare, I ended up enjoying her memoir immensely.
The memoir traces Moore’s early life, her sometimes-tumultuous family life during her childhood, her journey into ministry, she and her husband working through their childhood traumas, her career in women’s Bible studies and ministry, her reaction to the Trump presidency in 2016, her ostracization by the conservative Christian community because of it, and her final parting from the SBC.
Some parts of her story felt painfully familiar as someone who also left the religious tradition they were raised in. The pain of leaving and of being left behind. The confusion at seeing people you love and respect support abhorrent politicians and policies. The challenge of confronting gender bias and toxic masculinity in the church.
But listening to her recount her husband and her painful decision to leave the SBC made me respect her even more. She spoke out for her principles, for what she believed was right, and for women and victims of abuse even though it came at a tremendous personal and professional cost.
Throughout her story, I kept thinking of Rachel Held Evans’ refrain — Woman of Valor! If that applies to anyone, it certainly applies to Beth Moore.
Hey, Allison–thanks for the review! I always appreciate a tip on a good book. I also enjoy your blogs for RJ–thanks for sharing your perspectives and insights. I went to a couple sessions of a Beth Moore Bible study once. They did not work for me at that time in my life, but, like you, I admire her courage as a female in the SBC, and then her courage to speak out and leave.
Thanks Allison. O always enjoy your writing. Leaving Boston can be hard! Took me 50 years
Thanks for highlighting this worthy book. I helped lead a Bible study at a women’s prison using Moore’s material several years ago. At the time I was slightly irritated by some of her mannerisms, but I had no doubt she was genuine in her pursuit of Jesus and Scripture. After also listening to her speak this memoir via audibook, I found an authentic person who protected the dignity of her husband and would not bow to authoritarian powers.