I have been following Phylicia on social media for years. Phylicia does a great job of laying out the basics of introducing Christian theology from many points of view. It is a great starting place to study theology or a refresher for those already more familiar. Glad to have read it.

I appreciate how Phylicia dissects scripture and different approaches to theology, making it more accessible for all women. She tried to accomplish a lot of analysis in a short amount of space and was mostly successful with it.

5 Stars

Every Woman a Theologian is a gem of a resource. I found the material to be well organized and the complex concepts of the study of theology to be explained in an easily understandable way. Scripture passages backed up the teaching, not the writer's personal preferences. This had the effect of making me reach for my Bible to look up what the scriptures actually say about a certain topic, again and again. I feel like this should be the goal of every book on the subject of theology.

I believe Christians new to the faith and those more seasoned would find this book valuable. I highlighted many, many passages, and mean to go back in and take notes. The definitions of all the "ologies" alone make this worth the read.

A few of the sentences I highlighted toward the end of the book:

"The study of theology equips us to love well. If it doesn't it's not a biblical theology"

"Doctrine leads to devotion, attention to adoration."

I highly recommend to any trying to dig deeper into theology and the Christian faith.

I am grateful to Net Galley and the publishers of this book for the advanced reader copy.

"It's right to ask the hard questions of Scripture. It's good to employ our minds in pursuit of truth, even when the questions are uncomfortable and risky."

This was such an excellent read and I am sure I'm going to be recommending it for a long time to come. Masonheimer does an excellent job presenting views fairly and concisely, in layman's terms. One of my favorite things about the book was how accessible it was! I would have been comfortable sharing "Every Woman a Theologian" with any one of my students during my years as a youth leader and felt confident they'd be able to follow its contents.

As a child of the 90s that was exposed to "Left Behind" like most of my peers, I was most refreshed by the chapter on Eschatology. Masonheimer's evenhanded definition of terms and presentation of differing views had me the most certain I've ever been in choosing which view I actually hold to and why.

Whether you need an introduction to theology basics or want to brush up on your terms, I can't recommend this book highly enough. My only misgiving is the title! This book would benefit all members of the church, not just women. But such a minor question of branding is really nothing more than a quibble.

This is a great overview of theological ideas that is perfect for someone who is ready to look deeper into their faith. It gives an overview of numerous -ologies without bias or favoritism. It makes the reader feel like they are laying the next layer of bricks in their theological foundation without it being a burdensome process.

Excellent primer to introduce the study of theology to a new believer or young woman. It’s perfect next step for women who understand the gospel, have participated in Bible study but would also like to begin a journey to understand the doctrines of our faith. The author strives to remain balanced and presents multiple views on 8 topics of theology.

Synopsis: “And if we define theology as the study of God and His truth, then every single Christian should be a theologian! Understanding what we believe and explaining it graciously does not guarantee that our family, friends, and coworkers will follow Jesus. But it equips us to have those conversations and introduce them to His heart.” Christian theology is something that often appears daunting to many believers, and it absolutely can be! There is much to learn when it comes to big words like soteriology, pneumatology, and eschatology, but Phylicia Masonheimer breaks these down into simple terms and ideas as she dives into a deep look at the Christian faith. But rather than just stopping there, her book provides the perfect starting point for making Every Woman a Theologian.

Analysis: It’s not very often that I find myself wanting to highlight every word of a book, but this one definitely ranks high on the note taking scale! Every Woman a Theologian is rich in knowledge and the perfect starting point for the Christian faith. It is a lot to take in especially if you are just learning the basics of Christianity. It’s a good book to take slow, research more, and seek advice from a mentor in the faith. But I think every woman should read this one because it is so very important know what you believe and to intellectually be able to defend it. Add this book to your shelves to keep, buy a copy for a friend, and begin a wonderful lifetime study of becoming a theologian.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I great book for first time christians. If you want to learn more about the main thelogy themes, this book will gi through each one and offers different perspective. The book is influenced by the american culture when it talks about different denominations, but overal a good book to start learning more about the christian faith and its fundaments

5 stars+

This is a solid theological resource for ALL people, not just women. This is well-organized, excellently written, and I couldn't recommend it more.

If you are a Christian (or searching), if you are interested in theology and being able to talk about and defend your faith more openly and with confidence, this is a must-have resource.

I have followed Phylicia online for awhile and have always appreciated her accessible approach to theology. This is her approach in her new book, Every Women a Theologian. She has a desire for all women to see themselves as a theologian and makes it all very accessible. This is a great resource and I can't wait to share it with the women in my life.

All of us have guiding principles that influence each of our decisions, even if we don’t realize it. We hold beliefs about the world, ourselves, and God--beliefs perhaps we may have adopted unknowingly based on experience or culture's messages. God has revealed Himself through Scripture, and Scripture should transform and navigate how we live our lives. And, when we allow scripture to do that, we become theologians. The author provides easily digestible and relatable information that compels us towards the truths that help us identify our existing beliefs about God, salvation, and the Christian life. The author helps us understand theological concepts without feeling overwhelmed, which in turn helps us grow closer to the heart of God.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a book to rush through and read in one setting. You will want to grab a notebook and pens. Or better yet, grab the accompany workbook! Gather a group of friends and study this book together. It is packed full of information delivered in a way anyone can understand. From those with higher education to those just beginning to read the Bible. Phylicia writes in a way that makes you feel you are sitting with her, sipping coffee and diving deep into what the Bible has to say. You will come away with a deeper spiritual life and a desire to share all you have learned with others. She has a way of awakening your hunger for knowledge and you will want to study more!

Phylicia Masonheimer has written a gem of a theology book here. So many theology books for women are watered down milk that focus on surface-level topical issues. Phylicia, however, brings the meat in this book. It’s very thorough, and I appreciated that she didn’t lean one way or the other but instead explained the different views on the various subjects without bias. I would recommend this book to every woman, regardless of how long they’ve been studying the Word or their denominational leaning.

This book is great for new believers and mature Christians alike. The author provides basic but solid theology, presenting it in an approachable way.

(This is the copy of the review I just posted to Goodreads).

This book was written to the woman who is new to the faith as an essentials primer to theology and why it’s important to the Christian life. That being said, it certainly isn’t and shouldn’t be limited to new believers. Phylicia writes in an engaging and approachable way that invites you in for a cup of tea and a discussion on faith and why it’s important to know what you believe, why you believe it, and what others believe under the same banner of Christianity.

I very much appreciated how this book was designed not to tell you what to believe about a topic - she has chapters on the study of each of the members of the Godhead, the church, the end times, among others. Her goal doesn’t seem to be to persuade the reader to any conclusion, but to simply educate on what conclusions the study has led the Church to and how those various viewpoints differ. This is helpful because it doesn’t attack any one conviction and it doesn’t leave you feeling the need to defend your viewpoints which helps to engage learning. I especially loved her discussion on the Church and the various denominations- she described a tree as having one trunk and many branches which result not so much as a cataclysmic rupture but more as a difference in views on theology. She doesn’t shy away from tricky conversations or nuance and leaves the reader free to engage with the topics. She offers associated scripture freely throughout and I feel like this book as a whole feels like a friendly bridge from the branches of the tree back to the trunk where we are all one body unified in Christ.

The only discussion I felt that left something to be desired was the one she had on Church hurt. Truthfully, that section felt rushed and the advice on dealing felt lacking— I appreciate that she acknowledges that it exists, but the prescription she gives on healing fell a little flat for me. Maybe that the prescription was included at all made it so vastly different from the rest of the book, the passage felt disconnected and foreign to the larger body of the book? I’m not sure. It just felt almost more like a jumbled afterthought tagged on at the end. More could have been said to expound on the topic if it needed to be included at all.

The only aspect of the book that I found slightly disorienting was the frequent storytelling throughout. Each chapter began with a bit of a storytelling of something that occurred in the authors life that relates to the larger theme of each chapter, but sprinkled throughout the chapters were other tiny bits of stories that occasionally added to a discussion but often had the effect of distracting me from the rhythm of the book. Suddenly, you find yourself in a narrative for a few chapters before you return to the subject. I enjoy a little of this in these books, but in my opinion, a little goes a long way.

Other than that, this book was a great read for all Christian women seasoned and brand new to the faith. It did exactly as the author intended— to make theology approachable to all women.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing this title in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This is a great “birds’ eye view” theology book.
If you’ve been a Christian for a long time, this will likely be refresher of sorts, but still valuable. I’m convinced that often maturity in the Christian faith looks like going deeper into the basics over time.
If you’re a relatively new believer, this is a great starting place on the essential teachings in these areas:
Scripture
God
Creation, Humanity, Sin
Christ
Salvation
Holy Spirit
Church
Last Things

The author outlines the most prominent views on each of these topics, and explains how those views came to be in the arc of church history. She also explains how what we believe influences our perspectives and day to day life.

I would say the tone is more academic than expected; there are a lot of terms and definitions. That is of course not a bad thing, but I think it’s good to know going in.

If you’ve been encouraged by the likes of Jen Wilkin and Amy Cate Gannett, Every Woman a Theologian will be a great continuation of theological study for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

A humbling and wonderful reminder of the strengths of women and what we bring to the table. A book every woman needs to add to her shelf.

This new book, Every Woman a Theologian: Know What You Believe. Live It Confidently. Communicate It Graciously by Phylicia Masonheimer is a must read for all us women. Especially if you are new Christian or have never studied theology, this book will point you in the correct direction. I see she is also coming out with a study guide soon for it, so it will be a great group study book to do, and I would love to be a part of group going through this book. So, if anyone is wants to do a book study, be sure to contact me!! Even for someone like me who is a bit more seasoned in theology there were still a few things I learned, but also a lot that was so great to read over again that I have learned from other theologians. This is the first women’s book though I have read on this topic, so that was great to get a women’s perspective on it, though no different than a man’s.

The author did her research and made this a book that if you are from a different denomination could read too. I really like that she did not do a us against them type of writing when she wrote about the different denominations, she only pointed out the differences, and also how we can learn from one another, even if we don’t agree on certain things, especially when it comes to 2nd and 3rd issues, yes the essentials of faith are important and those must be agreed on, but there are some issues that differ amongst denominations that cause issues, and that shouldn’t be the case. Instead we should learn from our Brother and Sister’s in Christ and encourage one another and be unified. Such as this, “All Christians agree that salvation, baptism, and the Holy Spirit are essentials of our faith. But we differ on how those essential function…Branches can intertwine and mingle peacefully…Sadly, many Christians do not expose themselves to the other branches. They don’t read material outside of their denominational comfort zone. And because thy don’t understand how the other branches arrive at their biblical conclusions,t hey fight. They argue. They condescend. They lose their love.” I can say I have been one of them, but I am so thankful to have a mix-mosh exposure to different denominations, not only in my family, but also from my many moves. Unfortunately, I have had some friends that were hard-core Calvinists (and there is nothing wrong with that, I actually follow and understand most those beliefs that Calvin taught), however, they would shut out people who didn’t see it there way and would say there is the only true church, to which I would disagree with it. It was hard, and unfortunately we are not friends anymore because it got to be too difficult. They would argue at things that were not important doctrines, doctrines that won’t save you. I am friends with many people of different denominations and friends that are not Christians, it is not my job to put out rules and list of do’s and don’t, that is the Lord’s job, my job is to love, encourage, and share truth in that way. I have friends that believe that women must wear head coverings, while that is something I don’t believe in, it doesn’t cause strain because we both see it different and can see each other’s points from God’s Word. Another thing that causes disagreements that I have experience with is baptism. I at one point was not accepted into a church unless I was baptized the way that church believed baptism. I wanted to be a member, so I followed through, though looking back I am not sure I would have from what I have learned along the way, but I was much younger and didn’t understand theology well. I am still learning and I am sure not always right! Again, I have been on of those at times in my journey of faith, being hard-headed at times, but so thankful the Lord opened my heart to that truth.

The book starts out about what theology is and the importance, how the Bible came to be and was put together, how we can trust the Word, who Jesus is, understanding the Trinity, Holy Spirit, Gods’ justice, our purpose, what is the church, the study of end times and so much more. She really offers up many of the questions you see asked from people and then answers those from the Bible and from other theologians.

Here are a few highlights of mine I will share, though so many:

Pursue theology to pursue God’s heart, and you will be surprised to find that doctrine leads to devotion.
Christ does not require us to blindly believe. Faith is, after all, only as good as the thing we put our faith in. To believe in God we must first understand who it is we are trusting.
Scripture is not just meant for other people. It is not to be used just for pointing out sin in others; it is for the refining of our own character. The authority of the Bible changes us before it changes the world.
Understanding God’s justice requires a foundation in both love and holiness. Without love, God’s justice is ruthless. Without holiness, God’s justice is untrue.
Scholars have concluded that Jesus fulfilled anywhere from 300 to 570 Old Testament prophecies.
Because the New Age is rising in popularity, we must be clear on who the Spirit is and what He is not.
Today, we think we must get the perfect programs, music, and aesthetic to keep people in the church. But the draw for early Christians wasn’t what a church building could offer. The draw was Jesus.
Healthy fellowship is vulnerable, loving, truthful, and wise.

To find out more about this book and the author go check out her website

If you're looking for a basic intro to theology book that gives lots of different viewpoints, Phylicia Masonheimer's "Every Woman a Theologian" may be a good place to start! Each chapter breaks down a topic of theology, with scripture, stories/illustrations, and differing viewpoints. She has helpful application points (most notably, discussing church hurt and spiritual abuse in ecclesiology).

I don't agree with her everywhere or think she fairly represents Calvinism (though that is an exception, generally speaking she does a fantastic job with differing viewpoints). She gives a lot of different views in very little space, which means it's a lot of info without much depth and sometimes I wonder about what she chose to give more space to (ie, when discussing historic premillennialism she spends a lot of time talking about the early church fathers and the slide into demeaning physical things. Which isn't really saying much about historic premillennialism the way her other sections on eschatological views do).

Even so, it's a helpful starting point for studying theology, but those who already have read or studied some theology will probably want something more in-depth.

This book is extremely helpful for women who would like an introduction to theology. Masonheimer walks readers through basic systematic theology in a warm and inviting way.