Doug Wilson’s daughter Rebekah Merkle peddles patriarchy in Eve in Exile
And not just patriarchy, but downright misogyny.
I haven’t taken a look at her books yet, because we have a system for choosing which books we look at based on Amazon sales rankings, and we haven’t gotten to her yet. But that doesn’t mean that I’m not concerned about the reach of Doug Wilson’s church (see my episode on the Sons of Patriarchy podcast, for instance).
But this week I had a super interesting–and encouraging–experience.
Jessica Jenkins from We Who Thirst podcast created her own onesheet
She used my format, and applied it to Eve in Exile!
This is just so encouraging to see, because it means that we can crowd source this. And as more and more people start speaking up about what’s wrong about these books, more people are going to hear and see!
You can find her whole review, and her download, here. But I’ll highlight some of my favourite parts.
from Jessica Jenkins, We Who Thirst
Summary of Issues with Eve in Exile
- Uses abusive tactics of coercive control as part of a discipleship strategy.
- Designs a theology of womanhood compatible with dominionistic theology.
- Fails to offer an in-depth discussion of social issues or Biblical texts about womanhood, but rather insists that this books description of “what God made real women for” is accurate because it’s “obvious.”
Uses Poor Argumentation in Writing
When writing theologically, and especially when writing about controversial issues like gender roles or “Biblical” womanhood, you need to use careful, clear, reasoned arguments backed up with ample sources. However, Eve in Exile features few of the hallmarks of good argumentation.
Specific Issues:
- Continually uses strawman arguments (7-9, 22-23, 30, 109, 112, 135-136, 192-193).
- Fails to cite sources or relevant scripture passages (43, 50, 53, 109, 119, 123, 135-136).
- Reductionistic or patronizing examples (10, 67-69, 99, 109, 117, 147-148).
- Poor or deceiving use of statistics (65, 67-69).
- Makes points with the claim of “obviousness” or “straightforwardness” without a clear argument (111-112, 133, 171, 198).
- Doesn’t fully understand the “why” behind social issues such as abortion (31-32, 197-198), women’s suffrage (49-50), use of antidepressants / anxiety medications (67), and obesity (140).
For example:
Merkle expresses concern that “women in our society may choose Option A (fulfilling career) or Option B (wife and mother)” (30), but she fails to realize or admit that many women find themselves searching for a combination of both. Or women seek out a “career” not out of a desire for “fulfillment” but out of financial necessity. When she does consider the life of a woman with a career and family, her description does not match the experience of most women employed outside the home.
Discusses Neutral or Life Saving Things as “Bad”
Merkle writes about morally neutral things as though they are bad. Though she often (but not always) stops short of condemning them outright, her attitude towards the following items is disparaging and has the effect of discouraging her readers from accessing these potentially life saving items:
- Antidepressants/anxiety medication (67-69).
- Women having an income earning job (see pages numbers below about women with careers; 104)
- Women using their voices to advocate against injustice (84-5, 192).
- Implies negative things about birth control and women having a say-so over whether they get pregnant, but never comes out and says either way (108-110).
Those who internalize the teachings of Eve in Exile will be more likely to hesitate before taking antidepressants, anxiety medication, birth control. Guilt may keep them from getting an income providing job which would benefit their family or give them an avenue of escape from an abusive marriage.
For Example:
Perhaps a woman finds herself in need of a career that can pay her bills, provide education for her children and decent medical insurance, but then she reads Eve in Exile where Merkle says,
“Women can throw themselves at the corporate world, and they can do it for the long haul. But the setting is wrong.” (104)
Now, there is a dump truck of guilt laid on this woman in legitimate financial crises. If she gets a job, she’s going against God’s order (according to Merkle and Eve in Exile). If she doesn’t, how will her family get their needs met? These kinds of teachings assume a level of privilege that many women don’t have. Rather than showing compassion on people who’s families don’t match her ideal, Merkle heaps guilt and shame instead.
Jessica Jenkins goes on to discuss many other aspects of the book, including the theology of women; how Eve in Exile itself uses coercive control methods; how it offers false promises; and more.
Here’s her summary at the end of her discussion:
Based on a surface level reading of Bible passages, Eve in Exile tells women that they have a God ordained duty to be passionate homemakers as part of their created design. Consistently equates women using their voices to fight injustice with sinfulness. This book shames women who deviate from the expected duties of womanhood taught therein, and uses coercive control tactics to keep the reader from questioning these “obvious” truths.
And she offers a downloadable two-sided one sheet just like I’ve done!
I’m so glad that this is available for you all–and so that I don’t have to do it!
I’m getting ready to take a bit of a break for summer
It’s not exactly a break–I’m going to try to pound out the first draft of my next book–but I’ll be taking a break from my regular posting.
We’ll be taking June and July off of the blog, and July off of the podcast. So there will be podcasts in June (and the posts for those podcasts will be up on the blog!), but normal blog posts won’t resume until August.
My Substack on Fridays will be re-running some of my most popular posts, so please subscribe there if you haven’t already! It’s another way to keep up with me around the internet.
Because we’re winding down, and because my 55th birthday was over the weekend, I’ve been thinking a lot about future plans, and analyzing where we’re going.
I have some encouraging things I want to share with you on Wednesday.
But I’ve been seeing, and experiencing, this idea of seeds being planted all over the world with our work, and other people continuing it. Other people are picking up the torch and running with it. And soon there will be lights all over the world that can’t be snuffed out. We’re spreading, and we’re a force, and we’re not alone, because Jesus is in this.
And that’s why I was so encouraged to see Jessica’s post. It’s one of the things that happened to me this week (I want to share a bunch of other ones with you on Wednesday) that helped me see that even though this work is hard and the job is enormous, I’m not the only one carrying it. You all are too. You’ve seen the problems too (and once you see them, you can’t unsee them!). And we’re all doing the work in our own communities, in our own ways.
And that’s how change happens!
And that makes me happy.
If the book thinks that about antidepressants what does the author think about antipsychotics? I have a feeling that the answer would probably be that you are not praying enough to pray the demons away or something. I wonder this because I have bipolar with psychotic features and I get really ableist vibes from this author with what she says about antidepressants.
It’s quite awful the approach that so many take towards treatments for mental illnesses. It’s like–you’d wear glasses for your eyes. So why is this so different? Drives me nuts.
To extrapolate the author’s faulty logic further, which seems an obvious trajectory, what does she think about insulin use, heart medication, cancer treatment even? She is a non-physician walking on a dangerous slippery slope and, in doing so, harming women and those who know them (which is everyone).
What qualifications does she have to write such assertions? She has an egregious level of pride.
She (Merkle) fails to take into consideration history. Women have had to work throughout history, though not in careers as we have now. The stay at home mom she and others are fond of preaching about only mostly existed for the wealthy.
I’ve just finished reading a biography of Joseph Paxton, the famous gardener/architect/businessman from the 1800s. His wife not only managed the business accounts and payroll, but whenever he was away, she acted as his deputy and managed everything till he came back – and he was often absent for months. And all while caring for a young family – and often while pregnant or caring for a newborn! So a mid Victorian wife and mother was juggling home, family and a complex business…
So, according to this author, having a job with income is considered stepping outside of God’s design. Yet, she’s writing books and getting paid for it. Oh the irony. Dictating to other women how they should live their lives a certain way but she’s not doing it that way.
As for the antidepressants, I’ve been on them for most of my life and I’ve heard a number of well-meaning Christians say some of the stuff this author says. Until one has struggled with mental illness, they have no business dictating to others what they don’t know about.
Thankfully, I’ve never read this book and have no plans doing so.
“So, according to this author, having a job with income is considered stepping outside of God’s design. Yet, she’s writing books and getting paid for it. Oh the irony. Dictating to other women how they should live their lives a certain way but she’s not doing it that way.’
Serena Joy just can’t stop lecturing all the Handmaids, can she?
“Until one has struggled with mental illness, they have no business dictating to others what they don’t know about.”
Remember Job’s counselors?
It’s always those who have NEVER been there who are first in like with the finger-wagging glib advice for those who ARE.
“a theology of womanhood compatible with dominionistic theology.”
FYI “dominonistic theology” = “Handmaid’s Tale as How-to Manual”.
Not very related to the discussion, but I hope you had a wonderful birthday celebration, Sheila! Thanks for all the work you do, you’ve changed many lives for the better. Mine and my husband’s included!
Its an awful book! I read it a few years ago out of curiosity and it “got under my skin” as my husband said. Really bothered me. Her mom watches her kids while she writes (or maybe that was her sister who also writes..it was in the intro) and apparently women can “support their husbands” in their work only. That kind of work is ok.
I’m pretty sure both their (she and her sister) husbands are on the board or work for her dad’s ministry. So…she and her sister and mom are all good because they work for their men… 😞 its kinda maddening.
I also heard one of them say something about writing only for women, but if a man happens to read it.. blah blah …about how they were females essentially teaching. The mental gymnastics is awful.
There’s a lot of angst in this book. I almost felt bad for her…but I was too mad about it. At one point she lumps all women who work into a group who are working im a cubicle for some boss just so they can practice feminist freedom out of defiance and totally ignores the many women who work from a true sense of calling and gifting.
This among many issues this book has…
Hey, Thank you for the great work! Got a question. On the main page of this NL you talk about Trad wives giving false stat about Dads v Moms influencing the family re faith. I clicked on that and it took me to page about the Eve book and I looked all through it and can’t find any more info on that fake stat. Would you please send a link to me where you talk about that more? Much appreciated!
Sure, it’s right here! You can also read a comprehensive post on it from Missio Alliance.