By Lisa Skinner2025-03-25T08:24:00
Chine McDonald’s new book will free mothers from perfectionism as it challenges religious expectations that burden women. With a fresh perspective on the Virgin Mary, Unmaking Mary invites readers to embrace a more authentic, grace-filled approach, says our reviewer
As a Protestant, and particularly from a Presbyterian perspective, Mary has never played a central role in shaping my understanding of motherhood - or so I thought before reading Unmaking Mary: Shattering the Myth of Perfect Motherhood (Hodder & Stoughton). I suspect Chine McDonald may have approached this topic with similar assumptions before exploring the deeper constructs of what it truly means to be a mother. What defines a mother? How should she be understood? McDonald cultural and societal myths about motherhood that often leave women feeling inadequate. With insight and discernment, she encourages a more grace-filled, biblically grounded understanding.
McDonald carefully dismantles conventional expectations of motherhood. Drawing from her own journey - pregnancy, the newborn stage, returning to work, and the ever-present fears of raising a child - she offers an honest and deeply relatable perspective. As a mother, I found her insights painfully familiar. Any reader who has experienced motherhood will recognise the expectations, pressures, and judgments placed upon them.
We are invited to explore the character of Mary afresh, to see her not as a distant, untouchable figure but as a woman who experienced the same struggles, challenges, and realities of motherhood as the rest of us. Far from being merely a passive character, McDonald presents Mary as a disciple, a leader, and even…
2025-06-12T17:53:00Z By Miriam Cates
A new UN report says all but three countries in the world will have below replacement levels of reproduction by the end of the century. God’s command to ”increase in number” was never meant to be an optional extra, says Miriam Cates. It’s time that Christians took it seriously again
2025-06-12T14:27:00Z By Harry Benson
Nearly half of all teenagers now grow up in homes without both parents present. Harry Benson says Christians need to champion marriage as the foundation for commitment, dependable love and stable families
2025-06-09T16:45:00Z By Elizabeth Sond
Amidst today’s gender tensions, Healed and Whole by Abigail Ruth Flavell offers a gentle call to reconciliation in the Church - urging readers to listen well, love deeply, and stay centred on Christ.
2025-06-09T16:27:00Z By Ima Korr
In his latest book, the Minnesota-based pastor Joshua Giles offers personal reflections aimed at helping every Christian hear God’s voice. But while heartfelt and sincere, the book often lacks theological depth, says our reviewer
2025-06-04T13:50:00Z By AJ Gomez
Reimagining the book of Acts on a modern-day British council estate sounds mad, but Testament makes it work without forsaking the Gospel truth. Angel Studio’s modern re-telling lands with spirit
2025-06-03T11:41:00Z By Kehinde Omotayo
Apologetics isn’t just for academics - it’s a vital expression of love for God and neighbour. In Gospel Conversations, Philip Layton shows how every Christian can share their faith with clarity, confidence and compassion, says Kehinde Omotayo
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