Date

6-2022

Department

School of Communication and the Arts

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art (MFA)

Chair

Rachel Dugan

Keywords

Biblical womanhood, gender roles, destigmatizing, complementarian, egalitarian, fine art

Disciplines

Art and Design

Abstract

In the 21st century, young Christian women struggle with understanding and applying practical aspects of Biblical womanhood in their day-to-day lives. Extreme views make it difficult for young women to navigate life in a way that makes sense in the cultural context of the 21st century. Young women today struggle to utilize the full range of talents and gifts that God has given them, and more importantly, they struggle to align their lives with Scripture. The lack of knowledge concerning what Biblical womanhood is, combined with confusion about how it is applied, impacts not only the women themselves, but everyone in their close social networks, their families, their husbands (or husbands-to-be, if applicable), their children (if applicable), and the church body. The research conducted in this thesis showed that while a plethora of literature, Bible studies, and other resources dealing with Biblical womanhood exist, many of these resources do not address or celebrate the unique situations of young Christian women and the different ways in which Biblical womanhood can manifest itself in the lives of women. Additionally, many of these resources do not account for the unique situations of young women in postmodern America or how these women can embody Biblical womanhood even if they are not married and/or do not have children. This body of work seeks to acknowledge, celebrate, and destigmatize the incredible beauty and variety of Biblical womanhood, as well as its common threads, or foundation based on principles found in Scripture through a historical grammatical approach. By working in a modernized 1950s aesthetic, I aimed to accomplish these goals and to celebrate the importance of Biblical womanhood in the church and family; and its beauty. God gifted women in unique ways to reflect His image, bring Him glory, and fulfill God’s mission for the global and local church, the home, and society.

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