NBCW invites newcomers to join online bookclub this Lent

Source: NBCW

The National Board of Catholic Women is extending an invitation to newcomers to join its online bookclub. Their next book, 'Forty Women' will be discussed next Wednesday, 8 March. The club will choose another book for conversation after Easter.

Exploring a different character each day to take you from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Forty Women is an uplifting and inspirational look at what we can learn from the different women of the Bible. Looking at their lives, triumphs and failures, author Ros Clarke shows us how these women are examples of faith and warning against sin, whose seemingly ordinary lives connect with an extraordinary God.

Forty Women shows us how these women's stories cast fresh light on the Bible in unexpected ways, whilst their shared humanity reminds us of wonderful truths and promises of God's word to His people as we prepare to celebrate the ultimate promise of the resurrection at Easter.

Ros Clarke skilfully explores the minds and emotions of 40 biblical women from Eve to Mary Magdalene. 34 women are from the Old Testament, women whose stories are often overlooked, misunderstood or even unknown. It is a book that helps us to see these Biblical women with fresh eyes through a spectrum of stories ranging from Queens Esther and Jezebel to the God-fearing Canaanite Rahab and Moabite Ruth, to Mary and Martha of Bethany. Looking at their lives, triumphs and failures, the author does not hide their faults, as she depicts their struggles and achievements, but uses them as a challenge, skilfully combining the concerns of a contemporary reader with the experiences of these women.

The chapters are very short, consisting of consisting of a brief reflection, two or three questions and a final prayer. Each chapter is quick enough to read in 10 minutes and yet deep enough to leave you thinking for days. It is an honest, raw, emotional gallop through 40 women and 40 real reflections that don't gloss over the tricky bits. It is ideal for individual study, group discussion or as a daily lent devotion.

To join the next session of the bookclub, please email: helen.burgess@northamptondiocese.org

Forty Women: Unseen women of the Bible from Eden to Easter by Dr Ros Clarke is published by Inter Varsity Press.