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Defining Moments
The Story of Ruth:
Twelve Moments in Every Woman’s Life
By Joan D. Chittister
Art by John August Swanson
William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 2000. 92 plus xii pages.
Reviewed by Betty Singer-Towns
In the Bible, the Book of Ruth is just four short chapters, ostensibly a story of loyalty between women, of risk-taking for relationships, of commitment in the face of almost certain destitution.
In her latest book, The Story of Ruth, Joan Chittister affirms the obvious lessons of the Book of Ruth and then digs deeper, mining its depths. She lays out her premise in the introduction:
Naomi and Ruth have something to say to each of us, even yet, even now as we face loss and change and risk and the unfamiliar in our own lives and the eternal debate over God’s will for women.
The moments Chittister writes about are not so much life events as the unfolding awareness and maturity that can come in response to loss and change. The moments are not related to roles -- daughter, sister, wife, or mother -- but are glimpses of the fullness of life to which God calls women, and men. Loss, change, transformation and the nine other defining moments that Chittister considers are the substance of life and fertile ground for growing into the freedom and creativity that is God’s will for us.
Each brief chapter begins with a painting by John August Swanson, one of twelve panels that present an evocative visual narrative as we page through the book. Then come a few verses of the biblical text, in the New Revised Standard Version, for our consideration. This is solid scripture commentary, but it’s also something more. In prose both challenging and unpretentious, Chittister gives voice to our experiences in words that invite us to stay with them for awhile. Swanson’s art also makes this book something to savor. Each painting has the richness of a tapestry, with textures that capture our attention and colors that convey light and hope. The art introduces and provides a context for the text, and the patterns that frame each painting also edge the pages of that chapter.
This is a book for women -- those struggling with loss, those living with change, those asking hard questions about what God is calling them to in a world where women are still undervalued and women’s skills and wisdom are too often undertapped. Naomi and Ruth have lessons to share with us about becoming a fully functioning person and a spiritual adult. This book is a great opportunity to spend some time with two very wise women.
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