I read this as a lapsed Catholic and found it quite affirming. I read the Bible a few years ago cover to cover and found myself deeply disliking Paul's letters because at face value, they feel very demeaning to women. But context is everything. And even with whatever companion text I had at the time, the historiography of the letters did little to apologize Paul (lol) to a modern reader.

Barr reinterprets, almost semiotically, Paul's writings line by line and contrasts where his letters are divided in different versions of the Bible. The tonal shift is pretty remarkable.

As a feminist, everything she's saying to the reader is true, I know it, I don't particularly need to be affirmed of my worth as a woman by the Bible.

Much like modern political discourse, I know the people who will never pick up this book are the ones who would most benefit from its carefully researched message. I hope she changes some minds, I would have loved to have taken one of her classes.