Seven Women by Eric Metaxas Summary

Seven Women by Eric Metaxas presents biographical portraits of seven remarkable women who changed history by following God's call upon their lives. The book features Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Maria Skobtsova, Corrie ten Boom, Mother Teresa, and Rosa Parks. Metaxas explores how these women achieved greatness not despite their femininity, but because of it, celebrating their faith-driven courage and unique contributions to history.

Eric Metaxas is a New York Times bestselling author known for biographies including Bonhoeffer and Amazing Grace about William Wilberforce. He wrote Seven Women as a follow-up to his successful book Seven Men, aiming to showcase how women throughout history achieved greatness by embracing their femininity rather than competing with men. His conversational writing style and focus on faith-driven lives have made him a prominent Christian author.

Seven Women is ideal for readers interested in Christian biography, women's history, and faith-based inspiration. It particularly resonates with those seeking role models who demonstrate strength through faith, femininity, and conviction. The book appeals to Christians exploring how women can achieve greatness while maintaining their unique identity, as well as anyone interested in historical figures like Rosa Parks, Joan of Arc, and Mother Teresa.

Seven Women is worth reading for its inspiring stories of faith and courage, though it has limitations. The book successfully highlights diverse women—from homemakers to activists—whose strength came from God. However, readers should note that Metaxas sometimes goes on tangents about supporting characters, which can detract from the main subjects. The conversational style makes it accessible, but some find the criticism of feminism out of place in a book celebrating strong women.

The seven women Eric Metaxas profiles are Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Hannah More, Maria Skobtsova, Corrie ten Boom, Mother Teresa, and Rosa Parks. Each represents different eras and contexts:

• Joan of Arc led French armies as a teenager
• Susanna Wesley raised 19 children including evangelists John and Charles Wesley
• Hannah More fought for slavery abolition
• Maria Skobtsova was a Russian Orthodox nun
• Corrie ten Boom survived Nazi concentration camps
• Mother Teresa served the poor in Calcutta
• Rosa Parks catalyzed the civil rights movement

The "secret of their greatness" in Seven Women is that these women followed God's call while embracing their femininity rather than rejecting it. Metaxas argues that their womanhood was essential to their achievements, not an obstacle to overcome. The common thread connecting all seven women was that their strength, courage, and world-changing impact came directly from their faith in God and their willingness to be "women" in the fullest sense.

Seven Women celebrates femininity by demonstrating that these women achieved greatness because of, not despite, their womanhood. Metaxas argues against the idea that women must compete with men or do the same things as men to be great. He shows how qualities like compassion, faith, dignity, and maternal influence—exemplified by figures like Susanna Wesley who shaped her sons into Christian leaders—were powerful forces for historical change. The book respectfully honors women's unique contributions.

Eric Metaxas offers criticism of modern feminism in Seven Women, arguing that it strips women of what it means to be a woman rather than empowering them. He suggests contemporary culture has "blinkered" views about how women can be great, shaped by cultural assumptions rather than timeless truths. However, some readers found this broad condemnation of feminism disrespectful to historical feminists and out of place in a book about strong women throughout history.

Corrie ten Boom's story in Seven Women by Eric Metaxas highlights her heroic resistance during World War II and her remarkable forgiveness. Ten Boom was arrested for hiding Dutch Jews from the Nazis and survived the horrors of a concentration camp. Her greatest feat, according to Metaxas, was forgiving her tormentors years later, demonstrating extraordinary Christian grace and the transformative power of faith even after experiencing unimaginable suffering.

Seven Women is Eric Metaxas's "eagerly anticipated follow-up" to his successful book Seven Men. Both books share the same format—biographical portraits of seven individuals who followed God's call and changed history. However, Seven Women specifically emphasizes how these women achieved greatness "as women," celebrating femininity rather than suggesting women need to emulate masculine models of success. The books together provide balanced perspectives on faith-driven greatness across genders.

Eric Metaxas writes Seven Women in his "trademark conversational and engaging style" that makes historical biography accessible to general readers. His approachable tone brings these historical figures to life through vivid storytelling. However, some critics note he sometimes goes on tangents about people in these women's lives, which can be frustrating when readers want to focus on the main subjects. Despite this, his narrative style successfully inspires and educates without being overly academic.

The main criticisms of Seven Women include unnecessary tangents about supporting characters that detract from the women's stories, making the biographies feel incomplete. Readers also found Metaxas's broad condemnation of feminism inappropriate for a book celebrating strong women, especially given feminism's historical role in women's empowerment. Some felt the book was "bogged down by unnecessary details" and that Metaxas spent too much explaining why he selected certain women within the text itself rather than letting their stories speak.