ANATIONALBESTSELLER!JournalistSarahStankorboutlineshowaccesstotheinternet--itsnetworks,freedomofexpression,andresourcesfordeeplyresearchingandreportingonpowerfulchurchfigures--allowedwomentobegindismantlingthefalseauthorityofevangelicalcommunitiesthathadlongdemandedtheirsubmission.AgenerationofAmericanChristiangirlswastaughtsubmittingtomenisGod’swill.Theyweretaughtnottoquestionthemenintheirfamiliesortheirpastors.Theyweretoldtoremainsexuallypureandtrainedtofeelshameifamanwastempted.Someofthesegirlswereabusedandassaulted.Somemadetoshrinkdownsosmalltheybecameashadowofthemselves.ToquestiontheirleaderswastoquestionGod.Allthewhile,theirmaleleadersbuiltfiefdomsfrommegachurchesandsprawlingministries.Theyinfluencedpoliticsandpolicy.Toprotecttheirchurch’sinfluence,thesemencoveredupandhidabuse.AmericanChristianpatriarchy,asitroseinpoliticalpowerandculturalswayoverthepastfourdecades,hurtmanyfaithfulbelievers.MillionsofAmericansabandonedchurchestheyonceloved.Yetamongthosewhostayed(andafewwhostilllovedthechurchtheyfled),abravegroupofwomenspokeup.Theybuiltonlinemegaphones,usingthedemocratizingpoweroftechnologytocreatelong-overduechange.InDisobedientWomen,journalistSarahStankorbgiveslong-overduerecognitionfortheseeverydaywomenasleadersandasvoicesforadifferentsortoffaith.Theirworkhasdrivenjournaliststohelpbringabusestoriestonationalattention.Stankorbweavestogethertheeffortsofthesecourageousvoicesinordertopresentafull,layeredportraitofthetreatmentofwomenandthefightforchangewithinthemodernAmericanchurch.DisobedientWomenisnotjustalookatthewomenwhohaveusedtheinternettobringdownthereligiouspowerstructuresthatweremeanttokeepthemquiet,butalsoapictureofthelarge-scalechangesthatarehappeningwithinevangelicalcultureregardingwomen’sroles,ultimatelyunderscoringthewaystechnologyhascreatedaplaceforwomentochallengetraditionalinstitutionsfromwithin.
