What does it mean to be a good 'church girl'?

What does it cost to be seen as a ‘godly woman’? The Secret Lives of Church Ladies author Deesha Philyaw asks that and more in her latest novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman .

The book is a satirical, Real Housewives-style romp following its protagonist, Scharisse Freeman, as she navigates the highs and lows of being a pastor’s wife --including all the plotting, backstabbing, and respectability politics that come with trying to be a beacon of Christian femininity. But when a scandal unearths her past, she learns the hard way that being seen as a ‘good woman’ or ‘good wife’ is not all it’s cracked up to be.

Deesha joins the show to deconstruct how the rigidity of church life can bring out the worst in us, and why we should be more open to other paths to living a faithful life. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one.

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