In her timely and vastly important book, Jen Oshman walks us through five specific ideals which our culture in particular shoves at women. She peels back the layers of lies, desires, and promises with a biblical lens. Cultural Counterfeits: 5 Empty Promises Of Our Age and How We Were Made for So Much More begins with the premise of the prodigal son parable and how we are prone to follow the call of sin and the world.

Oshman has a chapter devoted to each cultural counterfeit: body image, cheap sex, abortion, and LGBTQIA+ idealogies.

These are then followed by the idols of marriage and motherhood that more so follow the paradigm of the older brother in the parable. Each chapter has a robust history and background when applicable to give a well rounded look into the issue followed by in depth biblical analysis and practical application.

This is not necessarily a book on how to deal with the specific agendas and issues discussed as we come across them in our towns, schools, libraries, and workplaces, but rather making sure we are thinking biblically and rightly about them.

The inclusion of the older brother in the prodigal son parable reminds us that even if we have never been tempted to sleep around, have an abortion, or feel unbiblical sexual desires, we are not immune from having idols, whatever our context may be.

I was especially blessed and humbled by the chapter on idolizing marriage and motherhood. Like other women who have grown up in the church, I wasn’t tempted by many of the prevailing cultural lies and agendas.

Rather, I idolized what God had not given me– the good gift of marriage and children that I so desired and that the church at large seems to often put on a pedestal for women. We can begin to assume that God owes us these things because He created them as good gifts.

And after all, most women in our church have been given a husband and children, so why not those that are still single or childless? This did much for my soul. I am also grateful that the church is finally being awakened to the church’s internal cultural lies that to be a godly and mature woman you have to be married with kids.

Instead, Oshman reminds us that we are not all promised those good gifts and we must focus on what has been promised to those who are in Christ– the hope of an eternity with God Himself.

In fact, every cultural counterfeit, every idol, Oshmen talks about in the context of Jesus and the gospel, letting us be seeped by the truth of God’s Word. This book is so well written and the content is so necessary for women today.

We are bombarded by so many lies as women and the author tackles them with grace, biblical knowledge, and wisdom. I highly recommend this book for women in every stage of life. Consider giving this book as a Christmas gift for a friend or relative, using it in your next ladies’ book discussion, or reading it with your older daughter and her friends.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allie Fullerton recently graduated from the Vermont College of Fine Arts with her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Her desire is to write good Christian fiction that changes, challenges, and entertains readers as well as shares the truth about the messy world we live in and the gospel that changes lives. Currently, Allie is working on a middle grade novel in verse. She lives with her husband Jared in Vermont where they enjoy reading and hiking together.

Book Review: Cultural Counterfits by Jen Oshman