When Curiosity Reinterprets the Story
Curiosity is often seen as a doorway—one that opens us to new perspectives, deeper understanding, and richer experiences. When it comes to faith, curiosity can become a sacred tool, prompting us to ask better questions, challenge long-held assumptions, and uncover beauty we might have otherwise missed.
When we bring curiosity to the Bible, the possibilities for discovery multiply. Curiosity doesn’t just lead to different answers—it leads to different questions altogether. It invites us to approach the text not with a sense of mastery, but with openness, wonder, and imagination.
One of the most profound examples of curiosity in action is the work of Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, a priest, womanist theologian, and biblical scholar whose scholarship is deeply rooted in the questions that traditional readings of Scripture often overlook.
What Drives Curiosity in Faith?
Curiosity can be driven by many things—creativity, imagination, empathy, or a longing for justice. In the case of Rev. Gafney, her curiosity was sparked by a question many readers of the Bible have asked at one point or another: Where are the women?
It wasn’t that women were entirely absent from Scripture, but that their stories were often underrepresented, underdeveloped, or altogether ignored in church teachings. And so Gafney asked a bold question: What would it look like to center these voices?
Rethinking the Lectionary
To explore that question, Gafney turned to the lectionary—a three-year cycle of Scripture readings used by many denominations to guide weekly preaching. While it’s intended to provide a broad overview of the Bible, the lectionary is far from neutral. Its selections, decided centuries ago, often skip over difficult texts and consistently minimize the presence and voices of women, people on the margins, and those whose stories complicate neat theological conclusions.
So, Gafney wrote her own.
Her project, “A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church,” is more than just a reshuffling of verses. It is a theologically grounded, rigorously researched reimagining of how Scripture can be encountered when the voices and experiences of women are brought to the forefront—not as side notes, but as the central narrative.
Her work invites preachers, teachers, and everyday readers to experience the Bible not as a static collection of answers, but as a living, breathing conversation—one that is richer when more voices are allowed to speak.
The Expansiveness of Scripture Through Curiosity
By asking different questions, Gafney discovered new layers of meaning in the biblical text—and in doing so, invited others into that same work of holy imagination. Her curiosity didn’t dismantle her faith; it deepened it. It gave her (and others) permission to engage Scripture with openness, honesty, and expectation.
Her approach reminds us that Scripture has always been multivocal and dynamic, and that there’s value in asking:
• What stories haven’t we been told?
• Who gets left out of the narrative—and why?
• How might God speak through the voices we’ve historically overlooked?
A Call to Curiosity
Rev. Gafney’s work is a powerful testament to what happens when we approach the Bible not just with reverence, but with curiosity. Her example invites all of us—no matter our background—to see Scripture as fertile ground for questioning, exploring, and reimagining.
Because maybe, just maybe, some of the best discoveries in our faith won’t come from finding the right answers—but from learning to ask better, braver, more beautiful questions.
Want to learn more about Rev. Wil Gafney’s project?
👉 Read more about A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church here.
