The Queen Says, "No!"

Esther is a remarkable book about a remarkable woman in a remarkable context - the royal palace of Susa in 483BC. But part of what makes the story so gripping is its background, set out in chapter 1, of the volatile king whose word is law, and the very courageous Vashti who dares to say, “No!”

How will this shape our reading of Esther? And why should we be reading it anyway, as it doesn’t even mention God?!