Tag: gender equality

Feminism and Christianity, Monsterous Regiment of Women2 Comments

A Closer Look at The Monsterous Regiment of Women

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The Christian patriarchy movement does not hide the fact that they believe they are the keepers of the Christian faith and are upholding a Biblical worldview for family and society that has been rejected by mainstream Christian culture.  Documentaries such as the Gunn Brother’s The Monstrous Regiment of Women present the world as a place filled with feminists and socialists who are out to destroy the stay at home mother. The sacred duty of motherhood is stressed in the film as the only Biblical model a Christian woman can follow. The documentary creates a fantasy that seems plausible and spiritual … Continue reading A Closer Look at The Monsterous Regiment of Women

Free Methodism, Gender Norms in Christian Co-Cultures2 Comments

Fighting for Gender Equality in the 1880s “Free Methodist”

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B.T. Roberts, the founder of the Free Methodist Church, served as editor of the denominational magazine The Free Methodist from 1887-1890. During that time period he featured women’s original articles, ministry reports and testimonials. Even prior to the denomination officially buying the magazine at the 1886 General Conference it was not unusual to see women’s writings featured in the publication. However, with Roberts as editor I can’t help but feel he specifically featured some articles to promote his platform of Biblical gender equality and women’s ordination. His tenure as the magazine’s editor was during a crucial time. The 1890 General … Continue reading Fighting for Gender Equality in the 1880s “Free Methodist”

Christian Patriarchy44 Comments

Taking a Critical Look at the Above Rubies Organization

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While there are numerous organizations/movements associated with Christian patriarchy, one of the largest is the international organization Above Rubies.  Above Rubies was founded by Nancy and Collin Campbell over 32 years ago to encourage families to follow a very traditional, complementarian lifestyle. Above Rubies publishes a free magazine (donations requested but not required) once a month that contains articles about the joys of living simply, women who have given up work to stay home, and natural family remedies and family planning (or lack thereof). Nancy Campbell also has an e-newsletter she sends out about once a week. As a regular … Continue reading Taking a Critical Look at the Above Rubies Organization

Christian Patriarchy, Gender Norms in Christian Co-Cultures4 Comments

The Threat of Christian Patriarchy

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The Christian patriarchy movement is a fast growing fundamentalist/evangelical movement that is not easy to define.  While mainstream media has     drawn attention to the Quiverfull movement and pop cultural representations of this lifestyle, such as the famous or infamous (however you want to phrase it) Duggar family from 19 and Counting, there are other branches of the patriarchy movement which are not well known nor well researched. Therefore, for the next few blog posts I’m going to try to break down the various organizations associated with the Christian patriarchy movement to help us better understand why mainstream Christian society should … Continue reading The Threat of Christian Patriarchy

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Benjamin’s “Messianic Moments” and Women’s Church History

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If we examine how history has been constructed, specifically church history, the contributions of women are often overlooked.  Within the Free Methodist denomination we have several seminary theses and unpublis hed papers about the history of women in ministry, but nothing published (Synder’s Populist Saints is the only exception). So, the need to reveal these forgotten moments of women’s history in the church is a pressing concern of mine. Feminist rhetorical historians are beginning to draw attention to some of these forgotten moments of women’s history. It is important the rhetorical contribution, particularly the rhetorical contributions of women’s magazine articles, … Continue reading Benjamin’s “Messianic Moments” and Women’s Church History

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Women’s defense of their ministry in the 1890 Free Methodist

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The debate continued in The Free Methodist over the next four years, in the May 1890 issue Clara Wetherald wrote a two page defense of her ministry and a woman’s right to be part of the denomination’s governing body. Wetherald, who would go on to become one of the denomination’s first seated female delegates at the 1890 General Conference, noted in her article “Shall Women be Ordained?” that at prior conferences women were not allowed to speak until the delegates voted her approval and that men who were not members of the denomination were allowed to be seated while women … Continue reading Women’s defense of their ministry in the 1890 Free Methodist

Free Methodism2 Comments

The Gould vs. Roberts Debate on Women Leadership in the Free Methodist Denomination

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I have just spent the last two days at the Marston Memorial History Center, which is home to the Free Methodist archives. The amazing amount of material available for research is mind numbing. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. For now, I have enough information to get through the spring, but I will be making trips back over the next few years I continue my research. I would like to begin sharing some of the “gems” I found in the archives. First, I want to return to the time prior to the 1890 General Conference and the debate … Continue reading The Gould vs. Roberts Debate on Women Leadership in the Free Methodist Denomination

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The Aftermath of the 1890 Conference

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One of the greatest testaments to the drive for gender equality in the Free Methodist Church is the denominational magazine The Earnest Christian (the magazine archives are available at the Marston Historical Center website, see the link on the homepage).  Edited by B.T. and Ellen Roberts, the majority of its articles during the 1880’s and early 1890’s were written by women. The defeat of the 1890 resolution was disheartening to many women leaders in the church. In the December 1890 issue of The Earnest Christian Mattie Campbell notes the lack of respect and voice by certain church members in her … Continue reading The Aftermath of the 1890 Conference

Free Methodism2 Comments

Women’s responses at the 1890 General Conference

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The 1890 Free Methodist General Conference was the first general conference to have women delegates, which added tension to the debate about women’s ordination. Clara Wetherald of the East Michigan Conference and Anna Grant from North Indiana were seated delegates at the conference (Snyder, 2006). In the Passion of the Founders (2003), edited by Gerald Coates, Wetherald speaks up during the debate about women’s ordination. (Yet, Coates records no response on the issue from Grant. I am hoping a trip to the Free Methodist archives will revel that Grant also took a stance on the subject). After listening to her … Continue reading Women’s responses at the 1890 General Conference

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Opposition to Ordaining Women at the 1890 Conference

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Over the last few weeks I’ve been dissecting the 1890 Free Methodist General Conference debate about ordaining women. While we’ve read some wonderful defenses of women in ministry, it’s important to also look at the critics. Many of the arguments made in the 1890s are still being made today, which, frankly, doesn’t give me much hope that the issues surrounding gender roles in the church will be resolved anytime soon. However, we must continue to persevere and push people to rethink their opinions about gender. As Donald Dayton, a Wesleyan theologian, notes in his book Discovering an Evangelical Heritage, “The … Continue reading Opposition to Ordaining Women at the 1890 Conference