In this blog post, we are going to discuss women in ministry. Especially we will focus on the Topic: “Role of women in the Missionary Movement”
Women in Ministry
The Origin of Christian Women in Ministry
The origins of what came to be called the women’s movement are generally traced to Olympe de Gouges’ declaration of The Right of Women, brought out in France in 1789.
Women first began to enter into a trade-in England in the sixteen and seventeen centuries. In the seventeenth century, there were three women to every man in the woolen industry and many women were employed in the silk industry.
Toward the inclusiveness of women, it was also discussed during the Elizabeth period, but unfortunately, it was not in process.
However, only in 1792, a book has written by Mary Wallstoncraf concerning women’s rights and through this book, she mentioned or proposed for the equality and respect of both men and women in any community.
With the book of Mary gradually the ideas grew into social and political movements in Britain and the United States and later on it develop the organization of movement. The movement organization began first was “the Anti-Slaviry Movement.”
Anti-Slavery Movement (Women in Ministry)
The anti-slavery movement especially in the northern part of the young United States. It was organized the movement by the Christian women who began from the Church.
The movement formed was to protect women from various slavery types in the family or society in and outside the community.
The anti-slavery movement organized later on in the country such as Philadelphia, also existed in New York, Ahio, Indiana, etc.
In 1837, the first anti-slavery convention of American women was held in New York City. From that onward the women have been trained to stand it selves to smooth the function of the movement
Women missionary society
The origin of women’s missionary organization began in 1800. It was formed by Mary Webb and fourteen Baptist and congregational friends.
Their primary activities were prayer and fundraising for the cause of the mission. At first, the missionary works only within the state, i.e. United States. However, the mission spread over the world, especially in China and India.
With this establishment, the result comes to equality sharing in any aspect of the gender realm. Moreover, it has established different places of sub organization of women society from the early period in missionary works.
From that, it comes to the later period during the period before the American Civil War the women taking part in full participation in the church.
The Women’s Rights
The women’s right was first held in the Seneca Fall, 19 July 1848. The rights of women were introduced by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and seconded by Frederick Douglas.
Through this speech/introduction for women’s equality and the right to vote to make history and important for the women’s movement. With that, a National Women’s Rights Association was organized in the year.
Since the women’s movement was involved in various parts such as education, literature, etc. as well.
The women took such a step is in order to penetrate toward the women’s struggle and empower their rights; so that the evil practices can vanish out in society or in religion in the name of gender.
Women’s movement in the twentieth Century
After a long journey of the women’s movement, in the twentieth century the movement feminist movement was formed.
The feminist movement works against the struggle of women such as liberation, social, and theology. The liberal feminist is a concern mainly toward civil rights, particularly for women.
Liberal Feminism sought women’s right to vote, moreover in order access to higher education in the fields such as law, medicine, and ministry to which women were deprived historically.
However, during the period of 1930-1960, it was not active due to the Second World War.
But the women’s movement did not come to an end, instead, the liberal feminists also focused on male control over women’s bodies and claim women’s right to reproductive self-determination, birth control, and abortion.
It also focused on women’s right to dignity and control over sexual possessions, against sexual harassment, wife battering, rape, and pornography which humanize women. In liberal, it also included an issue of lesbianism.
Feminist theology has begun to develop in different regions according to their own context. The purpose of feminist theology was to meet the need of that particular context because many women have been always under the oppression of patriarchy throughout history.
Some of the different theologies are European feminist theology, North American feminist theology, Latin American Feminist Theology, Asian Feminist Theology, etc.
Christian Women in Ministry in North East India (NEI):
Though the North-East part of India is mostly the tribal areas and patriarchal society (except Garo and Khasis in Meghalaya); but women are freely actively involved in the activities of the society.
Many educated women are actively involved in politics, government services, business enjoying an equal share of rights with their counterparts in many ways.
The role of women in the missionary movement especially in North East India (NEI) began in the 19th century by Eliza Brown Harriet Cutter from the American women missionaries.
Later on, a number of women served as missionaries in Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, and the border of Arunachal Pradesh. Among the women who served as missionaries were not only married women but unmarried women who also participate in the so-called women’s movement.