Early Quaker Women in Ministry :: Religion Religious History

Early acquaintance Women in MinistryThe Account of the Travels, Sufferings, and Persecutions of Barbara Blaugdone gives us an insight into the travel ministry of the works namesake, Barbara Blaugdone, the champion charwoman who persevered through trial later on trial to come out on top. As she says, I stop speak it to the glory of God, he never moved me to any thing, that that he gave me Power to perform it (Blaugdone 8). In other words, God gave Blaugdone no trial that He did not also give her the power to overcome. However, Blaugdone was wholly one of many Quaker women to minister and make out the Truth that the Quakers so loved. While the majority of active Quaker ministers were men (Trevett 70), women in the Quaker movement enjoyed opportunities to minister, both privately and semipublicly, while sharing in many of the trials of their male counterparts.Much of what the Quakers considered ministry was less visible to the general public. For Quakers, ministry encompass ed not sound preaching, prophecy, and other overtly religious activity, but also any witnessing to the faith, be it in the home, the marketplace or workplace. An example had to be bent-grass in all those places (58). Many Quaker women performed more feminine tasks in addition to preaching and teaching (43). For example, they saw to the poor and needy, with extra bid given to less fortunate Quakers (58). Other women set an example to public officials by standing alongside their husbands in demonstration of their faith (60). When imprisoned, which happened oftentimes enough to Quaker men and women alike, these stalwart, godly people continued to share their faith with those around them (Bauman 67). Still other women followed the example of the great too soon Quaker leader Margaret Fell, who ensured . . . that no ministering Friend lacked coat, stocking, or shoes, and provided for Friends on the road. (Trevett 56). When called, though, Quaker women opted to minister in a m ore public fashion.To the Quakers, a woman in a public ministry role was the fulfillment of Gods Will as opposed to the disobedience of divine directive. They believed that ministers were called and served by the energy God gave them, and that women were equally eligible to serve in the ministry (Bauman 36). This philosophy straightway opposed a long-observed teaching from 1 Timothy 211-12, allow the woman learn in silence, with all subjection.