Women and missions : past and present : anthropological and historical perceptions / edited by Fiona Bowie, Deborah Kirkwood, and Shirley Ardener.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Bowie, Fiona.

Kirkwood, Deborah.

Ardener, Shirley.

Series:

Cross-cultural perspectives on women ; v. 11.

Cross-cultural perspectives on women ; v.11

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women in missionary work.

Missions--Africa, Sub-Saharan.

Missions.

Sub-Saharan Africa.

Physical Description:

xx, 279 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Providence, RI : Berg, 1993.

Summary:

This collection of essays by eminent anthropologists, missiologists and historians explores the hitherto neglected topic of women missionaries and the effect of Christian missionary activity upon women. The book consists of two parts. The first part looks at nineteenth-century women missionaries as presented in literature, at the backgrounds and experience of women in the mission field and at the attitudes of missionary societies towards their female workers. The fascinating debates are very relevant to the ordination of women issue of today. Although they are traditionally presented as wives and support workers, it becomes apparent that, on the contrary, women missionaries often played a culturally important role. The second and longer section asks whether women missionaries are indeed a special case, and provides some fascinating studies from both historical and contemporary material of the impact of Christian missions on women. Of particular value is the perspective of those who were themselves objects of missionary activity and who reflected upon this experience. Women actively absorbed and adapted the teachings of the Christian missionaries, and Western models are seen to be utilised and developed in sometimes unexpected ways.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN:

0854967389

0854968725

OCLC:

25831667