Southern Baptist Sisters
In Search of Status 1845-2000

by David Morgan

Reviewed by Virginia Erickson

This well-written short volume recounts the plight of Southern Baptist women in their desire to serve God through the church. David Morgan concludes that SBC women are in the same position today as they were in 1845, when the SBC broke away from the American Baptist Convention over the issue of slavery. While other women have made advances, SBC women have not.

Morgan provides interesting historical data about the mid-19th century American Suffragist Movement as a parallel to the women's struggle in the SBC. It seems the renowned Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and one of his church members got caught in several love triangles including the notorious Victoria Woodhull, the strong proponent of "Free Love." It was said back then that the Suffragists lost because of the "Free Love" movement. Other conservative churches and the Roman Catholic Church also opposed giving the vote to women. The writings of Elizabeth Cady Stanton pertaining to the lack of women's status in the Bible and Betty Friedan's later writings both influenced SBC leadership to keep women from rising above the status quo.

No women were mentioned in the record of SBC's founding in 1845, and if they attended annual meetings, they were only allowed to sit in the visitor's gallery. In 1918, a few women were seated as delegates, and that situation has changed only recently.

Ironically, Morgan states in his opening that perhaps the most well known Southern Baptist is a woman named Lottie Moon, a single missionary to China for over forty years. She is an example of what SBC women have accomplished in spite of their under-dog status. She was supported by the Women's Missionary Union, an auxiliary organization of SBC women who have been the main force of missions in the SBC.

"In Search of Status" seems to be the wrong subtitle for this book because it actually tells women's stories of "no-status." It clearly shows what SBC women have accomplished despite their under-valued state. Every woman interested in church related service should read this book. It is inspiring despite its dismal outlook for current SBC women.

Price: $22.00
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