Who Fascinates you in church history?

Hello All and Happy Sunday:

I hope you all are doing well.

I have a quick question for you. I have to write a research paper for my church history class. In an earlier class, I chose to write about Pierre Abelard. I found him and his life story utterly fascinating. However, for this class, I'm struggling a bit. Who, from the time of the reformation until now, do you find fascinating and why? (I don't want to write on Luther, Calvin, Arminius, Whitefield, or Wesley brothers, as it's been done, done, done.) Someone a little more obscure would be great. So far, the only individual whom I find interesting is Isaac Backus.

So, who would you choose and why? Also, if you REALLY feel like helping, a link to a resource or two that you could suggest would be great.

Thanks for your input!

Cynthia

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MJ. Smith

Simone Weil would come to mind but she doesn't count as church history - only religious history. Thomas à Becket is a bit on the early side.

What about Anne Marbury Hutchinson, the Puritan woman who was educated and taught other women? She was on the wrong side of the antinomian controversy and the Cottons. I think she has a feast day in the Episcopal church calendar.

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046968#Comment_1046968

Thank you for this wonderful suggestion MJ. Truth is, I was hoping someone would bring to my attention some women from Church History. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I have yet to read about one in my required reading books or hear any mention of women in my lectures. However, I do get to choose ANYONE from church history-reformation and forward. I'll look at her for sure!

fgh

Personally, I might choose e g Jean Marie Vianney or Thérèse of Lisieux or someone in Sweden, but since you're American: how about Dorothy Day? Her life story is certainly interesting enough.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046973#Comment_1046973

Truth is, I was hoping someone would bring to my attention some women from Church History. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I have yet to read about one in my required reading books or hear any mention of women in my lectures.

That is too bad, but I agree not surprising. Women have been largely overlooked in church history until recently. Most of the history has been written by men.

Here are a few interesting ones since the Reformation:

Catherine Booth - co-founder of the Salvation Army
Aimee Semple McPherson - Pentecostal evangelist and founder of the Foursquare Church
Phoebe Palmer - Methodist evangelist and one of the founders of the "Holiness" movement
Hannah More - English religious writer and philanthropist; pioneer in the Sunday School movement
Sojourner Truth - African American evangelist, abolitionist, and women's rights activist
Hannah Whitall Smith - lay speaker and author in the Holiness movement
Fanny Crosby - prolific blind hymn writer
Thérèse of Lisieux - French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun, one of only four women "Doctors of the Church" -- saints recognized by the Catholic Church as having made significant contribution to theology or doctrine -- and the only one since the Reformation.
Amy Carmichael - Protestant missionary in India
Edith Stein - German Jewish philosopher who converted to Roman Catholicism and became a Discalced Carmelite nun; she is canonized as a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church
Dorothy Day - social activist, founder of the Catholic Worker Movement
Gladys Aylward - British-born evangelical missionary to China
Mother Teresa - Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, admired for her charitable work
Edith Schaeffer - Christian author and co-founder of L'Abri

Some resources you might be interested in:

Randy W. Sims

I had a great english professor who was really out there. He influenced me a lot to think outside the box when writing papers which I had a good bit of luck with. I also learned a lot of the same from great books like "Conceptual Blockbusting". So I try to look at different angles sometimes when questions are posed or write from an interesting perspective (such as in the character and voice of Sherlock Holmes--that really worked, very well). One interesting way of approaching this one uniquely might be to look at persons outside of christianity that have had a profound influence on the shape of the church in history. Norma McCorvey. Richard Dawkins. Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Crystal Eastman. Don't know if that falls within the bounds of your assignment, but it could definitely be an interesting paper.

David Ames

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046985#Comment_1046985

Carlstadt? The only drawback would be that he is a he but, for a while, was ‘friend’ of Luther.

DAL

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046987#Comment_1046987

Madalyn Murray O’Hare because of how she opposed God and in the end one of her own atheist colleague kidnapped her and murdered her!

DAL

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046985#Comment_1046985

I had a great english professor who was really out there. He influenced me a lot to think outside the box when writing papers which I had a good bit of luck with. I also learned a lot of the same from great books like "Conceptual Blockbusting". So I try to look at different angles sometimes when questions are posed or write from an interesting perspective (such as in the character and voice of Sherlock Holmes--that really worked, very well). One interesting way of approaching this one uniquely might be to look at persons outside of christianity that have had a profound influence on the shape of the church in history. Norma McCorvey. Richard Dawkins. Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Crystal Eastman. Don't know if that falls within the bounds of your assignment, but it could definitely be an interesting paper.

Hello Randy:

I love this idea and have actually given assignments like this to my students. However, since part of my prompt asks three questions about how God has equipped the individual to use his/her God-given talents and passions to shape church history, I don't think that would work here. But thanks for the great suggestion!

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046980#Comment_1046980

Truth is, I was hoping someone would bring to my attention some women from Church History. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I have yet to read about one in my required reading books or hear any mention of women in my lectures.

That is too bad, but I agree not surprising. Women have been largely overlooked in church history until recently. Most of the history has been written by men.

Here are a few interesting ones since the Reformation:

Catherine Booth - co-founder of the Salvation Army

Aimee Semple McPherson - Pentecostal evangelist and founder of the Foursquare Church

Phoebe Palmer - Methodist evangelist and one of the founders of the "Holiness" movement

Hannah More - English religious writer and philanthropist; pioneer in the Sunday School movement

Sojourner Truth - African American evangelist, abolitionist, and women's rights activist

Hannah Whitall Smith - lay speaker and author in the Holiness movement

Fanny Crosby - prolific blind hymn writer

Thérèse of Lisieux - French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun, one of only four women "Doctors of the Church" -- saints recognized by the Catholic Church as having made significant contribution to theology or doctrine -- and the only one since the Reformation.

Amy Carmichael - Protestant missionary in India

Edith Stein - German Jewish philosopher who converted to Roman Catholicism and became a Discalced Carmelite nun; she is canonized as a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church

Dorothy Day - social activist, founder of the Catholic Worker Movement

Gladys Aylward - British-born evangelical missionary to China

Mother Teresa - Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, admired for her charitable work

Edith Schaeffer - Christian author and co-founder of L'Abri

Some resources you might be interested in:

A Dictionary of Women in Church History

50 Women Every Christian Should Know: Learning from Heroines of the Faith

The Top 100 Women of the Christian Faith: Who They Are and What They Mean to You Today

Carrying on the Great Tradition: Rediscovering Strong Christian Women of History

No Time for Silence: Evangelical Women in Public Ministry around the Turn of the Century

Women of the Reformed Church

Handbook of Women Biblical Interpreters: A Historical and Biographical Guide

Thanks so much Rosie: This looks great! You've given me much to consider!

Liam Maguire

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046993#Comment_1046993

Hello Randy:

I love this idea and have actually given assignments like this to my students. However, since part of my prompt asks three questions about how God has equipped the individual to use his/her God-given talents and passions to shape church history, I don't think that would work here. But thanks for the great suggestion!

Encouraged by Randy's post I was going to suggest someone ended up founding a sectarian group like Mary Baker Eddy. However, I think your essay questions might hedge them out of the running.

Personally, I always think individuals who divide opinions make great subjects for these kinds of essays. For example, Aimee Semple Mcpherson not only split opinions in her day but has had a lasting impact on many church denominations. Thinking more contemporary, Joyce Mayer would be another who splits opinions.

Just a thought.

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047029#Comment_1047029

Aimee Semple McPherson is really interesting, and the biography by Sutton quite readable.

Otherwise, the people I find interesting right now are Desiderius Erasmus and Lorenzo Valla.

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047047#Comment_1047047

And Niels Stinsen/Nicholas Steno!

Kevin A Lewis

Hi Cynthia

Interesting question - and I was tempted to answer initially in a way that would fit with the question. However being a bit of an "agent provocateur" I found myself thinking a bit "out of the box". Please bear with me.

What got me thinking was something I read way back that posed the following question. "If church history was written as if it was a continuation of the Book of the Acts - what would it read like"? - or put another way - what is heaven's viewpoint in church history.

So if the plan of God is to gather a faithful people unto himself from amongst mankind and these are to be a called out people (either Israel or Church) and they are to be a wife and/or bride to Christ, how is the church doing? Particularly if the church is to be a bride without spot or wrinkle.

How are we shaping up?

For instance were the east/western church schism or the reformation the work of God or tragic steps in a tortured story? Did the reformation stop reforming when it should have continued? Are we in need of a revival, another great awakening or another reformation?

I am not expecting answers - these are largely rhetorical.

What I am leading up to is the most interesting character in all of Church history has to be Jesus Christ. More particularly what is he doing at this stage of the history of the church and what are His plans for the "bride" (which is so clearly heavily tarnished)?

You will either understand where I am going with this - or miss it completely. Either way - thank you for the question - and it really got ME thinking.

Shalom

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047051#Comment_1047051

Thanks Ben! Great suggestions that I'm looking into now.

Kevin: I COMPLETELY understand what you're saying and to be honest with you, I find it a rather fascinating concept. I think I would LOVE to write something like that (the creative side of me can see the union with the academic side of me in your suggestion). However, I don't think it would fit in the purview of this assignment. However, I'm tucking that in the Rolodex of my mind for the future!

David A Egolf

I would vote for Henrietta Mears. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Mears

"She served in leading the Sunday School program from 400 to 6500.^[5] Henrietta Mears taught the college age program herself.^[3] Henrietta Mears was one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th Century. She founded "Gospel Light"., a publishing company for many of her training materials, Forest Home, a Christian conference center nestled in a wooded setting of California's coastal range, and "Gospel Literature Internationals (GLINT)"., and profoundly impacted the ministries of Bill Bright and Vonette Zachary Bright (Campus Crusade), Jim Rayburn (Young Life) and Billy Graham (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association) and Louis Evans, Jr. who was the organizing pastor of Bel Air Church (where Ronald Reagan and many other stars attended) and led the congregation of the National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C. with her emphasis on Scripture and a clear Gospel message for young people. Mears is believed by many theologians to have most directly shaped Bill Bright’s Four Spiritual Laws, which defined modern evangelism in the 20th century."

I spent many church summer camps at Forest Home, while growing up.

Rosie Perera

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047107#Comment_1047107

I would vote for Henrietta Mears. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Mears

Oh yes, I would second Henrietta Mears. She was hugely influential on my pastor Earl Palmer who has gone on to influence a generation or two of college students and adults through his widespread ministry.

Ken McGuire

Teresa of Avila - vital for the Counter-Reformation.

Catherine Winkworth - Vital for translating Lutheran Chorales into English - and we Lutherans have a love/hate relationship with those translations - they are beautiful poetry, but her Unitarianism does influence those translations at time.

Deacon Steve

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047124#Comment_1047124

Teresa of Avila - vital for the Counter-Reformation.

Catherine Winkworth - Vital for translating Lutheran Chorales into English - and we Lutherans have a love/hate relationship with those translations - they are beautiful poetry, but her Unitarianism does influence those translations at time.

You beat me to it ….

[Y]

Mark

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1046994#Comment_1046994

This is a great list. This has been a useful thread.

On Rosie's list is Amy Carmichael. I remember reading a biography on her life when I was young. I wish this book would be available in Logos. It had a great impact on my early years.

Truth is, I was hoping someone would bring to my attention some women from Church History. Surprisingly (or maybe not), I have yet to read about one in my required reading books or hear any mention of women in my lectures.

That is too bad, but I agree not surprising. Women have been largely overlooked in church history until recently. Most of the history has been written by men.

Here are a few interesting ones since the Reformation:

Catherine Booth - co-founder of the Salvation Army

Aimee Semple McPherson - Pentecostal evangelist and founder of the Foursquare Church

Phoebe Palmer - Methodist evangelist and one of the founders of the "Holiness" movement

Hannah More - English religious writer and philanthropist; pioneer in the Sunday School movement

Sojourner Truth - African American evangelist, abolitionist, and women's rights activist

Hannah Whitall Smith - lay speaker and author in the Holiness movement

Fanny Crosby - prolific blind hymn writer

Thérèse of Lisieux - French Catholic Discalced Carmelite nun, one of only four women "Doctors of the Church" -- saints recognized by the Catholic Church as having made significant contribution to theology or doctrine -- and the only one since the Reformation.

Amy Carmichael - Protestant missionary in India

Edith Stein - German Jewish philosopher who converted to Roman Catholicism and became a Discalced Carmelite nun; she is canonized as a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church

Dorothy Day - social activist, founder of the Catholic Worker Movement

Gladys Aylward - British-born evangelical missionary to China

Mother Teresa - Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary, admired for her charitable work

Edith Schaeffer - Christian author and co-founder of L'Abri

Some resources you might be interested in:

A Dictionary of Women in Church History

50 Women Every Christian Should Know: Learning from Heroines of the Faith

The Top 100 Women of the Christian Faith: Who They Are and What They Mean to You Today

Carrying on the Great Tradition: Rediscovering Strong Christian Women of History

No Time for Silence: Evangelical Women in Public Ministry around the Turn of the Century

Women of the Reformed Church

Handbook of Women Biblical Interpreters: A Historical and Biographical Guide

Thanks so much Rosie: This looks great! You've given me much to consider!

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047132#Comment_1047132

Okay, I have spent a fair amount of time looking at these suggestions and resources. WOW there are some really great ones! Ben, your suggestions really intrigued me...all three of them! Erasmus probably the most, but I feel as if I might be repeating my paper a bit on Abelard, which shows me I'm drawn to the scholarly types! LOL

I am particularly interested in Henrietta Mears. I actually have some books by her and find her "no nonsense" approach to Bible study really refreshing in this world of fluff (sorry...a tiny rant there).

I remain open for any other suggestions.

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047142#Comment_1047142

I have my PhD exams in a week: History of Science, American Religious History, and Reformation History, so I've been getting a really broad overview, and getting to know those I named. Glad they were of interest.

Bruce Dunning

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047149#Comment_1047149

I have my PhD exams in a week

All the best on your exams.

Beloved Amodeo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047132#Comment_1047132

Hildegard von Bingen was a force of nature and ahead of her times. Surprisingly she has not been mentioned already. Her Selected Writings are available in Kindle format. Best wishes to you in your studies, Cynthia.

David Ames

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047152#Comment_1047152

I have my PhD exams in a week

All the best on your exams.

And will add taking those tests to our prayer list.

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047153#Comment_1047153

Hildegard von Bingen was a force of nature and ahead of her times. Surprisingly she has not been mentioned already. Her Selected Writings are available in Kindle format. Best wishes to you in your studies, Cynthia.

Thanks for this wonderful suggestion. I remember looking at her in my previous class. However, my paper has to be on someone from the reformation to present.

Cynthia in Florida

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047149#Comment_1047149

I have my PhD exams in a week: History of Science, American Religious History, and Reformation History, so I've been getting a really broad overview, and getting to know those I named. Glad they were of interest.

Ben! Wishing you the very best and will likewise lift you in prayer! I've always known you to be quite insightful here on the boards so I'm trusting that will help you go rather far. History of Science, I think, would do me in, but I am rather fascinated by American Religious History. Please be sure to let us know how you do!

Beloved Amodeo

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047158#Comment_1047158

However, my paper has to be on someone from the reformation to present.

Ok, sorry I took my eyes off the ball. How about Kathryn Kuhlman FL ebooks has a bio available. She is seminal to the Charismatic movement.

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1047166#Comment_1047166

Thanks for the support and prayers, all. It's appreciated and needed. I'm extremely anxious, since this is my second round. My first attempt at a PhD, which included an MA plus four years of coursework, was torpedoed because apparently I couldn't sightread Babylonian well enough. So I bring extra baggage to this. Of course, different school, different field, different kind of exams.

One week after I finish the written, I have an oral defense (May 20), and then if all goes well, I'll propose my dissertation. I'll report back sometime after the 20th.

Thanks again.