Sanctioned To Speak (Part One): Early Methodist Women Raising Their Voices

ABSTRACT As Christian nationalism infiltrates mainstream U.S. politics, there is a growing need to counter false historical narratives. This article is the first of a two-part serial that resists a growing misogynistic demand for women to be “quiet” and “gentle” (1 Peter 3:4) by calling attention to Christian history and tradition. Early Methodist women routinely made their voices heard through their writing and public speaking, directly contradicting patriarchal myths that claim holy women act piously by remaining silent. Taking a feminist approach, part one shows that Methodist women utilized all the forms of communication media that eighteenth-century England had to offer, often in ways that androcentric historiographical lenses have overlooked. Specifically, their use of printed publication, oral culture, and manuscript life-writing reveals a determination to speak up and make themselves heard. Early Methodist women raised their voices, even when it was considered “vile” or unbecoming.