Holy Mother: the sacred and subversive wisdom of motherhood and ministry

This dissertation investigates the intersections of ministry and motherhood as a method to unmask the added benefits of both vocations for their congregations and families. Western Christian culture has traditionally elevated the intersections of fatherhood and ministry, while tales of motherhood within ministry are hidden or surrounded by scandal. Mothers, like Ann Marbury Hutchinson, have been expelled from their communities or put on trial for teaching and preaching to groups consisting of men and women. Despite their vicious critics, mothers, like Jarena Lee and Catherine Booth, have continued preaching, fueled denominations, and sent forth disciples while also educating their children and building a network of community. This research will show how motherhood forms leaders equipped for ministry with wisdom, patience, compassion, courage, and faithfulness. I demonstrate how these virtues contribute to the wholeness of those who already identify as mothers and currently serve as ministers, through historical and modern figures. This paper will also reveal Biblical examples of proclamation and spiritual care delivered by mothers, including the benefits of accepting Jesus as a mother of our faith. Ultimately, this paper seeks to guide all ministers to name and honor their own overlapping identities, in the hope that we may all come to see the benefits of an interconnected self, where our household activities and social ministry contribute to the flourishing of the minister, the household, and the community.