Women of the Church

Ashley chats with Dr. Lawrence Reed about abolitionist Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846). Dr. Reed shares how Clarkson's involvement began with an undergraduate essay competition, what he did as the "campaign manager" for the anti-slavery movement, and why one contemporary called him a "moral steam engine."

In our last biographical episode of the season, Ashley & Mandy introduce you to Priscilla Buxton Johnston. We explore how this future abolitionist was a daddy’s girl, why Elizabeth Fry was a spiritual role model for this philanthropist, and how a relentless faith in God helped this woman endure years of physical suffering.

Ashley chats with history professor Dr. Ryan Butler (Anderson University) about the life of politician and abolitionist William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Dr. Butler shares the story of Wilberforce’s conversion to Evangelicalism, how he became an anti-slavery campaigner, and the extensive philanthropic work he did beyond abolition.

Ashley & Mandy describe the brutal treatment of a West Indian female slave at the hands of her white masters, explain how this same slave defied her masters and married a free black man, and why one woman’s slave narrative caused such a stir in Great Britain.

Ashley chats with Dr. Eric Washington about the life of Olaudah Equiano (c. 1745–1797). Dr. Washington explains how Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano gave a face and voice to African slaves, which had a tremendous impact on ending the British slave trade to the West Indies.

Ashley & Mandy explore why a clergyman’s daughter was an anti-slavery activist from an early age, how a letter to abolitionist Thomas Clarkson led to a wave of female-led anti-slavery activity, and in what way one woman exercised biblical exegesis to make an argument against slavery.

Ashley chats with pastor, speaker, and writer Brian Edwards about John Newton (1725-1807). Brian sheds light on the life of this abolitionist and clergyman, who once considered himself a “preacher of atheism.”

Ashley & Mandy discuss how a young, irreligious Quaker woman came to “[feel] there [was] a God,” why Elizabeth’s ministry to female prisoners attracted public attention, and how she worked to end the practice of slavery internationally.

Mandy chats with Erin Moon about cultivating creativity, setting boundaries on social media, and how studying the Bible as an adult has re-shaped her faith.

Ashley & Mandy look at how the Church of England was central to Jane’s life, how the love between two sisters changed the course of literary history, and why Jane’s novel Mansfield Park is a subtle critique of slavery.