Deeper Joy : Lay Women And Vocation In The 20th Century Episcopal Church

“An ambitious and much-needed effort to gather the key episodes and stories that highlight the important roles and vocations of lay women in both the 20th century church and the larger society. “Deeper Joy” not only chronicles the often unappreicated and undervalued past, but also points to the future of vital leadership and service.” – The Rt. Rev. Barbara C. Harris

Throughout the 20th century lay women in the Episcopal Church, often acting in isolation and without institutional support, offered a powerful witness of leadership, vocation, and theological resilience. Deeper Joy studies groups of women with similar callings yet located in diverse settings throughout church and society such as schools, hospitals, and other civic institutions. The topics presented here reflect new historical perspectives and unexplored primary materials, including interviews that bear on all women’s ministries, hence addressing neglected and important aspects of life in the American church.

After an introductory chapter on women and vocation, five major sections will explore lay women’s vocations through the lenses of community life, education, mission, civic life, and working for change from within the Episcopal Church. Topics include Anglican sisterhoods, the Companions of the Holy Cross, the deaconess movement, women of the New Deal, women in foreign missions, the settlement house movement, and women in education. The views of African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women are all represented. A concluding chapter addresses future directions for leadership and service.