In Quiet Shouts Louise Stoltzfus tells the stories of 14 20th century Lancaster County Mennonite women who were and are dedicated innovators, faithful in doing the Lord’s work. Each woman needed to swim against the current of male church leadership who did not want women to have titles or credentials of leadership. Neither Lancaster Conference nor the larger Mennonite Church are alone in these attitudes. Even when working abroad, as many did, and doing work formerly handled by men, credentials were usually denied simply because the worker was female. How these dedicated women handled this discrimination is reflected in their stories. Among these biographies are:
Amanda Musselman, who began the work in Philadelphia and successfully helped it grow for many years until the church leaders invited her out of that work and moved in a man.
Minnie Eberly Holsopple Good, who wrote her second husband’s sermons and few people knew of it.
Esther Mellinger Bair, who was the inspiration that started Hinkletown Mennonite Church.
Lena Horning Brown, who worked overseas and later with the Slate Hill congregation and after much negotiation, was credentialed without conference voting privileges. When other congregations requested ordination of women, the bishops stalled.
Elizabeth Nissley, who worked in Africa with her husband Ken, was "commissioned" but never ordained although she preached quite successfully.
Janet Breneman, who was not credentialed but trained Latin American pastors. She later became director of the Bible Institute at La Ceiba. The Bishop Board finally gave her a certificate of ministry in 1987 but only for the work in Honduras.
An overpowering impression is the patient creativity of these women. One can only grieve over the pain suffered by many women in a male-dominated church. Are apologies appropriate? Can forgiveness be granted? Is it time to recognize the leadership abilities of women and grant them the same privileges as male leaders? These are questions that grip the reader.
Readers may also want to read a related volume, She Has Done a Good Thing: Mennonite Women Tell Their Stories by Mary Swartley and Rhoda Keener, Herald Press, 1999. Stories of 27 women throughout the Mennonite Church, several with Pennsylvania roots--two from Lancaster Conference.
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