Knoxic Masculinity? The Scottish exception in female religious leadership

Female religious leadership in Protestant churches is trendy. However, things don't always go smooth.

The Protestant landscape displays very contrasting trends.

If we consider the British isles, situations vary enormously.

Just to take an example, England is way ahead Scotland in terms of Female access to Pastoral leadership.

How come ? Let's consider the Baptist case. The first English Baptist female minister was ordained in 1918.

In Scotland, the same happened in..... 2009 !!!!

The Scottish Kirk (the main Presbyterian body in Scotland) did no much better. The main Presbyterian Church in Scotland ordained its first female minister in..... 1969 (40 years after France. Madeleine Blocher Saillens was ordained as a Baptist minister in Paris as early as in 1929).

Why  is it like this ? Why SCOTLAND, whose History is so full of Freedom fighters, is so way behind England, France and many countries in terms of female religious leadership ?

One BIG reason may be rooted in far history.

Actually, John Knox (1514-1572), a huge towering figure in Scotland's religious history, played a pivotal role in the implementation of Protestant Reformation in Scotland.

And he was very much AGAINST any kind of female religious leadership, as this article ot the Scotsman reminds us (link).

Knoxic masculinity ?

Baptist Churches and War in Eastern Congo between 1990 and 2011

Langham is one ot the major publishers providing today fresh quality content from skilled African authors.

Social science researchers would greatly benefit from paying closer attention to the many good books released each year, including this one: written by Eraston Kambale Kighoma  from a Christian scholarly point of view, this missiology study is worth reading.

It provides a deep insight into the way Baptist churches in Congo dealt with the war in Eastern Congo between 1990 and 2011.

 

Link.

French Baptist History: Historical slides and Thematic slides

As you already know, I did study French Baptist history for my Ph.D (defended in Sorbonne EPHE in 1998).  I've decided to review (and improve) two old Powerpoint presentations.

The first one is historical and chronological. It explains the four steps of French Baptist implantation, from 1800s to 1950s.

The second one is a thematic presentation, using both sociology and history, in order to highlight the social distinctives of Baptist churches (and individuals) in French society.

These two slideshows are in French. They may require some effort to be read and understood but the effort is worth it!

The first slideshow can be seen here : Link to historical slides

The second slideshow can be seen here : Link to thematic slides

David Bebbington's landmark visit in France

Professor David W. Bebbington  (University of Stirling, Scotland, UK) is widely known as one of the World's best experts on Evangelicalism. It was a priviledge to see him visiting France for two brilliant lectures given in Paris (IBN on the 16th of Feb, Rue de Lille Baptist Church on the 17th of Feb). There is more to read in my French-speaking blog (link).

This album (link) opens a few windows on this landmark visit.

As a particlarly remarkable historian, but also as a person, David W. Bebbington is a towering and inspirational figure to many scholars devoted to the study of Evangelical History, including myself.

I've started to interact and meet with David W. Bebbington since 2000 (Wake Forest University, USA). David W. Bebbington's visit to France in 2018 gave me the occasion to go back to some of these older memories (see the first 8 pics of the album). Link

Immigration impact on an old Parisian congregation: a case study

As migrants flow in increasing numbers in "old Europe", changing forever social and cultural landscapes, more and more studies are currently undergone about new multicultural and immigrant churches.

Although all Christian traditions are impacted by immigration, Evangelicalism is at the frontline, as warm, grassroot and zealous Evangelical congregations appear more attractive to migrants than other more traditional religious forms.

Protestants in Canada: a forthcoming book from Brill

I juste received an email from Jason Zuidema (Concordia University) and I want to share the good news: a manuscript on French Protestantism in Canada has been officially accepted by Brill. 

Henry Gooren, the general editor, has officially accepted the manuscript into the 'Religion in the Americas' series. 

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French Baptists celebrate

French Baptist history goes back to 1820, giving the French the oldest unbroken history of any Baptist community on the European continent.

 

There were Baptist churches in France before Baptist churches started in Texas!

 

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