Far from home: Gender, space, and identity among American Evangelical missionary women, 1945–1965
Abstract
Historians have long examined how different groups of women lived in ways contrary to post-World War II cultural dictates that women remain in the home. However, they usually dismiss Evangelical women in their studies, assuming that they were the least likely women to live outside of postwar gender ideals. In fact, Evangelical women were one of the groups most likely and able to live beyond those norms, and did so in ways more far-reaching than almost any other group of American women in that period. This study examines American Evangelical missionary women between 1945 and 1965. Missionary women, believing God had called them to work abroad, argued they should obey the dictates of Christ over those of men and their society. They left traditional housewife roles and homes to perform educational, medical, linguistic, preaching, and administrative and office work in many countries around the world. Conditions of work and the differences in homes abroad from those in the United States caused missionary women to greatly alter their wife and mother roles. Believing God had called them to a life outside of the traditional expectations for women in the United States and spending a large portion of their time in missions work, missionary women developed an identity of themselves as missionaries. Back within United States culture, Americans accepted and supported women's missionary roles. Fascinated with their adventures and viewing them as heroines of the Cold War, Americans lauded missionaries' unconventional activities and accepted their place outside of the home. They recognized not only the seeming glamor or heroism of missionary women, but the women's missions work itself. Thus, missionary women were able to live out their transgressive roles and missionary od both on the foreign field and within American culture.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Curtis, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Religious history|American history|Womens studies|Modern history
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