
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Amanda Berry Smith was a trail-blazing black woman evangelist of the nineteenth century. She became a member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal congregeation in Philadelphia in 1865, a time when women were denied positions of authority in the denomination. By the time of her death in 1915 the church had conceded to women the positions of congregational stewardess, conference evangelist, and denominational deaconess. Her autobiography, first published in 1893, not only captures the spirit of the woman who became a celebrity of Christian evangelism around the world; it also tells us much about black women's historical struggle to be accepted into the ministry and polity of denominations.
This autobiography investigates the personal and spiritual trajectory of Amanda Berry Smith as she navigated the restrictive religious hierarchies of the nineteenth century to become a globally recognized evangelist. Smith, a formerly enslaved woman who rose to prominence within the African Methodist Episcopal Church, utilizes her personal narrative to document the systemic barriers faced by black women in the ministry. By detailing her conversion, travels, and eventual international influence, she provides a framework for understanding the intersection of race, gender, and religious authority during the post-Civil War era.
What You Will Find
Historians and religious scholars identify this text as a foundational primary source for understanding the role of black women in nineteenth-century ecclesiastical history. Readers frequently note the density of the prose and the significant cultural insight provided regarding the development of the AME church.
Page Count:
608
Publication Date:
1988-04-14
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0195052617
ISBN-13:
9780195052619
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!