Famous Christian Women in History

Proverbs 11:16
A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth. 

It is a fact that women are mostly honest, brave, courageous and hardworking. But Christian women are even more than ordinary women. Christian women worked a lot throughout the history, for humanity and for Christianity. The most blessed, caring and brave woman in the history of mankind is Blessed Mother Mary. We also cannot forget what St Joan of Arc, Mother Teresa and Florence Nightingale did. These women are famous and we know about them. But there are also some other Christian women who worked a lot but only few people know about them. Today is International Womens Day and we salute all those brave Christian women who did a lot for us, there are of course many other Christian women who did great things but we dont know about them.. Here is the list of some of those Christian women with their names and their work.

Christian Women in the Early Church

Blandina died 177 AD She was a famous martyr in what is now France

Perpetua and Felicitas 203 AD

These two women were famous Christian women martyrs. (There were of course many other women martyrs).

Faltonia Betitia Proba 4th Century AD

There were also women writers in the early church. She was a Christian poet.

Fabiola 4th Century AD She was a wealthy woman who gave up everything to nurse the poor.

Christian Women in the Middle Ages

Brigid c. 450-525

She founded the first women's religious community in Ireland.

Clotilde 475-545

Clotilde married Clovis, the king of the Franks who ruled northern France. She was instrumental in converting her husband to Christianity.

Berta or Bertha 539-612

In the 6th century AD England was divided into small kingdoms and the English were pagans. However Berta was from France and she was a Christian. She was married to the king of Kent. It was partly due to her influence that Kent was converted to Christianity.

Hilda of Whitby 614-680

Hilda was an influential woman in the Saxon church who founded several monasteries. In 664 she hosted the Synod of Whitby. (At that time there were two kinds of Christianity, Roman in most of Europe and Celtic in Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The Synod (meeting) of Whitby was held to decide which side the kingdom of Northumbria (northern England) should join. (Hilda much preferred Celtic Christianity but the Synod decided on Rome).

Kassia 810-867 She was a Greek poet and hymn writer

Hildegard 1088-1179

Hildegard was a theologian and writer. She also wrote about natural history and the medicinal use of plants. She also wrote music and a play.

Heloise 1101-1164 She was a French Abbess and she was widely respected for her learning.

The Waldensians 1175 onwards

The Waldensians were a Christian movement that began in southern France and spread across central Europe and Italy in the 13th century. Many Waldensian preachers were women.

Clare of Assisi 1194-1253 A follower of Francis of Assisi she founded an order of nuns called the Poor Clares

Julian of Norwich 1342-1416

Despite the masculine name Julian was a woman. She was a famous mystic and writer. Julian wrote about the 'motherhood' of God.

Margery Kempe 1373-1439

Margery was an English mystic. The story of her life became a famous book The Book of Margery Kempe.

The Lollards c. 1380 onwards

The Lollards were a Christian movement in England from the late 14th century to the early 16th century when they merged with the Protestants. Many Lollard preachers were women.

Christian Women in the 16th Century

Anne Askew 1521-1546 She was an English Protestant martyr

Katharine Zell 1497-1562 Neither Luther or Calvin believed in women preachers. However Katharine was an influential Protestant in Germany. She visited the sick and prisoners and sheltered Protestant refugees. She also wrote letters, which were circulated among Protestants.


Christian Women in the 17th Century

In the 17th century the Baptists and the Quakers had many women preachers. However in the late 17th century the Baptists became more conservative and began to disfavour women preachers.

Anne Hutchinson 1591-1643 Anne was a preacher in 17th century Massachusetts

Anne Bradstreet 1612-1672

Anne Bradstreet was a Christian poet of the 17th Century. She was born in Northampton but in 1630 she emigrated to North America.

Margaret Fell 1614-1702 Co-founded the Quakers with George Fox. One of the books she wrote was called Women's Speaking Justified, Proved and Knowed of the Scriptures.

Christian Women in the 18th Century

In the 18th century when the Methodist movement was born many Methodist leaders were women. John Wesley supported them but after his death in 1791 the Methodists began to disfavour women leaders. In the USA there was a movement called the Separate Baptists, which allowed women preachers.

Anne Dutton 1692-1765 Anne was a theologian

Selina, Countess of Huntingdon 1707-1791 Selina was a key figure in the Methodist Movement of the 18th Century.

Sarah Osborn 1714-1796 Sarah was a Christian leader and writer

Sarah Crosby 1729-1804 Sarah was a famous Methodist preacher

Ann Lee 1736-1784 Ann was a Quaker missionary.

Hannah More 1745-1833 Hannah was a famous writer and philanthropist.

Phyllis Wheatley 1753-1784 Phyllis was a poet

Hannah Adams 1755-1831 Hannah was a famous Christian writer.

Elizabeth Ann Seton 1774-1821 She was a Christian writer

Ann Judson 1789-1826 Ann was a missionary to Burma

Christian Women in the 19th Century

Some people think that Victorian women just stayed at home all day. In reality women were evangelists, preachers, writers and missionaries. They also organised charities.

Phoebe Palmer 1807-1874 Phoebe was a famous evangelist and writer.

Fanny Crosby 1820-1915 Fanny (Frances) was a famous hymn writer of the 19th century.

Anoinette Brown 1825-1921 In 1853 she became the first ordained Congregationalist woman minister

Catherine Booth 1829-1890

Catherine Booth was a preacher. She married William Booth in 1855. (At first William disagreed with the idea of women preachers but he changed his mind after hearing Catherine preach!). Catherine and William founded the Salvation Army in 1865.

Hannah Whitall Smith 1832-1911 Hannah was a writer and evangelist.

Lottie Moon 1840-1912 She was a missionary to China.

Maria Woodworth-Etter 1844-1924 She was a famous evangelist

Mary Slessor 1848-1915 She was a missionary to Africa.

Christian Women in the 20th Century

Evangeline Booth 1865-1950

From 1904 Evangeline was leader of the Salvation Army in the USA. From 1934-39 she was Commander in Chief of the Salvation Army worldwide.

Ida Scudder 1870-1960 She was a medical missionary

Evely Brand 1879-1974 She was a missionary to India

Gladys Aylward 1903-1970 She was a missionary to China

Patricia St John 1919-1993 She was a Christian writer

Esther John 1929-1960 She was a Pakistani Christian nurse and martyr

Eva Burrows 1930- She was an Australian evangelist

Meanwhile a new Christian movement started at the beginning of the 20th Century - Pentecostalism. Many of the preachers in the new movement were women.

Agnes Ozman 1870-1937 She was a Pentecostal evangelist

Aimee Semple McPherson 1890-1944 Is probably the most famous women evangelist of the early 20th century