Dear Reader,
Well, here we are again - the end of another month... nearly the end of another year. This wrap-up post will be a little different from previous ones. I'd like to talk about women of the Reformation since this month has basically been a mixture of Memorial services, a banquet, blisters, a trip to Solvang and Reformation day prep, and more blisters! Instead of complaining to y'all about the beauty and pain of playing the harp, or other happenings this month, I'd like to talk about some people who have inspired me in multiple ways. I'd like to talk about who they were and why they are important, so with no further ado...
I think it’s easy when studying the Reformation to dig deep
into the theology and the great men who were champions of what the Roman
Catholic Church deemed heretical. While those things are important to our
understanding of the Reformation, I think it’s also important that we acknowledge the
ones who made it possible for the men to do what they did. The Reformation
impacted all areas of life, from how we worship in church today to how women
are treated. During the early part of the Reformation, the world, in general, had
a low view of women. They were to be seen, not heard. Unless they were a royal
or a nun, they had little to no education. Life was far from easy. Women were
uniquely able to support the men of the Reformation and the teachings of the
Reformation in various ways.
Without Anne of Bohemia's protection of John Wycliffe, the gospel may not have spread all
the way to Lithuania as a result of his teachings.
Without the support of Anna Reinhard, Ulrich Zwingli may not
have had as much of an effect on Switzerland. He would not have the example of
a biblical family or been able to host and teach students.
In the case of Marguerite de Navarre, I don’t know if we’d
have as much of a Reformation in France as we did. She protected reformers and
gave us Jeanne d’Albret, who was the greatest military defender of France for
the Huguenots.
Sometimes I wonder what Martin Luther would have done if he
had never married Katherine von Bora. I’ve spent a little time researching
Katie and the relationship she shared with Martin, and how she helped him to
the extent of his critics, crediting some of his ideas to her. I think this says a lot about what kind of woman that she was.
The second wife of King Henry VIII, mother of Queen
Elizabeth I, Protector or William Tyndale, and brought Reformed teachings to
the Tudor court. Sadly, Anne Boleyn lost her head. Though the teachings of the
Reformation did not cease to be brought into the court, as with
Henry VIII’s last wife, Katherine Parr. She was reformed and tried to bring the
King to the same conviction, sadly he had no interest. Katherine Parr also
raised the young Lady Jane in the Reformed faith. Lady Jane followed Edward V,
when he chose her as queen of England because of her reformed beliefs, over his
elder sister Mary, who later beheaded Jane and took the throne.
For most of his life, Calvin lived as a bachelor. But soon
his colleagues went on a quest to get him married. After a few failed
tries, they finally found one that Calvin approved of. Idelette Storder de Bure. It was a loving marriage and Calvin deeply mourned for her when she died.
I hope most of us know who Prince William of Orange the
Silent was. He led the Dutch against the Spanish duke Alva, which led to some
freedom of religion in the Netherlands. But, as it was said by the poet William
Ross Wallace, “The hand who rocks the cradle rules the world,” Julianna von
Stolberg was the faithful, God-fearing mother who raised her sons in the
Protestant faith and ultimately lost all of her sons to war, or assassination.
Living in the Italian court of Ferrara with a Roman Catholic
husband, Renee de France, lived something of a double life. She kept Protestant
servants and may have even smuggled Calvin into Italy and got him out alive.
It is in this court where Olympia Morata learned about the Protestant faith and
became more curious; it wasn’t until later after her father died that she
became a Protestant herself, and became known as a great writer of poetry and translator
of the Psalms into Greek meter.
Though not much is known about Joan Waste, it is known that
she was blind, and as a young girl, she was taught the Scriptures and memorized
large portions, for this, she was burned at the stake.
Earlier, I brought up William the Silent. Well, he, like
Martin Luther, married a former nun. Charlotte de Bourbon was sent to a
convent at a young age and against her will. While there, she became convinced of the teachings of Luther and Calvin
and escaped. Some say that it was during the St. Bartholomew’s day Massacre,
but we can’t know for sure. After seeking refuge with her sister, and later
Frederick III. While with Frederick III, she met William. It is said that she
is the only one of his four wives he married for love and not to gain more
popularity or money. Charlotte died after intensely nursing William back to
health after an assassination attempt.
A very important group of people involved in the Reformation
in Scotland were the Scottish Covenanters. There are a couple in particular
that I would like to highlight and then I’ll close.
Jenny Geddes was a covenanter who was a street seller of fruits
and veggies. When Charles I tried to introduce the Book of Common Prayer to the
Scottish Kirk, Jenny threw her stool at the Dean of the Church who was leading
the service. As a result of this daring act, three civil wars were started
which led to the beheading of Charles I.
Another Scottish Covenanter was Margaret Wilson. When she
was around eighteen years old, she was drowned along with another Covenanter
named Margaret for thier beliefs and rebellion against the Scottish Kirk.
So why do I make such a big deal about the women of the Reformation? Because I firmly believe the Reformation would not have been all that it was without them. Many of these women have become my role models as I strive to become the woman God has called me to be. I’m passionate about telling other young ladies like me about these women because I think they are a good role model of women with noble and godly character. It also causes me to think about how I would react if I was put in the situation that these were. It challenges my faith. Would I be willing to do what they did? Would you be willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice?
If you'd like to learn more about some of the women that I mentioned today, please check out my podcast, Blossoms of Courage! I started it because I want to inspire and encourage women of today with the women of yesterday!
For any of you wondering if I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, I am not. One reason is I have been very busy, and I currently don't have anything planned. I also do not think it would be wise for my physical and mental health to push myself in that way this year. I am not giving up writing; please don't think that, but sometimes we need to rest. I might have a story idea forming in my mind for a future project, we'll see where those might go and I will keep you all updated.
I hope you all have a lovely fall and Reformation day!
Blessings,
Mattie May
