Seizing Opportunities

Until 1945, Australian Baptist women made up about two-thirds of Australian Baptist adherents, but rarely have their achievements been documented. Instead, Australian Baptist history has focused on structures and male ministers. This book seeks to redress this deficiency and highlights the work of Baptist women in congregations, state and national Baptist women’s organizations, overseas mission—an area in which their contribution was essential—and national non-denominational organizations, particularly the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Australian Baptist women seized the opportunities available to them with drive and passion, and the recognition of their ministries is long overdue.

Author Biography

Rebecca Hilton’s conviction in the Baptist principle of the priesthood of all believers led her to seek the ministries of Baptist women—largely missing from the historiography—whom she knew would have engaged in Australian Baptist and religious life. Her published work and her PhD from Charles Sturt University are mainly focused on Australian Baptist women’s history. She is an Adjunct Research Fellow of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture at Charles Sturt University.