By Eden Morris I Reporter
The McGee Endowed Lecture Series welcomed Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks, an American historian and distinguished professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s department of history on Tuesday.
Her lecture was titled, “Foremothers: Remembering Women and the Reformations.”
Wiesner-Hanks talked about her new book, “Women and the Reformations: A Global History.”
According to the the book’s description, “Wiesner-Hanks explores women’s experiences as monarchs, mothers, migrants, martyrs, mystics and missionaries, revealing that the story of the Reformations is no longer simply European—and that women played a vital role.”
Wiesner-Hanks said that a statue of Susanna Wesley, known as the Mother of Methodism, was carved by a chainsaw in 2022, and was the first public statue of her in the world.
“Women shaped religion in the early modern world,” Wiesner-Hanks said. “These statues bring their influence into public places and make them more visible.”
Wiesner-Hanks aims to educate people about the impact forgotten Protestant and Catholic women from all around the world in history had on the Reformation movement.
Some well-known women mentioned in her lecture were St. Teresa of Avila, Anne Hutchinson and Elizabeth I.
Wiesner-Hanks used a photo slideshow in her lecture to show portraits of the women she talked about.
“No women at all were made saints in the 16th century—six in the 17th century, eight in the 18th century,” Wiesner-Hanks said. “There were only three in the 19th century. 12 were canonized in the 20th century.”
Wiesner-Hanks did not only talk about influential European women but also Japanese women who impacted the Church.
“Without these women, the Japanese church today would not exist,” Wiesner-Hanks said.
Wiesner-Hanks had a call to action at the end of her lecture for her audience to act on.
“Get out your clay or your chainsaw. Make an herb garden of someone you believe should be tributed. My book is my tribute to these women,” Wiesner-Hanks said.
Houston senior Carley Shaffer attended the lecture and enjoyed how it showcased women martyrs and debunked false information about them.
“I think that it’s inspiring to know find out more about women’s statues and saints and their plaques that are erected around the country, and I think that it gets us to research more about them,” Shaffer said.
