Women (Pagan or Christian?) Who Changed the World
I love to read about the great women of history, women who changed the world, because they did amazing things even though they often lacked access to opportunities, education, and resources. In fact, I’m currently working on a book project called "BOLD: Living Like the Women Who Changed the World."
The hardest part about writing this book is choosing which women to include. At breakfast, I was mulling over my current list of 12 women who changed the world, and I had a realization; the majority of these women were Christians. "BOLD" is not intended for the Christian market, and I did not pick these women because of any particular spiritual belief system. I simply searched for incredible, passionate, driven, effective world-changing women.
So, Christians? Almost all of them.
Pagans? Goddess worshippers? Witches? ZERO.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Here’s my list:
- Susan B. Anthony. Fought for women’s & civil rights. Was arrested for voting in a presidential election. The "Anthony Amendment," giving women the vote, was passed 14 years after her
death. - Amy Carmichael. Rescued young girls (and their babies) enslaved as temple prostitutes in India. Served 56 years there.
- Rosie the Riveter. A real woman, Rose Monroe, who worked manufacturing airplanes during WWII. A representative of the 6 million women who did men’s work during the war for little pay, respect, or recognition.
- Clara Barton. The "Angel of the Battlefield," she founded the Red Cross, as well as led the drive to find 22,000 missing soldiers and POW’s after the Civil War.
- Mother Teresa. Personally cared for thousands of the sick and dying poor in Calcutta, India.
- Elizabeth Fry. Reformed the infamous Newgate prison in England. Worked tirelessly to help those in town jails, insane asylums, workhouses and hospitals.
- Perpetua. A third century woman who refused to renounce her faith, though pressured by her father. Wrote her story from her prison cell. Was martryed in the Roman arena.
- Elizabeth 1. Ushered in the Golden Age of England. Personally devout. Believed Catholics and Protestants were both part of the same faith. “There is only one Christ, Jesus, one faith and all
else is a dispute over trifles.” - Mary Magdalene. Pure devotion to Christ; witnessed his execution. First messenger of the Resurrection.
- Harriet Tubman. A warrior spirit. A conductor on the Underground Railroad and a spy in the Civil War, she personally led hundreds of slaves to freedom. Couldn’t read or write.
- Jane Austen. A wise and witty novelist, concerned with the nature of society and the quality of its culture. She believed justice and decency will win out. Humble, too: she called herself the “most unlearned and uninformed female” ever to be an author.
- Eleanor Roosevelt. Active in politics. Sensitive to all underprivileged people. Wrote UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.
(A quick note: I’ve supplied links to each woman’s entry in Wikipedia. This online encyclopedia is not considered a reliable research source, but it’s a good starting point for general information and links to other sources.)
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SUSY FLORY is a writer, speaker, and journalist who inspires and challenges women to embrace a life of passion, boldness, & adventure. In your own unique way, YOU can change the world, starting in your own backyard. 
Susy, I can appreciate your attempt here, but there is something you missed.
People were not “allowed” to be Pagan – especially women.
After the witch trials and various other persecutions in Europe (commonly known as the Inquisition)people were too afraid to search outside the common religion of Christianity.
I know people of all faiths have been persecuted at one point, but did you know entire towns were wiped of women because they were suspected of Witchcraft? Even the little girls. They were slaughtered by people who considered themselves Christians. And of course there was probably no Witchcraft going on. They were victims of their own superstitions (and greed) and they killed their fellow Christians.
I am not saying Christians are bad – only that there has been plenty of bad stuff contributed to our society by so-called Christians. The same could most likely be said of people of any faith.
You have to remember that the Goddess movement is something that has been re-born after a very long period of time of only “official state religion”. I am sure (now that history is being recorded) that there will no doubt be a Goddess woman who makes significant contributions to society in the near future.