From Mission to Congregation
摘要
This chapter explores the emergence of Black women’s leadership within the Moravian Church in the Danish West Indies during the eighteenth century, focusing on the early development of Black Protestantism. The chapter examines the role of Black women as leaders in small study groups, or conventicles, which were integral to the church’s expansion. These groups, formed as early as 1738, became the primary site for women’s participation in the Moravian mission, especially during periods when white women missionaries were scarce due to high mortality rates. Black women, including early converts such as Rebecca, Anna Maria, and Marotta, were appointed as “Helpers” to lead these groups, facilitating the spiritual growth of fellow women converts. Despite the absence of white female missionaries, Black women like Benigna continued to lead groups into the mid-1740s, advancing their authority within the church. The chapter highlights how the intimate, sex-segregated spaces of these conventicles allowed for the creation of a supportive community among Black women, fostering a form of leadership that was central to the Moravian mission. These early leaders not only contributed to the rapid growth of Black Moravianism but also helped form the foundation of one of the first sustained Black Protestant communities in the Caribbean, reshaping the landscape of missionary work and religious practice in the region.