MARGARET ASKEW FELL FOX
(Margaret Fell)
The speaking to which she was referring was Christian Religious preaching by women. At the time it was considered by most Christians to be sacrilegious for women to preach. This came down from the orthodox Jewish tradition, and there are several passages in the New Testament where the Apostles, who were Jews themselves were echoing the religious tradition. This then took on a meaning that went beyond tradition as in Judaism. Margaret Fox wrote this essay which was a completely theological defense of a woman’s right – indeed obligation—to preach. Theologically, there are many Christian churches for whom her argument would be too radical—even in modern times. However, in the middle of the 17th century to most male clerics, this was so unfathomable that they did not even deign to refute her theological arguments. Meanwhile, the Quakers began to accept women in theological positions of influence—for ahead of most other Christian and Jewish sects. See {619836} and {619837} for quotations from the essay itself.
In one of the earliest claims that women should be allowed to preach, she made a theological argument and then challenged the male theologians to better her arguments. Although she was very demur, intellectually and theologically she “took it right at them.” Such intellectual aggression by women was virtually unheard of.
Margaret Fell or Margaret Fox was a founder of the Religious Society of Friends. Known popularly as the "mother of Quakerism," she is considered one of the Valiant Sixty early Quaker preachers and missionaries. Her daughters Isabel (Fell) Yeamans and Sarah Fell were also leading Quakers.
