Non-ordained Female Clergy in the Evangelical Lutheran Parishes of Courland and Livonia in the 19th Century and at the Beginning of the 20th Century
Abstrakt
This chapter's authors strive to offer a complex view of the internal mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the governorates (provinces) of Courland and Livonia in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, with special attention paid to the work of non-ordained female clergy - deaconesses. The article starts with a brief introduction to the history and development of diaconate in Western Europe.
An overview of the formation of the first charity organizations and other congregational activities of similar nature in the Baltic governorates follows, and the article concludes with an analysis of the available primary sources that describe the work of deaconess-houses in Courland and Livonia (today's Kurzeme and Vidzeme).