When Courage Calls: Josephine Butler and the Radical Pursuit of Justice for Women

Millicent Fawcett, the leader of the British suffragist movement, described Josephine Butler as 'the most distinguished English woman of the nineteenth century'. Among the first feminist activists, Butler raised public awareness of the plight of destitute women, worked to address human trafficking and led a vigorous campaign to secure equal rights for women before the law. In her pursuit of justice, Butler did as much for women as William Wilberforce did for African slaves within the British Empire, and yet, while Wilberforce remains a household name, Butler is forgotten. Social historian Sarah C. Williams presents a re-examined biography of the radical political activist Josephine Butler. From the beauty of her childhood in Northumbria, to the stifling intellectual environment of mid-Victorian Oxford; from the impoverished streets of Liverpool and the brothels of London, Brussels and Paris, to the offices of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament. Butler's relentless drive to secure rights for women against the sexual double standard of her day captures a remarkable woman with deeply held values for equality. Underpinning Butler's public life of political activism lies the full corpus of her writing and the spirituality that grounded her activism. When Courage Calls offers a profound examination of Butler's inner life of prayer, defined by her radical sense of justice that was able to transform Victorian society. Such conviction offers us a taste of the possibility for our time and culture. This biography presents a fresh interpretation of the relationship between Josephine Butler's public leadership, her political activism and her spirituality.

About the Author :
Sarah C. Williams is a highly respected social historian. A specialist in 19th and 20th-century cultural and religious history, she has taught on Butler in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US as well as Britain. Having taught history at the University of Oxford; she moved to Regent College, Vancouver, teaching the History of Christianity to graduate students from all over the world. Having now returned to England, Williams remains a research Professor at Regent College.

Review :
The story of Josephine Butler is astonishing, shocking, inspiring, recounted here by a narrator who understands the very core of her subject. A powerful read. When Courage Calls brings Butler to life in its extensive use of her letters and writings and allows us to hear her message afresh at a time when women's value and safety is again at risk. What a gift this book is! Sarah C. Williams expertly charts Josephine Butler's life and work, honouring both her feminism and her faith. While Butler's faith has left her ambiguously remembered, Williams gives a profound insight into Butler's life which has much to teach us today. This is a crucial and compelling read for both feminists and for Christians, to understand that in Butler we have a shared, but rarely told, history. The title 'When Courage Calls' is a superb summary of the theme of this book. I have acquired a deep admiration for Josephine Butler's inspirational life: her responses to many challenging situations, supported by her spirituality, infused by her profound commitment to prayer. And the book is highly readable - indeed it was hard to put down! This is an inspiring book written by an inspiring writer. Sarah C. Williams powerfully makes visible the life and work of Josphine Butler which for too long has been relegated to the shadows. In so doing Williams wonderfully honours a woman whose own vision and activism, rooted in prayer, brought women out of the shadows and shone a transforming light on the dark places of injustice and inequality. I love reading about people who catalyse justice and change history for the better. In this remarkable book about a remarkable woman, Williams has taken us a step closer in making sure Josephine Butler becomes not only the household name she deserves to be, but an inspirational force for all today's allies, activists and advocates. 'An astonishing portrait of an extraordinary life. Dr Williams has given women - and all who seek a better world - a gift that has resonance for today and years to come.' In this beautifully written biography, Sarah Williams provides a fresh, convincing portrayal of one of the most extraordinary figures in Victorian Britain. Along with insightful analysis of Josephine Butler's extensive writings, Williams expertly explores the religious beliefs and networks that inspired and sustained both Butler's social activism and her national and international campaigns for social justice and women's rights. Williams' account of Josephine Butler offers not only an exceptional feat of intellectual history but also, by taking seriously Butler's deep spirituality, a stunningly original portrait of public political leadership. For Butler, only habitual solitude and prayer can renew perception, open us to the pain of others caused by injustice, and sustain costly action for long-term change. When Courage Calls is a rich and perceptive study of the power of the underappreciated virtues of compassion and persistence to deliver justice for women. [When Courage Calls] offers a new way of writing about religion and should serve as a model for future studies in modern British history.