Avoiding The Hornet's Nest: Woman Suffrage and Synodical Conference Lutherans

Abstract

The 19 Amendment of the United States Constitution granted women the right to vote. The movement for “Woman Suffrage” must be seen in its cultural context, in order to understand the arguments used for and against the notion of women voting in the United States. Lutherans in the Wisconsin Synod and the Synodical Conference reacted to this movement with a mixture of apathy, ignorance, fear, disdain, and measured thoughtfulness. The question of allowing a woman to vote in society also led Lutherans to debate a woman’s role in the Church. This paper examines the official publications within the Synodical Conference, which guided the conscientious Christian reader to explore the topic of the roles of men and women in light of God’s Word. My thesis is that Biblical truth and cultural norms led most within the Synodical Conference to oppose the women’s suffrage movement and its goals for society and the church, while those same voices praised the abilities and contributions of women. The writings of Lutheran teachers and pastors also display the interplay between Biblical truth, cultural norms, and personal preference and illustrate how such perspectives contribute to the Church’s public teaching on contentious cultural issues. The Lutheran approach to take every thought captive to God’s Word continues to provide the foundation to deal with similar cultural questions today.