User:Emain Macha/sandbox
James McLagan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 September 1728 Ballechin, Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | 3 May 1805 Blair Atholl, Scotland |
| Occupation | Folklorist, minister |
| Language | Scottish Gaelic, English |
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews (no degree) |
| Spouse | Catherine Stuart |
Elizabeth Glendinning Kirkwood Hewat (1895-1968) was the first woman to graduate BD and PhD at New College, University of Edinburgh, a missionary, a campaigner for women's equality in the Church of Scotland, and an historian of Scottish missions.
Life and Career
Hewat was born on the 16th of September 1895 in Prestwick, Scotland to Elizabeth Glendinning and the Rev. Kirkwood Hewat, the United Free Church minister at Prestwick.
She was educated at the girls' school Wellington School in Ayr. She was awarded an MA at the University of Edinburgh in history and philosophy. Her academic career began as assistant lecturer in history at the University of St Andrews.
She then moved to the UFC Women's Missionary College in Edinburgh where she taught between 1922 and 1926. In Edinburgh, she was one of the first women to study at New College and became the first woman to graduate BD from the college in 1926, coming top of her class.
Hewat believed that in order to fully prepare for missionary work that she should be ordained. This led to a debate on women's ordination during the 1926 UFC General Assembly. The motion failed. Hewat continued to argue for women's equality in the Christian church. She wrote in 1931, 'women in the church hold a subordinate position; and women of today ask why ... Of one thing they are certain, and it is this, that it is not Christ who is barring the way.' (Hewat 1931: 145)
Missionary work
Despite the refusal of ordination, Hewat began her missionary work by joining her sister in China. Once there, she was a teaching missionary and followed her own scholarly interests by researching comparative literature in Hebrew and Confucian Wisdom.
Following her time in China, she returned to Edinburgh to work as an unpaid assistant at North Merchiston Church and to complete her PhD.
In 1935, she moved to Bombay to become Professor of History at Wilson College and remained there until 1956. She was an elder in the United Church of North India.
Writing and Editing
As a scholar, Hewat was editorial assistant and contributor to the International Review of Missions.
Hewat returned to Scotland
She died on the 13th of October 1968.
References
Further Reading
- Elizabeth L. Ewan; Sue Innes; Sian Reynolds; Rose Pipes (2006). The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 166–167. ISBN 978-0-7486-2660-1.
- Macdonald, Lesley Orr (2000). A Unique and Glorious Mission: Women and Presbyterianism in Scotland 1830 to 1930. John Donald. ISBN 9780859764780.
missionaries?
wellington school aluma?
university of edinburgh alumna?