Reason as a Gift from God: Radical Unitarians, Feminism and Mary Leman Grimstone

Starting with a description of British Unitarianism, the present paper sheds light on how a particular expression of Christianity in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century England influenced the development of early feminist ideas. Unitarians, followers of a Christian denomination that rejects the doctrine of Trinity, believed that reason was a gift from God. They also upheld that both men and women were entitled to use their reason to interpret the Scriptures and arrive at rational conclusions. This article shows how those tenets were instrumental for writer Mary Leman Grimstone and her advocacy in favour of women’s rights. Grimstone, as part of Radical Unitarian circles, used literature to denounce the oppression of women, vindicate their right to proper education, and demand changes to the institution of marriage.