Florence Nightingale : the making of a radical theologian

Webb passionately brings to life the full story of this fascinating reformer, feminist, social activist, and theologian. In Florence's Victorian times, the British obsession with 'class' and manners served to keep upper-class women 'in their place' as hostesses and servants 10 their own families, and our of public services or political office ... A superb irony is that Florence's great sensitivity to the systematized inequities of the British 'class' system ignited the fires of Liberation theology within her. Her power springs from firm conviction that it was her special vocation to bring a 'natural' faith to the common man (as well as good medical hygiene, administrative practices. and educational opportunities. In this manuscript, so well researched and rigorously documented, Florence Nightingale comes to life as a deeply spiritual searcher for Truth. The common misperception of her as a rather neurotic, compulsive "grinder' of data and letter is dispelled by Val Webb's, building such a well documented case for her personal theology, which was the central theme and core motivation of her life." "In Florence's Victorian times, the British obsession with 'class' and manners served to keep upper-class women 'in their place' as hostesses and servants to their own families, and out of public services or political office...A superb irony is that Florence's great sensitivity to the systematized inequities of the British 'class' system ignited the fires of liberation theology within her. Her power springs from a firm conviction that it was her special vocation to bring a 'natural' faith to the common man (as well as good medical hygiene, administrative practices, and educational opportunities)...In this manuscript, so well researched and rigorously documented, Florence Nightingale comes to life as a deeply spiritual searcher for Truth. The common misperception of her as a rather neurotic, compulsive 'grinder' of data and letters is dispelled by Val Webb's building such a well-documented case for her personal theology, which was the central theme and core motivation of her life."