Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
Christian, political activist, social reformer, and pioneer of modern feminism.
Millicent Fawcett, the leader of the British suffragist movement, described Josephine Butler as ‘the most distinguished English woman of the 19th 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 often forgotten.
Underpinning Butler's public life of political activism lies her writing and the Christian spirituality that grounded her activism. Paul interviews Dr Sarah Williams about Butler’s work, legacy, and inner life of prayer, defined by a radical sense of justice that transformed Victorian society.
Discover how Josephine Butler’s conviction offers us a model for how to engage with our culture – and a taste of possibility for how our own time and place could be transformed.
Buy 'When Courage Calls', Sarah's book on Josephine Butler at hachette.co.uk/titles/sarah-c-williams/when-courage-calls-josephine-butler-and-the-radical-pursuit-of-justice-for-women/9781399803731
Christian, political activist, social reformer, and pioneer of modern feminism.
Millicent Fawcett, the leader of the British suffragist movement, described Josephine Butler as ‘the most distinguished English woman of the 19th 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 often forgotten.
Underpinning Butler's public life of political activism lies her writing and the Christian spirituality that grounded her activism. Paul interviews Dr Sarah Williams about Butler’s work, legacy, and inner life of prayer, defined by a radical sense of justice that transformed Victorian society.
Discover how Josephine Butler’s conviction offers us a model for how to engage with our culture – and a taste of possibility for how our own time and place could be transformed.
Buy 'When Courage Calls', Sarah's book on Josephine Butler at hachette.co.uk/titles/sarah-c-williams/when-courage-calls-josephine-butler-and-the-radical-pursuit-of-justice-for-women/9781399803731
