The Quality of Heroic Living, of High Endeavour and Adventure

This work focuses on Anglican mission and women's education in Palestine in the period from 1888 till 1948. As part of the enlightenment movement , the project was initiated by British women educational pioneers, who influenced women to carry out the creed of academic training for girls also in colonial areas. While the educational profile of the pre-World War One schools mainly focused on modernization of the domestic role, during the British Mandate the highly educated Anglican women teachers had two aims for their work: to create a peaceful multicultural environment in a society characterized by religious and ethnic strife; and to introduce a modern feminine ideal to Christian, Muslim and Jewish middle- and upper-class girls. This study aims to contribute to knowledge of the Anglican missionary project, the role of women missionaries / educators and the history of Palestine.

Review:

'Overall, the work is very well done, and to be especially commended for its attention to both the larger sweep of historical events as well as the individual lives of particular women: this is a wonderful essay integrating women's history into broader missionary, national, and international history...For all those interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Christian responses to it, in modern Christian missions to the Holy Land, in women's history, mission history, and British colonial history, this book is an insightful study and a good read.' Arun W. Jones, Missiology, 2005. 'Okkenhaug's book is a fascinating look at the lifestyle, goals, accomplishments and failures of a select, influential mission.' Nancy Stockdale, International Bulletin of Missionary Research.