Abstract
D. Bruce Hindmarsh’s described conversion as the process of “recovery of right relationship with God.” These resonated with me as a budding scholar whose research focused on women’s conversion experiences. It also resonated with me as a person of faith who felt committed to this process of relational recovery. As a scholar and a professor, I have continued to ponder the meaning and impact of conversion on individuals and communities. I research conversion, write about conversion, and teach my classes through the lens of conversion. In 2019, my world turned upside down. A complicated surgery went amiss, and I joined the ranks of approximately two to three million women, primarily in developing nations, who suffer from vesicovaginal fistula—a tragic ailment resulting in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence. As loss and suffering seeped into every crevice of my life, as I encountered the rawness that comes with devastating loss, as feelings of utter vulnerability consumed me, my understanding of mortality and conversion took on additional meaning. In this study, I consider how historical research combined with my own life challenges have revealed to me deep interconnections between loss and conversion—my personal context has enriched how I see historical events, the kinds of questions I ask, and how I read and interpret sources. I see things I didn’t see before; I recognize things I once overlooked. I thus reflect upon how personal suffering has complicated and given more meaning to my historical work on women and religious conversion.
Presenters
Rachel CopeAssociate Professor, Church History, Brigham Young University, Utah, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
KEYWORDS
Women, Health, Conversion, Spirituality, Loss, Grace, Religion, Healing
