The European roots of the American Methodist deaconess movement

This chapter describes the connections between the deaconess movement birthed in Kaiserswerth, Germany, and the rise of its main Training Center in American Methodism in Chicago. Adapting the same identity markers as their German counterparts, the Chicago deaconesses trained in order to work professionally, did their own public relations, ventured into unknown fields, acted without male guidance, fostered their independence, developed a spiritual and practical sisterhood, cooperated with other women´s organizations, took responsibility seriously, and engaged in the political and theological debates of their time.