Reformed Theology in Gaelic Women’s Poetry and Song

Abstract

Gaelic women’s poetry and song track the reception of Reformed theology in Gaelic communities both geographically and diachronically. They also allow insights into the spiritual, ethical, and societal concerns of those whose voices are otherwise unheard. Whether ostensibly secular or explicitly spiritual, Gaelic women’s songs carry a record of the religious, cultural, and domestic life of Highland Scotland in many individual voices. The earliest Gaelic evangelical songs belonged to the oral tradition, and were specifically directed towards making biblical teaching and Reformed doctrine accessible within non-literate Gaelic-speaking communities. Women’s spiritual songs quickly became a forum for personal and communal religious expression, public exhortation, and discussions on faith and doctrine. They show women, both literate and non-literate, acting as spiritual mentors, actively engaging in biblical exegesis, relating scriptural teaching to contemporary issues, and demanding that Christian ethics be applied in both personal and public life.