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Olive May Winchester (1879–1947) was an American
ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
minister and a pioneer
biblical scholar Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible, with ''Bible'' referring to the books of the canonical Hebrew Bible in mainstream Jewish usage and the Christian Bible including the can ...
and
theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...
in the
Church of the Nazarene The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged in North America from the Wesleyan-Holiness movement within Methodism during the late 19th century. The denomination has its headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas. and it ...
, who was in 1912 the first woman ordained by any
trinitarian The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
denomination in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,Women, the Church and Ministry: Celebrating 100 years of women’s ordination in the UK
the first woman admitted into and graduated from the
Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD, DB, or BDiv; ) is an academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies. ...
course at the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
, and the first woman to complete a
Doctor of Theology Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...
degree from the divinity school of
Drew University Drew University is a private university in Madison, New Jersey, United States. It has a wooded campus. As of fall 2020, more than 2,200 students were pursuing degrees at the university's three schools. While affiliated with the Methodism, Me ...
."First ordained Scottish women to be celebrated at conference"
, ''NCN News'' (April 4, 2012).


Early life

Olive May Winchester was born on November 22, 1879, in Monson, Maine, the oldest child of lawyer Charles B. Winchester (born August 8, 1851, in
Corinna, Maine Corinna is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,221 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bangor metropolitan statistical area. The village of Corinna is in the southern part of the town. History It was fi ...
; died October 2, 1892, in
Yankton, South Dakota Yankton is a city in and the county seat of Yankton County, South Dakota, United States. It became a city in 1889. The population was 15,411 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in South Dakota, 7th most po ...
), and Sarah A. "Sadie" Blackstone Winchester (born May 1, 1853, in Pownal, Maine; died February 6, 1949, in
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
).1900 United States Federal Census Record for Olive M Winchester. Year: 1900; Census Place: Lynn Ward 4, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: T623_644; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 379.''South Dakota Territorial Census'', 1885 Record for Ollice Winchester. Sanborn > District 93 > 3 Winchester's parents were married in
Portland, Maine Portland is the List of municipalities in Maine, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat, seat of Cumberland County, Maine, Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 at the 2020 census. The Portland metropolit ...
, on February 22, 1879, in the
Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...
. Winchester was a relative of Oliver Fisher Winchester (born November 30, 1810, in
Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline () is an affluent town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area. An exclave of Norfolk County, Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Boston, Brighton ...
; died December 11, 1880, in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...
), the manufacturer and marketer of the Winchester repeating rifle. After June 25, 1880, the Winchester family left Monson, Maine, and by 1881 had relocated to Forestburg, in Sanborn County in
Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of ...
, where Charles taught school at upper Forestburg from its opening on November 7, 1881, until a permanent replacement started on December 26, 1881. Winchester's younger sister, Edith Elizabeth Winchester (born June 22, 1884, in Forestburg, Dakota Territory; died August 1885 in Forestburg) died in infancy. By 1885 Charles Winchester was practicing as an
attorney at law Attorney at law or attorney-at-law, usually abbreviated in everyday speech to attorney, is the preferred term for a practising lawyer in certain jurisdictions, including South Africa (for certain lawyers), Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and the Unit ...
and land agent. In April 1886 Charles Winchester purchased ''The Woonsocket Times'' and relocated it to Forestburg. After 1886 the Winchester family moved to the former territorial capital of Yankton, and later purchased a small hotel. By November 1889 the Winchester family had moved to Montana Street, in
Huron, South Dakota Huron is a city in and the county seat of Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 14,263 at the 2020 census, making it the 8th most populous city in South Dakota. The first settlement at Huron was established in 1880. ...
. On October 2, 1892, Charles Winchester was killed after an explosion in his hotel after he was spraying a room for
bedbug Bed bugs are parasitic insects from the genus ''Cimex'', which are micropredators that feed on blood, usually at night. Their bites can result in a number of health impacts, including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptom ...
s, and is interred at the Yankton City Cemetery. After the death of her father, Winchester and her mother moved to
Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest List of municipalities in Massachusetts, municipality in Massachusetts, United States, and the largest city in Essex County, Massachusetts, Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line ...
. In 1895 Winchester became a Christian and later became an early member of the Association of Pentecostal Churches of America, a holiness denomination established in 1895, which subsequently merged with the
Church of the Nazarene The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged in North America from the Wesleyan-Holiness movement within Methodism during the late 19th century. The denomination has its headquarters in Lenexa, Kansas. and it ...
established by Phineas Bresee to form the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene in 1907.


Radcliffe Ladies College (1898-1902)

In 1898 Winchester enrolled in Radcliffe Ladies College, which was then a division of
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
.T.A. Noble, ''Called to be Saints: A Centenary History of the Church of the Nazarene in the British Isles: 1906-2006'' (Manchester, UK: Didsbury Press, 2006):37. As a consequence of a $25,000 inheritance from the estate of her relative Oliver Fisher Winchester, Winchester was able to finance her own education.Rebecca Laird, ''Ordained Women in the Church of the Nazarene: The First Generation'' (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1993):92. While studying at Radcliffe, Winchester preached often. ''The Beulah Christian'' reported in March 1902 that on one occasion "Sister Olive Winchester, a member of this church, and senior at Radcliffe College, spoke at the morning service with special
unction Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or oth ...
. More than a dozen souls were at the altar." On June 24, 1902, Winchester graduated ''
cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...
'' from Radcliffe with a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
(A.B.) degree, where she majored in
Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...
and
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
. According to Nazarene historian Stan Ingersol, Winchester's Harvard instructor in
Semitic languages The Semitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. They include Arabic, Amharic, Tigrinya language, Tigrinya, Aramaic, Hebrew language, Hebrew, Maltese language, Maltese, Modern South Arabian language ...
regarded her as "a student of exceptional ability."Stan Ingersol
"Our Nazarene Foremothers: Woman in a New World: Olive Winchester’s Life in Theology and Higher Education."
''New Horizons: Resources for Nazarene Clergywomen'' (February/March 2002):4.


Ministry and further education


Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (1902-1909)

After graduation from Radcliffe College in 1902, Winchester taught at the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (now
Eastern Nazarene College The Eastern Nazarene College (ENC) was a Private university#United States, private, Christian college in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. Established as a Holiness Movement, holiness college in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1900, the college m ...
) located at
North Scituate, Rhode Island North Scituate is a village in the town of Scituate, Rhode Island, United States. Since 1967, the village has been home to the Scituate Art Festival.
. Winchester travelled frequently on behalf of the college, raising money and holding services in small communities that lacked regular church services. Winchester reported that she had been entirely sanctified in 1902.Rebecca Laird, ''Ordained Women in the Church of the Nazarene: The First Generation'' (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1993):94. Winchester never married, although former student Ross E. Price maintains that she was engaged to Ernest W. Perry, the dean of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (PCI), who drowned on Sunday November 23, 1902 before their engagement had been made public. Price claimed that "I know I am right that she was engaged to the young man. And I know that when he drowned she then decided never to marry but to give herself to teaching." On June 28, 1908, Winchester arrived in Glasgow as a passenger on the . On September 2, 1908, Winchester departed
Southampton, England Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
, on the , arriving in New York on September 10, 1908. Winchester taught at PCI until 1909 before moving to Glasgow to study at the divinity school of the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
.


Parkhead Holiness Bible School (1909–1913)

Winchester arrived in Liverpool, England on September 14, 1909, on the , accompanied by Rev. George Sharpe, the founder of the Pentecostal Church of Scotland, an indigenous holiness denomination later to merge with the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene in 1915. In 1909 Winchester broke a gender barrier as the first woman matriculated into the Bachelor of Divinity course at the
University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
. However, according to Ingersol, "More impressive was her record at the University of Glasgow, Scotland." During this time Winchester won the Cook and McFarlan Testimonial Prize of £21, awarded annually since 1847 in memory of Duncan Macfarlan, DD, Principal of the University of Glasgow (1823 to 1858), and George Cook, DD, Professor of Moral Philosophy in the
University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...
, to "the most distinguished candidate in Greek, Moral Philosophy, Hebrew, Ecclesiastical History and Divinity." While in Scotland, Winchester became a member of the Pentecostal Church of Scotland. From 1909 Winchester also taught in that denomination's Parkead Holiness Bible School. On April 30, 1910, Winchester departed from Glasgow on the ''S.S. Cassandra'', and subsequently arrived in
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, Canada on May 10, 1910, en route to the USA. On May 11, 1910, Winchester "advocated that a holiness periodical and college be organized to help perpetuate and strengthen the holiness work in Scotland." Winchester arrived in Glasgow on September 10, 1910, on the ''SS Cassandra'' after embarking in
Montreal, Quebec Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
, Canada. On April 18, 1911, Winchester departed from Liverpool on the ''SS Franconia'' and arrived in
Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, on April 26, 1911. Winchester and her mother arrived in Liverpool on September 10, 1911, on the ''SS Salaga'' from New York. In April 1912 Winchester graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity degree from the University of Glasgow with honours, including the Cleland and Rae-Wilson Gold Medal for Ecclesiastical History, named for William Rae Wilson, and awarded annually to the most distinguished student in Ecclesiastical History. Winchester also received the Jamieson Prize of £10, awarded since 1881 for excellence in the General Examination for the degree of BD by a committee of subscribers whose convener was Robert Jamieson (DD 1848), minister of St Paul's in Glasgow.


Pentecostal Bible College (1913-1914)

On May 11, 1912, Sharpe proposed in the Sixth Annual Assembly of the Pentecostal Church of Scotland that Winchester be ordained, and the all-male General Assembly agreed unanimously.T.A. Noble, ''Called to be Saints: A Centenary History of the Church of the Nazarene in the British Isles: 1906-2006'' (Manchester, UK: Didsbury Press, 2006):39. On May 11, 1912, Winchester was ordained in a special service led by Rev. George J. Kunz at 4.00pm
Parkhead Parkhead () is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet (place), hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road (now the Gallowgate and Tollcross Road) and Westmuir Street. Glasgow's Eastern Necro ...
, Glasgow, Scotland by the Pentecostal Church of Scotland, thus becoming the first woman ever ordained by any Christian denomination in Scotland. Additionally, the delegates voted to establish a ministerial training college.Rebecca Laird, ''Ordained Women in the Church of the Nazarene: The First Generation'' (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1993):93. A
terrace house A terrace, terraced house ( UK), or townhouse ( US) is a type of medium-density housing which first started in 16th century Europe with a row of joined houses sharing side walls. In the United States and Canada these are sometimes known as row ...
located at 1 Westbourne Terrace,
Kelvinside Kelvinside is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde and is bounded by Broomhill, Dowanhill and Hyndland to the south with Kelvindale and the River Kelvin to the north. It is an affluent area of Gl ...
, near the University of Glasgow, was purchased to house the relocated college. Classes began there in late September 1913, with Winchester as one of the teachers of the seven students.T.A. Noble, ''Called to be Saints: A Centenary History of the Church of the Nazarene in the British Isles: 1906-2006'' (Manchester, UK: Didsbury Press, 2006):40. Winchester resided in this home with George and Jane Sharpe and their family, and three of the students. On August 10, 1913, Winchester and her mother, Sarah, arrived in New York on the from
Liverpool, England Liverpool is a port city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population of (in ), Liverpool is the administrative, c ...
. On September 24, 1913, Winchester arrived in Liverpool on the , just before the first academic session of the Pentecostal Bible College. In 1913 Winchester urged the creation of the missionary society of the Pentecostal Church of Scotland, and was elected its first president. As the Pentecostal Church of Scotland did not have its own missionaries, Winchester urged the support of missionaries of her previous denomination, the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. For several years Winchester wrote to the leaders of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene in
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
, urging them to send representatives to Scotland to expedite a merger of the two denominations. "Winchester's involvement in the Pentecostal Church of Scotland helped it clarify its doctrine of the ministry, and in 1915, she played a role in facilitating the merger of that denomination and the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene."


Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (1914-1916)

On April 11, 1914, Winchester departed
Liverpool, England Liverpool is a port city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population of (in ), Liverpool is the administrative, c ...
, on the , arriving in New York on April 14, 1914. In June 1914, Winchester returned to the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute in North Scituate, Rhode Island. She was appointed vice-principal and head of the Theology department. After two years, Winchester resigned to move to
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...
, to continue her
post-graduate Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...
studies.


Pacific School of Religion (1916-1917)

Winchester's education continued at
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...
, where she received the S.T.M. (
Master of Sacred Theology Master of Theology (, abbreviated ThM, MTh or MTheol, or ''Sacrae Theologiae Magister''; abbreviated STM) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a ...
) degree ''
magna cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sout ...
'' from the
Pacific School of Religion The Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is a Private university, private Protestant seminary in Berkeley, California. It maintains Covenant (religion), covenantal relationships with the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, and the ...
on May 3, 1917. Her thesis was "Messianic Quotations of the Psalms in the New Testament". While studying in Berkeley, she became friends with
H. Orton Wiley Henry Orton Wiley (11 November 1877 – 22 August 1961) was a Christian theologian primarily associated with the followers of John Wesley who are part of the Holiness movement. A member of the Church of the Nazarene, his "magnum opus" was the three ...
, pastor of the Berkeley Church of the Nazarene and fellow student at the Pacific School of Religion.


Northwest Nazarene College (1918-1935)

In 1918 Winchester became the professor of biblical literature and theology professor at
Northwest Nazarene College Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) is a private Nazarene university in Nampa, Idaho. History Eugene Emerson organized a combination grade school and Bible school in 1913 as Idaho Holiness School. It was renamed twice in 1916, first to Northwe ...
in
Nampa, Idaho Nampa () is the most populous city in Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 100,200 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is Idaho's List of cities in Idaho, third-most populous city. Nampa is about west of Boise, Id ...
, at the invitation of its president Dr
H. Orton Wiley Henry Orton Wiley (11 November 1877 – 22 August 1961) was a Christian theologian primarily associated with the followers of John Wesley who are part of the Holiness movement. A member of the Church of the Nazarene, his "magnum opus" was the three ...
. During her tenure at NNC, Winchester "contributed significantly to the success of the young college's academic development". Winchester also served as the founding pastor of the
Marsing, Idaho Marsing is a city in Owyhee County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,031 at the time of the 2010 census. It is part of the Boise metropolitan area. Geography Marsing is on the Snake River, which forms the border with Canyon County ...
Church of the Nazarene from 24 March 1918 until 19 May 1918, until a permanent pastor was appointed. When her great-uncle's sole heir,
Sarah Lockwood Winchester Sarah "Sallie" Lockwood Winchester (née Pardee; June 4, 1839 – September 5, 1922) was an American heiress who amassed great wealth after the death of her husband, William Wirt Winchester, and her mother in law, Jane Ellen Hope. Winchester ha ...
, the widow of his son
William Wirt Winchester William Wirt Winchester (June 22, 1837 – March 7, 1881) was an American and the treasurer of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, a position he held until his death in 1881. Family He was born on June 22, 1837, to Oliver Winchester and Jane ...
, died in September 1922, part of the multi-million dollar estate was left to Olive Winchester. Additionally, Winchester was the beneficiary of 25% of a substantial estate of her maternal great-uncle, Levi Merrick Stewart (December 10, 1827, in Corinna, Maine – May 3, 1910, in Minneapolis, Minnesota). Following these inheritances, in 1922 Winchester provided the funds to build a home for Wiley at Northwest Nazarene College. According to Ingersol,
Throughout her tenure at Northwest Nazarene, Winchester taught her specialties: Biblical language and literature. But she also grew interested in the whole idea of religious education in the local church, and at Northwest Nazarene she developed and taught the initial courses in
religious education In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion (although in the United Kingdom the term ''religious instruction'' would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with ''religious education'' referring to t ...
. She spurred further interest in that emerging discipline by contributing frequent articles on religious education to church papers and curriculum resource manuals.
Later she added
sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
and
Christian education Christian education may refer to: * Catechesis, a type of Christian education associated with the Roman Catholic church and churches that follow a liturgical paradigm *Sunday school, a form of Christian education used widely among many different ki ...
to her teaching load. President Wiley, who appreciated good talent and Olive Winchester, made her vice president of the College in 1922, and the following year she was appointed academic dean as well, holding both positions simultaneously until her resignation in 1935. ... A history of Northwest's first quarter-century summarized her administrative role in a sentence: "She contributed very much to the development of the right attitude toward scholastic standards, as vice-president and dean of the college had much to do with the internal organization of the institution."... At the center of her legacy stood the undeniable fact that she was a pivotal figure in the transition of Northwest Nazarene College from a
sagebrush Sagebrush is the common name of several woody and herbaceous species of plants in the genus ''Artemisia (plant), Artemisia''. The best-known sagebrush is the shrub ''Artemisia tridentata''. Sagebrush is native to the western half of North Amer ...
academy to a sound academic institution.
In 1925 Winchester was the first woman to complete a Th.D. (
Doctor of Theology Doctor of Theology (, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor o ...
) degree from the divinity school of
Drew University Drew University is a private university in Madison, New Jersey, United States. It has a wooded campus. As of fall 2020, more than 2,200 students were pursuing degrees at the university's three schools. While affiliated with the Methodism, Me ...
in
Madison, New Jersey Madison is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 16,937, an increase of 1,092 (+6.9%) from the 2010 United ...
. for her dissertation entitled: "The Psychological Terms of the New Testament: Their Source and Content." Winchester "excelled in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and had a reading knowledge of French and German. Religious education and sociology were two additional fields of study that Olive specialized in, and both were largely learned through personal study and rigorous self-discipline." In 1927 Winchester said: "We feel that a good wholesome religious life administers to educational standards." In June 1932 Olive Winchester attended the Eighth General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene in
Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...
, as a delegate from the Idaho-Oregon District. Winchester resigned from Northwest Nazarene College in 1935 due to differences with Wiley's successor, President Russell V. DeLong.


Pasadena College (1935-1947)

Wiley invited her to teach at Pasadena College (now
Point Loma Nazarene University Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a Private college, private Christianity, Christian Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college with its main campus in Point Loma, San Diego, Point Loma in San Diego, California, Unit ...
) where she taught until her death in 1947. She was appointed head of the graduate department by Wiley. While at Pasadena College, Winchester served as one of the advisors for the
Revised Standard Version The Revised Standard Version (RSV) is an English translation of the Bible published in 1952 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. This translation is a revision of the American St ...
of
New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...
, that was published on February 11, 1946. Winchester died on February 15, 1947, at the age of 67. In her will, Winchester left $50,000 to Pasadena College to build the Howard Library. After her mother Sarah's death on February 21, 1949, her estate left funds to establish and maintain a theological library in memory of her daughter at Pasadena College,


Evaluation

According to Nazarene historian Stan Ingersol, "Winchester was not the only woman to teach religion at Nazarene colleges during her lifetime. ... But Winchester far surpassed them in academic background and achievement, paving the way for other professional female theologians in the church, including Mildred Bangs Wynkoop, who encountered Winchester as a freshman at Northwest Nazarene College."Stan Ingersol
"Our Nazarene Foremothers: Woman in a New World: Olive Winchester’s Life in Theology and Higher Education."
''New Horizons: Resources for Nazarene Clergywomen'' (February/March 2002):5.


Beliefs

Winchester was "committed to the "
hermeneutic Hermeneutics () is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts. As necessary, hermeneutics may include the art of understanding and communication. ...
of holiness"", and has been described as "the descriptive-doctrinaire approach" to teaching
biblical theology Because scholars have tended to use the term in different ways, Biblical theology has been notoriously difficult to define. The academic field of biblical theology is sub-divided into Old Testament theology and New Testament theology. Academic ...
. According to Ingersol, "Winchester had earned high marks in
biblical criticism Modern Biblical criticism (as opposed to pre-Modern criticism) is the use of critical analysis to understand and explain the Bible without appealing to the supernatural. During the eighteenth century, when it began as ''historical-biblical c ...
at Glasgow but was conservative in her application of this knowledge within the Nazarene context. Her books included studies of
Moses In Abrahamic religions, Moses was the Hebrews, Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of slavery in the The Exodus, Exodus from ancient Egypt, Egypt. He is considered the most important Prophets in Judaism, prophet in Judaism and Samaritani ...
, the prophets, and the life of
Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
. Her ''Crisis Experiences in the Greek New Testament'' (1953) stood in the
linguistic Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...
-
exegetical Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretations ...
tradition pioneered by Daniel Steele, a
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
scholar at
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
.
Steele defended the doctrine of
entire sanctification Within many Christian denomination, denominations of Christianity, Christian perfection is the theological concept of the process or the event of achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. The ultimate goal of this process is Divinization (Chris ...
by a study of the Greek
aorist Aorist ( ; abbreviated ) verb forms usually express perfective aspect and refer to past events, similar to a preterite. Ancient Greek grammar had the aorist form, and the grammars of other Indo-European languages and languages influenced by the ...
, and Winchester appropriated his agenda and attempted to develop it further, though this approach has since fallen out of favor with many
Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...
-
holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
biblical scholars Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse academic discipline, disciplines to the study of the Bible, with ''Bible'' referring to the books of the Biblical canon#Jewish canons, canonical Hebrew Bible in mainstream Judais ...
.
However, Nazarene theologian and general superintendent John A. Knight argued in 1995 that Winchester and Steele were part of an "earlier generation of holiness-traditions scholars hooverstated the grammatical evidence for entire sanctification as a 'second definite work of grace.' Winchester rejected the increasingly prevalent
premillennial Premillennialism, in Christian eschatology, is the belief that Jesus will physically return to the Earth (the Second Coming) before the Millennium, heralding a literal thousand-year messianic age of peace. Premillennialism is based upon a liter ...
perspective. Reflecting the
New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
tradition of Wesleyan-holiness biblical scholarship shaped by Daniel Steele, she was
amillennial Amillennialism or amillenarism is a chillegoristic eschatological position in Christianity which holds that there will be no millennial reign of the righteous on Earth. This view contrasts with both postmillennial and, especially, with premill ...
and interpreted the
Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation, also known as the Book of the Apocalypse or the Apocalypse of John, is the final book of the New Testament, and therefore the final book of the Bible#Christian Bible, Christian Bible. Written in Greek language, Greek, ...
as a coded record of events that had occurred in the New Testament era, perhaps during
Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...
's reign, not predictions of the future. In 1931, Winchester wrote a series on science and religion in ''The Young People's Journal'', a Nazarene publication for high school youth, where she had a regular column.
In the second essay in the series, Winchester described three scientific theories on the origins of the universe, identifying her own view as the "planetesimal theory," which held that the observable universe developed as gravitational forces caused matter to coalesce over long eons of time. Nazarene theologian A. M. Hills embraced the identical view when he discussed the Christian doctrine of creation in his 2-vol ''Fundamental Christian Theology''. While neither believed in
biological evolution Evolution is the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, resulting in certai ...
, Winchester and Hills embraced cosmic and geological evolution without compunction.
Winchester was quoted as saying: "When in a mental fog, attend to definitions."


Honours and awards

Each year Northwest Nazarene University presents the Olive M. Winchester Religious Essay Award. The Olive Winchester Memorial Church of the Nazarene in the upper terraces of
La Paz, Bolivia La Paz, officially Nuestra Señora de La Paz ( Aymara: Chuqi Yapu ), is the seat of government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. With 755,732 residents as of 2024, La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bolivia. Its metropolitan area ...
has ministered to the
Aymara Aymara may refer to: Languages and people * Aymaran languages, the second most widespread Andean language ** Aymara language, the main language within that family ** Central Aymara, the other surviving branch of the Aymara(n) family, which today ...
since 1960 is named in her honor. On May 8, 2012, John Mason MSP
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...
for Glasgow Shettleston moved that the following be entered into the record of the
Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
: "Parliament notes that 11 May 2012 is the 100th anniversary of the first woman being ordained to the UK Trinitarian Christian Ministry; considers that Olive Winchester, who was ordained to, and served in, what is now the Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene, Parkhead, Glasgow, set a precedent for strong women of faith to serve in Christian ministry; notes the Women in Ministry events being held in Glasgow between 11 and 13 May 2012, including those at the University of Glasgow; believes that every woman, child and man is of equal value, and wishes the organisers and people taking part well as they celebrate what it believes is this significant milestone for the UK's Christian community." From May 11–13, 2012 a weekend conference, "Women, the Church and Ministry: Celebrating 100 years of women's ordination in the UK", was held at the University Chapel of the University of Glasgow to mark the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the ordination of Winchester. It was organised and sponsored by the University of Glasgow's School of Critical Studies, the International Christian College, the Nazarene Theological College, the Manchester Wesley Research Centre, and Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene, Glasgow. Among the papers presented were "Olive M. Winchester: A Gentlewoman and a Scholar" by Rebecca Laird of
Point Loma Nazarene University Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) is a Private college, private Christianity, Christian Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college with its main campus in Point Loma, San Diego, Point Loma in San Diego, California, Unit ...
, "Revd Dr Olive Winchester: Holiness Greek Scholar" by C. Jeanne Orjala Serrão of
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) is a Private university, private Christian university in Mount Vernon, Ohio, United States, with satellite locations in the surrounding area. It was founded in 1968 by the Church of the Nazarene and offers ...
, and "Sisters in the Spirit: Women Preaching from John Wesley to Olive Winchester" by Harold Raser of
Nazarene Theological Seminary Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS) is a Nazarene seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. The seminary was established by the Eleventh General Assembly in June 1944 and started its first school year in 1945 with 61 students. It moved to its current lo ...
."Glasgow Conference Commemorates Olive Winchester"
, ''NCN News'' (May 16, 2012).
A commemorative service was held on the evening of May 11, 2012, in Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene at
Parkhead Parkhead () is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet (place), hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road (now the Gallowgate and Tollcross Road) and Westmuir Street. Glasgow's Eastern Necro ...
, where Winchester was ordained. The Parkhead building was scheduled for demolition to make way for a new building, but demolition was held off for the service. Those present included retired Nazarene missionary to
Swaziland Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by South Africa on all sides except the northeast, where ...
Dr. Samuel Hynd, son of Agnes Kanema Hynd, the third woman ordained to be ordained in Scotland, who is also the grandson of George Sharpe, who ordained Winchester, and his wife Jane, who was the second woman to be ordained in Scotland. The first woman to be a minister in charge of a Scottish church was Vera Kenmure.


Works


Articles


"Angel Sentinels"
In ''Bondservants of the Japanese'' by Robert B. Hammond. Sheffield Press, 1943; 8th ed. Voice of China & Asia, 1957. Poem Dedicated to Robert and Helen Hammond (founders of the Voice of China & Asia (VOCA) mission) by Olive M. Winchester. * "The German Attitude to the Bible". ''Bibliotheca Sacra'' 78 (1921).
"Our Inheritance In Heaven"
''The Preacher's Magazine'' 4:10 (October 1929).
"Precepts For Christian Living"
''The Preacher's Magazine'' 4:10 (October 1929).
"Qualifications of an Interpreter"
''Nazarene Messenger'' (November 1921):5, 11. * "Sin in the Light of To-Day," ''Bibliotheca Sacra'' 76 No. 302 (April 1919): 152-164.
"Steps In A Soul's Departure From God"
''The Preacher's Magazine'' 4:10 (October 1929).
"Studies In The Sermon On The Mount"
''The Preacher's Magazine'' 4:10 (October 1929). * "Women in the Teaching Ministry." ''Herald of Holiness'' (2 July 1945):5.


Books


''A Brief Survey Of The Old Testament: Moses and the Prophets''
Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1941. * ''Christ's Life and Ministry''. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene Publishing House, 1932.
''Crisis Experiences in the Greek New Testament: An Investigation of the Evidence for the Definite, Miraculous of Regeneration and Sanctification as Found in the Greek New Testament, Especially in the Figures Emphasized, and in the Use of the Aorist Tense''
Edited Throughout, With Final Chapter By Ross E. Price. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1953. Includes good bio summary of Winchester's Life by Price.
''Principles of the Interior or Hidden Life: Designed Particularly For The Consideration Of Those Who Are Seeking Assurance Of Faith And Perfect Love''
by Thomas Cogswell Upham. Abridged By Olive M. Winchester. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 1946. * ''The Story of the Old Testament''. (Revised edition of ''Moses and the Prophets''), by Olive M. Winchester and W.T. Purkiser. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill, 1960.


References


Further reading

* Balmer, Randall Herbert, ed. ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism''. Baylor University, 2004. See pages 752-753 for article on Winchester. * Barnard, Tom. "Leaders and Institutions", home.snu.edu/dept/churchrel/Tuesday%20Morning%20Articles/TM%20-%208A%20-%20NOT%20SOMEHOW.doc . References Winchester: "Theologian Olive Winchester was another Radcliffe graduate who made a significant impact on Christian higher education during the first half of the 20th century." * Bowman, George E. and Nellie C. Ryan, eds. ''Who's Who in Education: A Biographical Directory of the Teaching Profession''. Who's Who, 1927. See article on Winchester. * Cameron, James R. ''Eastern Nazarene College: The First Fifty Years 1910-1950''. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1968. Details Winchester's ministry as professor at Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (1902–1909, and 1914–1916). * Cameron, Nigel M. De S., ed. ''The Dictionary of Scottish Church History & Theology''. T&T Clark; IVP, 1993. Article re Winchester indicates she was first woman ordained by any denomination in Scotland. * Cook, Robert Cecil, ed. ''Who's Who in American Education''. New York: Robert C. Cook Company, 1928. See page 848 for entry for Winchester. * Fletcher, Russell Holmes, ed. ''Who's Who in California''. Who's Who, 1941. See page 994 for bio data on Winchester. * Ford, Jack. ''In The Steps of John Wesley: The Church of the Nazarene in Britain.: A Historical and Comparative Study''. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1968. This is the published version of Ford's Ph.D. dissertation for the University of London. See page 55 for the account of Winchester's ordination; page 56 for her role at the Parkhead Holiness School; and pages 57–58 for her ministry at the Pentecostal Bible College. * Gresham, L. Paul. ''Waves Against Gibraltar: A Memoir of Dr. A. M. Hills, 1848-1935''. Southern Nazarene University Press, 1992. * Hughes, Richard T. and William B. Adrian, eds. ''Models for Christian Higher Education: Strategies for Survival and Success in the Twenty-First Century''. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997. See chapter on Point Loma Nazarene College, especially reference to Winchester (354-360). * Ingersol, Stan
Wesleyan/Holiness Women Clergy "Nazarene Roots: Pressing the Vision: Olive Winchester and Northwest Nazarene College"
''Herald of Holiness'' (April 1988): 11. * ________
"Nazarene Women and Religion Sources on Clergy and Lay Women in the Church with antecedent and related materials"
Nazarene Archives and Clergy Services of the Church of the Nazarene, March 2003. * ________
"Our Nazarene Foremothers: Woman in a New World: Olive Winchester’s Life in Theology and Higher Education."
In ''New Horizons: Resources for Nazarene Clergywomen'' (February/March 2002):4-5. * ________
"Strange Bedfellows: The Nazarenes and Fundamentalism"
''Wesleyan Theological Journal'' (Fall 2005). Discusses Winchester's views on evolution and creation. * ________
"Why These Schools? Historical Perspectives on Nazarene Higher Education"
Discusses Winchester, her qualifications and contributions to Northwest Nazarene College. * ________ . "Winchester, Olive May". In ''Historical Dictionary of the Holiness Movement'', 328-329. Ed. William Kostlevy. 2nd ed. Scarecrow Press, 2009. * ________ . "Winchester, Olive May". In ''The Westminster Handbook to Women in American Religious History'', by Susan Hill Lindley and Eleanor J. Stebner. Westminster, John Knox Press, 2008. Page 237. * ________
"Your Daughters Shall Prophesy: Nazarene Women and an Apostolic Ministry"
* Kirkemo, Ronald B. ''For Zion's sake: A History of Pasadena/Point Loma College''. Point Loma, CA: Point Loma Press, 1992. Details Winchester's years teaching at Pasadena College (1935–1947). * Laird, Rebecca. ''Ordained Women In The Church Of The Nazarene: The First Generation''. Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1993. Includes a chapter on Winchester. * ________ . "The Scholarly Journey of The Reverend Doctor Olive Winchester". Heritage Day Lecture. Point Loma Nazarene University, 1996. * MacDonald, Lesley Orr. ''A Unique and Glorious Mission: Women and Presbyterianism in Scotland 1830 to 1930''. John Donald, 2000. * Maddox, Randy

''Wesleyan Theological Journal'' 16. Critiques Winchester's understanding of the aorist and its subsequent misuse by holiness exegetes. * ''New England Historical & Genealogical Register Repository'': Media: Book Page: 79:140. Records details of Winchester's birth. * Noble, T.A. ''Called to be Saints: A Centenary History of the Church of the Nazarene in the British Isles: 1906-2006''. Manchester, UK: Didsbury Press, 2006. See pages 37–40 for Winchester in Scotland, page 44 for photograph, 67, 69, 159, 180, and 201. * Pacific School of Religion. ''Annual Register of the Pacific School of Religion''. Berkeley, CA, 1919. See page 11 for Winchester bio details. * Price, J. Matthew
''We Teach Holiness: The Life and Work of H. Orton Wiley (1877-1961)''
Holiness Data Ministry, Digital Edition (June 29, 2006). * Price, Ross. "Some Data on Miss Olive Winchester," pp. 7–8, in the Olive Winchester profile folder, Olive Winchester Collection, Nazarene Archives, Kansas City, MO. * Price, Ross Eugene. ''H. Orton Wiley: Servant and Savant of the Sagebrush College: A Survey of his Ten Years of Service at Northwest Nazarene College as its President and its Spiritual-Intellectual Leader''. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1967. Details H. Orton Wiley's leadership at NNC (1916–1926), and Winchester's ministry at NNC (1918–1926). * Raser, Harold

''Illustrated Bible Life'' (March–May 1994): 59-62. * Riley, John E
''From Sagebrush to Ivy: The Story of Northwest Nazarene College 1913-1988''
Nampa, ID: Northwest Nazarene College, 1988. * Smith, Hedley. ''The History of Scituate, R.I.'' The Committee, 1976. History of town where PCI was located from 1902. * Smith, Timothy L
''Called Unto Holiness: The Story of The Nazarenes: The Formative Years''
Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1962. * Taylor, Lucille L. ''Tribes and Nations From the South''. Kansas City, MO: Nazarene, 1960. Page 69 references Olive Winchester Memorial Church of the Nazarene. * Thayer, William Roscoe, et al., eds.''The Harvard Graduates' Magazine''. Page 489 records: "Olive Winchester, '02, is a fully matriculated student in the Faculty of Theology of the University of Glasgow, the first woman to study in that ..." * Tink, Fletcher
"Some of Our Best ‘Men’ Are Women"
. Supports position that Winchester was first woman ordained in Scotland. * Whiteford, Jean. "Olive Mary Winchester". ''Trinity College Bulletin'' 14. Glasgow, Scotland: 1997. * ''Who's Who in American Education''. 12th ed. 1945-1946. * Wright, David F. and Gary D. Badcock, eds. ''Disruption to Diversity: Edinburgh Divinity, 1846-1996''. T&T Clark, 1996. Page 247 indicates Winchester was the first woman to be admitted in the BD at Glasgow, and first to be ordained in Scotland.


Archives

Winchester, Dr. Olive. Writings, correspondence, classroom materials. In the Archives of Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California. {{DEFAULTSORT:Winchester, Olive 1879 births 1947 deaths Eastern Nazarene College faculty Radcliffe College alumni American Nazarene ministers People from Monson, Maine Nazarene theologians Northwest Nazarene University faculty Alumni of the University of Glasgow American biblical scholars Converts to Christianity Graduate Theological Union Drew University alumni Point Loma Nazarene University faculty Pacific School of Religion alumni Women biblical scholars