Rediscovering Josephine Butler: A Journey Of Faith, Courage, And Justice

Paula holding her copy of When Courage calls

By Paula Taylor

Before reading this book, I had only a vague awareness of Josephine Butler. I knew she had spent several years in my hometown of Liverpool, and that alone felt like a good enough reason to explore her story further.

I’ve always been interested in women’s history—the battles fought, the struggles endured, and the courage shown by women who helped shape a better society for those who followed. If we’re honest, many of those struggles haven’t disappeared. As women today, even within the church, we still face challenges that require wisdom, resilience, and faith.

While on holiday, I happened to come across a Spotify interview with Sarah Williams, the author of this book. Hearing her speak about Josephine’s life made me especially keen to read it. What struck me most was the sense that Josephine’s story had almost been forgotten. I’m deeply grateful to Sarah for bringing it back into the light. Josephine has left many footprints on our society today—but I won’t spoil that discovery here. To truly understand what she fought for, you’ll need to read the book for yourself.

One of the most powerful aspects of Josephine’s life was how deeply it was rooted in prayer. Through trials, opposition, and great personal loss, her faith remained central. Reading about this was a real encouragement. She didn’t just speak about faith—she lived it. Her life beautifully reflected the words of scripture: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

This book does require concentration, but that doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. I found that taking it in smaller sections—perhaps a chapter at a time—worked well for me. There were moments when I needed to reread certain passages, but the effort was always rewarded.

One particular story stayed with me. Josephine and her husband, George, had taken into their home a young girl named Mary, who had been a victim of abuse. As they cared for her, George hoped to share Jesus with this young woman. Mary’s response was both simple and profound. She said:

“I have already seen Jesus in the way you have taken me into your home and cared for me like your own daughter.”

That moment captures so much of what this book is about—faith lived out through compassion, justice, and love.

As we read together, it would be wonderful to bring our thoughts, questions, and even the parts we didn’t fully understand. There is so much we can learn from one another along the way.

Why not join the book club and enjoy the journey? Our hope is that by the end of this book, each of us will have gained something valuable—something we can carry into our own lives and live out with the same courage and humility Josephine Butler showed.