Christian Conservatives, Looking to Mobilize Women, Turn to a Biblical Queen

The biblical story of Esther, the Jewish orphan who became queen and bravely saved her people, has been a potent symbol for women and girls, a call to lead a life of courage, sacrifice and purpose.Sojourner Truth invoked Esther as she fought for women’s rights and civil rights.Hillary Clinton, when running for president in 2008, named Esther’s story as a favorite.

And prominent Black pastors have used her story to galvanize support for Vice President Kamala Harris as she seeks the White House.On Saturday at the National Mall in Washington, the queen’s story will be marshaled once again, this time by a group of conservative and largely charismatic Christians, who have urged followers to attend “A Million Women: an Esther Call to the Mall.”They hope to mobilize women followers, just weeks before the election, to turn America back to God — and toward issues they care about, which also align with former President Trump’s presidential campaign.“We just believe that there’s a crisis,” said Laura Zavala Allred, an organizer of the event.God, she said, has called modern-day Esthers “for such a time as this,” referencing the story’s most well-known phrase....