For generations, The American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem has
been a well-known retreat for journalists, diplomats, pilgrims and
spies. However, few know the story of Anna Spafford, the enigmatic
evangelist who was instrumental in its founding
Branded heretics by Jerusalem’s established Christian
missionaries when they arrived in 1881, the Spaffords and their
followers nevertheless won over Muslims and Jews with their
philanthropy. But when her husband Horatio died, Anna assumed
leadership, shocking even her adherents by abolishing marriage and
establishing an uneasy dictatorship based on emotional blackmail
and religious extremism.
With a controversial heroine at its core, American Priestess
provides a fascinating exploration of the seductive power of
evangelicalism as well as an intriguing history of an enduring
landmark.