Historian’s claims regarding Elisabeth Elliot’s sexuality spark discussion

A recent article by religious historian William Stell has prompted renewed discussion regarding the personal life of the late missionary and author Elisabeth Elliot. Drawing from his book, Born Again Queer, Stell highlights an account provided by Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, a scholar and activist, during a 2020 oral history interview. Mollenkott described a 1975 encounter at the Evangelical Women’s Conference where she confronted Elliot regarding rumors about her sexual orientation.

In the account, Mollenkott claims she challenged Elliot to explain how she knew of her private life, suggesting that Elliot’s response implied a shared experience. Stell argues that this interaction, supported by his research, suggests Elliot may have been bisexual. The claims have drawn attention from those studying evangelical history, though the nature of the interaction remains a subject of interpretation. Biographer Ellen Vaughn, who has extensively researched Elliot’s life and family letters, notes that while historical research continues to evolve, definitive conclusions about Elliot’s private life remain difficult to establish.