We invite you to participate in our 2026 series: 
Unsung Characters

Please register for the events below. Enjoy!

Jane Austen had a high regard for the church. Why, then, does she present Mr. Collins as a buffoon? Why is he so deferential to Lady Catherine, and so proud of his position and his parsonage? Does he typify the neglectful clergyman Edmund Bertram describes in Mansfield Park? We’ll explore Mr. Collins’s words, actions, and character, including his marriage proposal, comparing him to Austen’s other clergymen, satirical cartoons, and Anglican and Evangelical ideals of the time. Brenda S. Cox is the author of Fashionable Goodness: Christianity in Jane Austen’s England. She spent almost ten years researching her own questions about Austen and the church and organizing the information she discovered, making it clear and easy to understand. Fashionable Goodness explores connections between Austen’s work, Austen’s Church of England, and prominent events and people in English Christianity at the time. Brenda writes for Jane Austen’s World; her own blog, Faith, Science, Joy, and Jane Austen; and the magazine Jane Austen’s Regency World. She has spoken on Jane Austen and the church to Austen groups in Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, and various parts of the United States. 🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5607618168750080