Women in Church Leadership 2: Scrutiny

Tent Talks with Dr Stephen Backhouse

This is the second episode of the new series "Women in Church Leadership." Today's episode is about the scrutiny women face as leaders and the issues they thought they would have been able to move passed by this point in their careers. If you have degrees and years of experience in your area of expertise should women still expect men to disrespect them? If you are at a retreat with male colleagues can you expect to take a dip in the pool or hot tub or would that be too scandalous? Will women forever be distinguished as "too emotional" and "irrational" for leadership and does ministry work always have to be one big "pissing contest" if men are involved?

Chris interviewed four women from different backgrounds asking them each the same questions about their experiences as women and leaders in the Church. He talks to Abbi Nye, archivist at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and researcher with CFCToo and ACNAToo, Dr. Emily McGowin, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College and canon theologian for the Anglican Diocese C4SO, Joy Qualls, dean and associate professor at Biola University, and April McClure Stewart, pastor of MCC Disciples of Christ and Executive Director for her denomination's school of ministry.

Our theme song for this series is "Deborah's Song" by Rachel Wilhelm, which can be streamed anywhere or purchased here.

You can find out more about our interviewees at their websites and on social media:

Abi Nye, CFCToo, ACNAToo

Emily McGowin (Twitter) ("If Women Can Be Saved, The Women Can Be Priests"—the article on women's ordination referenced in this episode) (Quivering Families—Emily's book on the Quiverfull movement & God and Wonder—recent book on theology and the arts)

Joy Qualls (Twitter) (God Forgive us For Being Women—Joy's book on female pastors in the Pentecostal tradition)

April McClure Stewart (School For Ministry)

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