Women's Path into Ministry: Six Major Studies

by Edward C. Lehman, Jr.

In a review of six major studies on clergywomen, Edward Lehman argues that women's ordination is one of the most significant recent developments in American religion, fostering change in churchgoers' attitudes toward women in leadership and expanding the concept of ministry beyond the local congregation. Drawing upon research conducted between 1982 and 1998, Lehman sketches the broad outlines of a woman's "career path" into ministry, from seminary and ordination through parish placement, and examines such factors as collegiality, ministry style, and the influence of female pastoral leadership on congregants, denominations, and culture.

Chapter 1, "Studies of Women in Ministry," identifies and briefly summarizes the six studies, which are the primary source of current knowledge about women clergy and their experiences in the American church. In addition, Lehman offers a short overview of the women-in-ministry movement, along with some current statistics on the status of clergywomen.

Chapter 2, "Seminary and Ordination," finds that the available research presents a relatively coherent, and even optimistic, situation: women have successfully navigated seminary education, and, at the same time, have introduced many changes in theological education. Despite female success in seminary, however, some denominations still resist or refuse to accept women as pastoral leaders. The major factor distinguishing various churches' acceptance or rejection of women's ordination appears to be their response to modern secular humanism and its emphasis on the intrinsic value of the individual, whether male or female.

Chapter 3, "The Placement Process," offers a detailed and often bleak assessment of clergywomen's continuing struggle to find positions. Research shows that it takes women longer to find a job, and that men still command higher salaries than women. In addition, women are rarely offered "high steeple" churches, serve as assistants longer, receive fewer benefits, and rarely rise to executive levels. Consistently more men than women are placed in jobs that offer more prestige, autonomy, and remuneration.

Chapter 4, "Getting Along on the Job," demonstrates that women experience more role strain than do men and continue to struggle against negative attitudes from laity regarding their call. Surprisingly, clergywomen report general satisfaction with and support from their male peers and denominational executives. Since, however, clergywomen have greater daily contact with resistant church members than with supportive colleagues, they are apt to feel more discouraged and embattled in ministry than are male clergy. Lehman calls upon male clergy and denominational administrators to do a better job of educating lay church members and validating clergywomen's call to ministry.

Chapter 5, "Differences in Ministry Style," assesses research on a controversial question: whether distinctive masculine and feminine styles of ministry exist. Lehman's survey suggests that the data gives "a split verdict" on the issue and no "simplistic answer" can be offered to the question of sex difference in pastoral ministry. In general, some evidence exists to suggest that some men and women conduct ministry differently in terms of power, ethics, and decision making. But no evidence has been found to support the existence of gender differences in terms of authority, status, preaching, interpersonal style, and dealing with social issues.

Chapter 6, "The Impact of Clergy Women," presents Lehman's conclusions, a discussion of "setbacks and backlash," and an overview of "possible futures" for both clergywomen and the denominations they serve. Lehman contends that the position of those who discriminate against women in the church is incompatible with core Judeo-Christian values of justice, freedom, and other-centered love. Ironically, secular institutions such as politics, industry, business, law, education, and sports, are doing a better job of applying those values than are churches that subordinate women as a matter of policy. As more church members recognize that discrepancy between Christian values and exclusionary policies, church structures will continue to open up to women, Lehman predicts, though that may take a generation or even a century to occur.

Lehman's report also includes four responses from clergy.

The Rev. J. Elise Brown, a Lutheran pastor in New York, focuses on (1) the distinction between personal failures and systemic roadblocks and how to help women clergy distinguish between the two (2) the need to train the laity to respond to women clergy theologically, emotionally and practically, and (3) the need to rethink assumptions that equate a large church with a successful pastorate.

The Rev. Dr. Mary Jane Hitt, a Presbyterian pastor in Pennsylvania, argues the church should not ground the debate over gender equity in terms of the larger secular society. Instead, the church should reexamine and rethink the whole notion of successful ministry by drawing upon the uniquely Christian gospel of "a world turned upside down by Jesus Christ."

The Rev. Charlene Kammerer, Bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, points out among other things the need for women clergy to stay connected with one another in order to serve effectively in ministry. She notes that once unimaginable changes have occurred, but that important challenges continue, particularly in breaking through the glass ceiling that blocks women's elevation to senior pastor positions.

Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods, a judicatory executive with the American Baptist Churches of Ohio, praises Lehman's review for providing a comprehensible framework for understanding the status of clergywomen in America and offers comments, critiques and suggestions in five areas: calling, justice, pastoral care, and the future of clergy women.