By Linda Brooks
Women have made great progress in business and politics, but in the world of male-dominated religious faiths, acceptance in leadership roles is still difficult to achieve, although slow change is happening.
That was one of the conclusions drawn at a Dec. 9 panel discussion of “Women’s Evolving Influence in Male-led Faiths,” sponsored by the Associated Press, Religion News Service and TheConversation.org.
In 1974, the Episcopal Church was one of the earliest Christian denominations to ordain women, a move that was very controversial. In 1988, Barbara Harris was the first woman elected as a bishop.
Women’s voices are heard in other faith organizations but without the legitimacy of ordination or title, their voices are not heard or accepted at the same level as their male counterparts.
