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Latest News Sep 21, 2022 Imagining Equity The gifts of Christian feminist theology Read More Sep 21, 2022 Meghan Markle is not holding back. Duchess of Sussex has opened up about her personal life. Read More Sep 21, 2022 ARCHETYPES on Spotify Meghan Markle has started a new podcast on Spotify that explores some of the language used to describe women. Read More

Latest News Sep 21, 2022 Imagining Equity The gifts of Christian feminist theology Read More Sep 21, 2022 Meghan Markle is not holding back. Duchess of Sussex has opened up about her personal life. Read More Sep 21, 2022 ARCHETYPES on Spotify Meghan Markle has started a new podcast on Spotify that explores some of the language used to describe women. Read More

< Back ARCHETYPES on Spotify ALW Sep 21, 2022 Meghan Markle has started a new podcast on Spotify that explores some of the language used to describe women. Meghan Markle has started a new podcast on Spotify that explores some of the language used to describe women. The first three are out and available here . Previous Next

Preac H er Sunday Sunday, June 2nd, 2024 The Free Methodist Church ordains women. Sure, you know that. But does your congregation? The next PreacHer Sunday will be Sunday, June 2nd, 2024. FMC women have difficulty getting appointed to senior positions, and when they do, large segments of the church often leave. One reason is that they never see a woman in leadership—or in the pulpit. ​ We need to change that. You can’t accept what you’ve never imagined. You can’t imagine what’s never been. You can’t be what you don’t see. PreacHer Sunday is a joint initiative of the FM network Advocates for Women in Leadership and the Strategic Catalyst for Love Driven Justice. The goal is for every church in the FMC USA to have a woman deliver the main service message at least four times a year. AWL is ready to assist your church in accomplishing this goal in several ways: Suggestions for different ways this goal can be accomplished Suggestions of women who can preach/teach in your church A list of qualities you might look for in women in your congregation who can teach and preach Support for women in your congregation who have gifts of preaching but might be hesitant to speak on a Sunday morning Resources to teach your congregation about the importance and biblical welcome of women in ministry Contact us here to get started.

< Back Imagining Equity Daniel Williams Sep 21, 2022 The gifts of Christian feminist theology Summary:'Christian feminist theology challenges traditional theology and church practices that have restricted half of God's people from serving Go and the church as priests, pastors, teachers, and baptizers. this book offers a constructive argument and biblical examples to suggest a dynamic adaptation and revision of customs in narratives, prophecy, and wisdom, including especially the incarnation and in Jesus's life and teaching. After carefully defining "feminism" and examining the biblical text, the author emphasizes that outsiders and "othered" peoples are represented in the Bible as loved and used by God, even though the privileged have actively discriminated against them and continue to do so both in and out of ecclesial structure. Christian feminists seek to find, listen to, and raise the voices of women and others' experiences through diverse means, in order to contribute to the spread of the gospel, redemption, and justice for all.' Karen Strand Winslow (Author), United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry (U.S.) (Issuing body) Previous Next

< Back Meghan Markle is not holding back. ​ Sep 21, 2022 Duchess of Sussex has opened up about her personal life. Archetypes , the Duchess of Sussex has opened up about her personal life during intimate conversations centered around gender-specific stereotypes and labels. Read the full article in People: https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-biggest-revelations-in-archetypes-podcast/ By Skyler Caruso Previous Next

Abuse and #MeToo See the resources below for understanding, preventing, and responding to abuse in the church. To begin with, the following phrases should be avoided at all cost! Practices to Avoid Cycle of Abuse: When an Abuser Uses the Church by Center for Family Violence Prevention; church version by Kaitlin Shetler ​ ​​How the Misuse of Matthew 18 Bullies Abuse Survivors Into Silence by Russell Meek ​ Why Adult Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse Are Not to Blame by Mark Scheffers ​ What Were You Wearing? Exhibit at DSU dispels myths on sexual assault (video) ​ 4 Problems with Andy Savage’s Apology by Ashley Easter ​ She's Not That into You : how men overrate women's interest ​ How Clergy Sexual Misconduct Happens: A Qualitative Study of First-Hand Accounts by Diana R. Garland & Christen Argueta Resources for Addressing Abuse ​Resources from GRACE: Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment ​ The Mend Project . Many resources, but particularly check out their "Tools for Pastors" on their Tools + Resources page. ​ History of Violence Checklist : an eye-opening list of behaviors that constitute abuse Abuse Prevention Healthy Boundaries videos (English only) and workbooks (English and Spanish). Many other resources are also available through this database of resources on gender-based violence . ​ What You in the Congregation Need to Know about Clergy Misconduct (English and Spanish). ​ How To Raise Strong Girls (and Boys!) in an Age of #MeToo by Jill M. Richardson ​ A Tale of Two Rapes: What Tamar and Bathsheba Teach Us About Power, Consent, and Sexual Violence by Erin Moniz ​ Understanding Sexual Abuse By a Church Leader or Caregiver by the Mennonite Central Committee ​ See also videos on our video page , such as: Theology of Suffering The Danger of Civility Intersectionality ​ Some of our book recommendations will also provide best practices to recognize and avoid abuse.

Coming Up Next Mon, Jul 22 Zoom Summer AWL Event Jul 22, 2024, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM EDT Zoom Coming soon! RSVP

Need Help? ​ If you need immediate help , our team of women is available to support you by brainstorming your next steps, joining you for a confidential meeting or conversation, or stepping in as an advocate, as the situation requires. First Name Last Name Email Choose an option Reason for Contacting Message Send Thanks for contacting us! One of our team members will get back to you within one week.

Articles Articles on issues related to anti-sexism in the church abound. It order to help you find what you need, we have sorted them into the topics below. Each subsequent link will lead you deeper into the topic... Biblical Interpretation and Tradition Is there a particular passage you want to know more about? Click here to learn more. How To's You're convinced that women should be equal partners in the church, but you want to know more about how to make that happen. Click here to learn more. Marriage and Engagement Resources You need resources for your church that support egalitarianism in marriage. Click here to learn more. Abuse and #MeToo Whether you are interested in reading about spousal abuse or clergy abuse, click here to learn more. What else? Is there a topic you don't see here? Let us know! Email

Book Recommendations The books below are linked to Worldcat which will tell you the closest library that owns a copy. You will find links there to purchase the book from various booksellers. You can also recommend that we add a book to this list using the button below. Recommend a book Empowering Women for Service in the Church These books offer support and practical steps for removing barriers to women's empowerment for God-ordained service at home and in the church. When Women Lead When Women Lead: When Women Lead: Embrace Your Authority, Move Beyond Barriers, and Find Joy in Leading Others Author: Carolyn Moore ​ Rev. Dr. Moore adds something to the conversation of women in church (or any) leadership by positing that we unfairly position women for failure when we fail to notice that they lead differently and in different situations than men. If we force molds written only for men, we fail these women in empowering them to the best extent possible. With much scholarship and data to back her up, she offers a better way. Together in Ministry Together in Ministry: Women and Men in Flourishing Partnerships Author: Rob Dixon One of the best resources we have found so far, this book offers practical steps for developing mixed gender ministries. Buried Talents Buried Talents: overcoming gendered socialization to answer God's call Author: Susan Harris Howell ​ After describing the messages girls absorb from our culture that hinder them from pursuing their call as adult women, the book provides direction for overcoming these barriers. An important book for both men and women. Redeeming Power Redeeming Power: understanding authority and abuse in the church Author: Diane Langberg ​ A biblical examination of the use and misuse of power in the church On Repentance and Repair On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World Author: Danya Ruttenberg ​ A rabbinical process for repentance with much to teach us today. Helpful for deciding how to make repairs for past sinful behaviors marginalizing women. God's Protection of Women God's Protection of Women: when abuse is worse than divorce Author: Herb Vander Lugt ​ A biblical argument in favor of divorce in cases of abuse. The link allows you to download a free copy. Athena Rising Athena Rising: how and why men should mentor women Authors: W. Brad Johnson, David Smith ​ Tools, techniques and reminders for how and why men should mentor women . Note that the military language and some assumptions of men’s (weaponized) incompetence are off-putting, but this book offers many sound principles. You can get a list of the book's principles here . Developing Female Leaders Developing Female Leaders: Navigate the Minefields and Release the Potential of Women in Your Church Author: Kadi Cole ​ Great help particularly for men who want to develop women leaders. However, the wonderful material is mixed in with some problematic opinions or advice. Biblical and Practical Support for Women in the Church These books analyze both the Bible and US culture around the topic of empowering women in the church. I'm Still Here I'm Still Here: black dignity in a world made for whiteness Author: Austin Channing Brown ​ A first-person description of the white evangelical church's ongoing barriers to the beloved community. Liberating Tradition Liberating Tradition: women's identity and vocation in Christian perspective Author: Kristina LaCelle-Peterson ​ This book provides biblical support and discussion for a liberating place for women in ministry and marriage. Required reading for any pastor who works in a denomination that ordains women. See a detailed review here . Imagining Equity Imagining Equity: the gifts of Christian feminist theology Author: Karen Strand Winslow ​ A deft reclamation of the word "feminist" and an analysis of the place of the marginalized in the Bible that undergirds the empowerment of women today. This Holy Calling This Holy Calling: Daily Wisdom from Women in Ministry Authors: Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy ​ Six months of daily reflections by and for women in ministry. Past and Present These books offer histories, both recent and from early Christianity, to help us understand the roles women took in the past and how our current church culture was shaped. The Making of Biblical Womanhood The Making of Biblical Womanhood: how the subjugation of women became gospel truth Author: Beth Allison Barr ​ The fairly recent history of the marginalization of women in the church I Bring the Voices of My People I Bring the Voices of My People: a womanist vision for racial reconciliation Author: Chanequa Walker-Barnes ​ A clear-eyed look at the history of racism in the evangelical movement, its effects on African-American women in particular, and their importance in the journey towards reconciliation. Stained Glass Ceilings: How Evangelicals Do Gender and Practice Power Stained Glass Ceilings: How Evangelicals Do Gender and Practice Power Author: Lisa Weaver Swartz ​ For Free Methodists in particular, this comparison of the practices of gender and power at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with those at Asbury Theological Seminary reveals some of the less overt patterns that continue to bar women from flourishing in the FMC. Jesus and John Wayne Jesus and John Wayne: how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation Author: Kristin Kobes Du Mez ​ The history of the worship of power and masculinity in white evangelical churches. Daughters of the Church Daughters of the church: women and ministry from new testament times to the present Authors: Ruth Tucker, Walter L. Liefeld ​ Setting the record straight on the vitality of women's leadership from the early church to today. Nobody's Mother Nobody’s Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament Author: Sandra L. Glahn ​ Dr Glahn has made much sense out of Paul’s inexplicable statement in Timothy about women being saved through childbirth. She also explores the reasons Paul probably included the verses on women learning in silence. Drawing on evidence regarding the Artemis cult and its effects in Ephesians, she presents an excellent case. Biblical Interpretation and Theology Particularly important for those who preach, these resources raise awareness of the importance and pitfalls of certain texts and theologies for women's Shalom. Womanist Midrash Womanist Midrash: a reintroduction to the women of the Torah and the throne Author: Wilda Gafney ​ Using her sanctified imagination, the author gives us stories, prayers and laments for each women of the Hebrew Bible, named and unnamed. She Who Is She Who Is: the mystery of God in feminist theological discourse Author: Elizabeth A. Johnson ​ A biblical theology of God from a woman's perspective. Women's Bible Commentary Women's Bible Commentary, 3rd edition Authors: Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, Jacqueline E. Lapsley ​ Written by women scholars, this commentary offers the same interpretation of the Bible as any other, but does not omit to discuss aspects of the text of relevance to women. Also Recommended: Maelstrom - Carolyn Custis James The Cross and Gendercide - Elizabeth Gerhardt Women, Abuse and the Bible - Catherine Clark Kroeger and James R. Beck

Hello Our next AWL (advocacy for FM women in leadership) is coming up on Thursday evening, April 27, 8-9pmET We will meet to talk about telling our stories. ​ Now, we will not be telling our stories, except for the speakers. But the stories of our journeys into ordination and into leadership in the church are important. Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes points out that we need to have places where we can tell those stories without having to worry about someone else’s feelings, where we can simply and honestly feel our own. ​ So—think about your stories and the places you have and have not been able to tell them. What were the barriers? How is telling those stories important to you? Have other people tried to tell your story, and how has that gone? Have you tried to tell your story and what was the result? Who Tells Your Story? Jill Richardson's blog post on Telling Our Stories Laura Hunt's sermon on Telling Our Stories "Seriously?" Men try to tell women's stories Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's talk: "The Danger of a Single Story"--the rest of the story Holy Calling: Daily Wisdom from Women in Ministry Submit Story for AWL Blog Anonymous posts on our blog are ways to let the FMC know about some of the injustices in our midst without threatening people's positions, careers, or futures. Who Tells Your Story?