Sarah Sentilles enters the lives of female ministers—women of various ages and races, in a range of churches—to paint the first real portrait of what it’s like to serve as a woman of faith today. Sometimes triumphant, sometimes hilarious, sometimes painful, their stories take us from their calls to the pulpit through their ordinations and service in congregations. These women show us how churches can be more welcoming to the women who are their lifeblood. And in women’s inspiring determination to perform the ministry to which they are called, no matter what the obstacles, we see the future of the church itself.
REVIEWS:
“A must read for any woman—anyone—who cares about women in the church today.”
— Karen L. King, author of The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle
“Sensitively written, provocatively insightful and filled with autobiographical integrity, Sarah Sentilles’s brilliance in this book calls all religious institutions to a new consciousness about gender issues. Not only do I recommend it to all women seeking positions in the Church, but even more importantly for all those in authority in a still sexist ecclesiastical world.”
— John Shelby Spong, author of Jesus for the Non-Religious
“This courageous, deeply moving, and beautifully written book should be required reading for all clergy and members of Christian churches.”
— Margaret R. Miles, author of The Word Made Flesh: A History of Christian Thought