Former colleagues in ministry Ailin Darling and Hannah Glavor reconnect to explore their experiences with gender hierarchy in the evangelical church. By sharing their stories, consulting experts, and unpacking systemic issues, they hope to shed some light on why gender hierarchy can’t represent God’s best for women, the church, or humanity.
Episode Description: Hannah, Kenya, and Ailin wrap up the season with an episode focused on facilitating healthy conversations. What might change and cooperation look like when you're working closely with people who have different perspectives and priorities from your own? Featuring an interview Sebastian Rogers, executive director of Peripheral Vision PDX, which provides films and media training to under-served communities and organizations. Resources from this Episode: Learn more about Peripheral Vision PDX, founded by Sebastian Rogers: https://www.pvpdx.com Criado Perez, Caroline. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. Abrams Press, 2029.
We're working on finalizing the last episodes of this season. While there's no new episode this week, we're excited to return in a couple of weeks with more conversations exploring the importance of gender parity in faith contexts. See you soon!
This week, Ailin and Hannah catch up with Abby, military chaplain and former coworker, to explore some of the strategies often used in complementarian churches to empower women while maintaining a gender-hierarchical position. What are the benefits of these strategies, and what are the challenges? Resources from this Episode:Ferguson, Todd W. “Failing to Master Divinity: How Institutional Type, Financial Debt, Community Acceptance, and Gender Affect Seminary Graduates' Career Choices.” Review of Religious Research (Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 341-363). Sage Publications, Ltd. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43920111 Hinkley, Chesna. “4 Ways Complementarian Churches Can Be Better for Women.” CBE International, 13 December, 2017, https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/4-ways-complementarian-churches-can-be-better-women/
What does it take to create and maintain an equitable work environment, and why does this seem to be particularly difficult in faith-based workplaces? Our guests Ruben & Jen Alvarado, specialists in the fields of pastoral ministry and human resources, share insights into the operational challenges particular to religious organizations, as well as ideas on how to overcome them. Resources from this Episode: Mort, Geoffrey A. “Freedom to Discriminate: The Ministerial Exception Is Not for Everyone – or Is It?” New York State Bar Association, 31 October 2022, https://nysba.org/freedom-to-discriminate-the-ministerial-exception-is-not-for-everyone-or-is-it/ Barna Group. “Excerpt: What Pastors Wish They'd Been Prepared For.” Barna, 19 April, 2023, https://www.barna.com/research/pastors-better-prepared/
This week, join Ailin, Hannah, and Kenya as they continue the conversation from last week about the consequences of speaking up as women in male-dominated settings. The three co-hosts share more stories about their own experiences with voicing concerns about sexism and prejudice in the church. Resources from this Episode: Suggested Recap Episodes: The Billy Graham Rule (Season 1, Episode 2), When We Speak Up (Season 2, Episode 1)
Stained Glass Ceiling is back for another season! Kicking things off, Ailin, Hannah, and guest host Kenya Feldes talk about the backlash women often face when attempting to advocate for themselves in gender-hierarchical environments. Resources from this Episode: Cikara, Mina & Fiske, Susan T. “Warmth, Competence, and Ambivalent Sexism: Vertical Assault and Collateral Damage.” The glass ceiling in the 21st century: Understanding barriers to gender equality (pp. 73–96). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/11863-004 Lewis, Karoline M. “The Truth About Sexism in the Church.” Christianity Today, 20 June 2016, https://www.christianitytoday.com/women-leaders/2016/june/truth-about-sexism-in-church.html Criado Perez, Caroline. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. Abrams Press, 2029.
An all new season of Stained Glass Ceiling is releasing January 2024!
Resources from this Episode: Clem, Bill. Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus. Crossway, 2011.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Campbell-Reed, Eileen. “State of Clergywomen in the U.S.: A Statistical Update.” Eileen R. Campbell-Reed. 2018. https://eileencampbellreed.org/state-of-clergy/ Campbell-Reed, Elieen. “No Joke! Resisting the “Culture of Disbelief” That Keeps Clergy Women Pushing Uphill.” CrossCurrents, Issue 1 vol. 69, 2019. https://www.academia.edu/56422748/No_Joke_Resisting_the_Culture_of_Disbelief_That_Keeps_Clergy_Women_Pushing_Uphill
Resources mentioned in this episode: Connie Baker's website: https://connieabaker.com/ Baker, Connie. Traumatized by Religious Abuse: Courage, Hope and Freedom for Survivors. Luminare Press, LLC, 2019 Baker, Connie. Religious Abuse Recovery Essentials (Online Course): https://connieabaker.com/online-course/
Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Sitzmann, Traci & Campbell, Elizabeth M. “The Hidden Cost of Prayer: Religiosity and the Gender Wage Gap.” Academy of Management Journal Vol. 64, No. 4, 13 Sep 2021, https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/amj.2019.1254 Pappas, Stephanie. “Why women make way less than men do in more religious places.” LiveScience, 17 Nov 2020, https://www.livescience.com/religious-states-wider-gender-pay-gap.html Payscale. “2022 State of the Gender Pay Gap Report.” https://www.payscale.com/research-and-insights/gender-pay-gap/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K0T4ca3jvZMtrQvcCJCxHg3jlfQ1L3q-BBTvOehw5No/edit?usp=sharing
Graham, Billy. “What's the ‘Billy Graham Rule'?” https://billygraham.org/story/the-modesto-manifesto-a-declaration-of-biblical-integrity/
Resources Mentioned in the Episode: Peppiatt, Lucy. Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women: Fresh Perspectives on Disputed Texts. InterVarsity Press, 2019. McKnight, Scot. The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, 2nd Edition. Zondervan, 2018. Wright, N. T. Surprised by Scripture: Engaging Contemporary Issues. HarperOne, 2014.
Former colleagues at a “progressive” Christian church, musician Hannah Glavor and writer Ailin Darling spent years striving to pursue their respective callings in an environment where male leadership was deemed transcultural and ordained by God. Now, they're revisiting their experiences, inviting others to share their stories, and consulting experts to shed light on why gender hierarchy can't represent God's best for women, the church, or humanity.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
