Growing up in the church, I never saw a woman behind the pulpit. For much of my childhood, until I was a teenager, it never occurred to me that women could even serve in such a role.
Even when I first encountered the idea, the concept felt distant, almost revolutionary. While much has changed since those days, many denominations still struggle to fully embrace women’s leadership in the church.
In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month to remember, honor and celebrate the achievements women have made throughout the history of the United States. Women have made profound contributions within the church and the broader theological landscape, often at great personal cost. Yet their stories are too often overlooked or forgotten.
I have been reflecting on a few of these women, ancient and modern, whose lives and work continue to inspire me and countless others.
Perpetua (AD 181-203) was one of the first female North African martyrs. She lived in Carthage as a young mother under the Roman Empire and was killed by the sword when she refused to recant her faith.
Monica (331-387) was Augustine’s mother. She was a woman of prayer whose Christian faith influenced her family to become Christians.
Moving to more modern times, we cannot forget the work of Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), who was enslaved in New York for the first 28 years of her life. She suffered greatly, and one day experienced a vision where God told her to walk away from enslavement. She joined other abolitionists to give powerful speeches against enslavement and advocating for women’s rights.
Truth’s faith was the foundation of her activism. Her story is a powerful reminder that the church’s mission is not confined to the walls of a sanctuary. It extends into the world, calling us to fight for justice and dignity for all.
Sallie McFague and Elizabeth A. Johnson are two feminist theologians who have paved the way for others to pursue their own theological journeys.
McFague, an eco-feminist scholar, invited us to see the world and our place within it through a new lens. She helped us recognize metaphorical language and how it shapes how we see the world. She challenged us to view the world as God’s body, allowing us to reimagine what we do to the Earth. McFague has inspired my work, notably my forthcoming book, “Earthbound.”
I met McFague while visiting the Vancouver School of Theology, which was a humbling and transformative experience. She had retired and was a visiting scholar, and I was a recent Ph.D. graduate. McFague’s kindness and encouragement, especially her gratitude for my review of her book, left an indelible mark. That moment, 20 years ago, reminded me of the power of mentorship and the importance of lifting the next generation of thinkers and leaders.
Elizabeth A. Johnson has reshaped how we talk about God. Her groundbreaking book, She Who Is, earned the prestigious Grawemeyer Award and challenged traditional, male-dominated language about the divine.
As a young Ph.D. student at the University of St. Michael’s College, I attended one of Johnson’s lectures, and her words were a revelation. She permitted me to explore feminine images of God, such as Sophia (Divine Wisdom), and to embrace a more expansive, inclusive understanding of the divine. I have admired Johnson since my Ph.D. studies, and had the honor of hosting her on my Madang podcast.
Johnson’s work reminds us that all human language about God is limited and that by drawing from a richer, more diverse vocabulary, we can begin to grasp the fullness of who God is. Her most recent book, “Come, Have Breakfast,” ties new images of God with the ecological crisis.
Women whom I admire and look up to showing kindness and grace mean all the world to me.
From the beginning, women have been integral to the life of the church, not as passive participants but as active, courageous and transformative leaders. Women who followed, supported and bore witness to Jesus’s life, death and resurrection were at the heart of his ministry.
They were there when many of his male disciples fled. They were the first to arrive at the tomb on that pivotal Easter morning, the first to encounter the risen Christ, and the first to proclaim the good news.
In a culture where women’s testimony was often dismissed, it is profoundly significant that God chose women to be the first heralds of the most transformative event in human history. Their faithfulness and courage laid the foundation for the church’s mission.
Women have been essential actors, believers and thinkers in the church. Yet, too often, their stories have been minimized or erased.
This Women’s History Month, I hope we can take time to remember and celebrate the profound impact women have had—and continue to have—on the church, our communities and our world. Their contributions are not just historical footnotes; they are a living legacy challenging us to imagine a more inclusive, equitable and compassionate future.
As we honor these women, let us also commit to creating spaces where the voices of women—past, present and future—are not only heard, but celebrated.
This means lifting up the stories of women in Scripture and throughout church history, but it also means advocating for the full inclusion of women in leadership roles today. It means listening to women’s experiences, amplifying their voices and ensuring that they have a seat at the table where decisions are made.
It means challenging theologies and practices that diminish women’s roles and embracing a vision of the church that reflects the radical inclusivity of the gospel. In doing so, we honor the fullness of God’s creation and the boundless possibilities of what the church can become.
The church is not a static institution. It is a living, breathing community called to reflect the love and justice of Christ in the world.
When we embrace the gifts and leadership of women, we are a step closer to realizing that vision—a church where all are valued, empowered and free to live out their God-given calling. This is not just a task for Women’s History Month, but a lifelong commitment to building a church that truly embodies the kingdom of God.
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