Women church leaders tell how it is and how it should be – launch of significant new report and recommendations.

March 9 2013, International Women’s Day sees the launch of a significant report, The Leading Question?, addressing issues faced by women in leadership and aspiring to leadership, in churches and ecumenical structures. The report arises from a Women in Leadership Consultation that began in 2011. It reflects the direct experience of women in positions of leadership who came together to explore the issues that had confronted them. The members of the WLC came from different church confessions, bringing a wide diversity of leadership experience, in churches, in ecumenical structures as well as in the secular workplace and politics. The WLC reflected theologically together to identify what developments and actions could lead to ways of being and acting that are fully gender inclusive.

Anthea Sully, co author of the report said, ‘The recommendations of The Leading Question? suggest ways in which the leadership styles of women can be more fully understood and affirmed within the life and structures of church denominations and ecumenical institutions. The hope is for a wider awareness of key concerns and issues identified and experienced by women, and a deeper understanding of actions that need to be taken by churches in order to become truly gender inclusive.’

The Leading Question? and its recommendations will be shared with the churches in Britain and throughout Europe in the hope that there can be a renewed commitment by church and ecumenical structures to make changes in response. You can download the report   here