Gender Justice 

For 100 years, Baptists have affirmed the ordained ministry of women, and yet the proportion of women Baptist ministers remains disappointingly small.  One of the reasons that might explain this is confusion amongst some Baptist churches and their leaders regarding the legitimacy of women’s ministry.   These resources explore the issue of women in leadership.

Project Violet

Project Violet is named after Violet Hedger, the first Baptist woman to be college trained for ordination.

Project Violet has investigated women’s experiences in ministry whilst developing women ministers. The project has helped us understand more fully the theological, missional, and structural obstacles women ministers face in the Baptist community in Great Britain and identify ways forward.

Participants have been engaged in research and supported in asking questions and seeking answers. They have been accompanied through the project so that their own voice as an advocate for change has developed.

Project Violet is about partnership and has involved our Baptist colleges, Associations and churches as it pursues its agenda of Gender Justice. The project’s theological and practical conclusions are now available here.

Churches and ministers are asked to respond to the requests and you can do that here.
 

Reading Room

You can find book reviews and research here that will help you engage in issues around Gender Justice.
 

A Name to Live Up To

  
In this film Jane Day interviews Helen Pankhurst about what it is like to live up to a famous name and why she continues to be passionate about combating sexism.  Jane relates this to Project Violet which aims to investigate women’s experiences in ministry whilst developing women ministers.

We hope the Baptist community will watch and discuss this film in preparation for the release of the findings of Project Violet