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.
You can read SCBA's commitment to the Project Violet recommendations
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
Resources for Worship/Teaching
Churches and Missional Meetings have been exploring how to include women’s voices from the bible in their services and small groups. We have put some of these resources together for you to use in your settings.
"Jobs for Girls"
Written by Revd Emma McPhail from Gosport Baptist Church, this dissertation is an exploration of New Testament women demonstrating the 'Fivefold Ministry' functions of Ephesians 4:11, and implications for the Church today.
The paper can be downloaded
here