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The Challenge of Women Clergy –Inside and Outside of their Ministry LocationREV. DR. EVALINA HUGGINS, PRESENTERREV. SHARON BROWNING, D.MIN CANDIDATEWomen Clergy And Resilence

Objectives:• We will explore quickly the resilience of both Ruth and Naomi, with emphasis on Ruth the Moabite• We will look at the characteristic of biblical resilience displayed in the biblical narrative• We will dialogue together about new learnings and undiscovered learnings of resilience• THEN, we will explore the challenges of Women Clergy inside and outside of their ministry locationsPART APART B

RESILIENCE BIRTHED OUT OF ADVERSITYFor many women whether clergy or not, in their being is the innate ability to demonstrate resilience. Resilience can be defined in various ways but for this presentation RESILIENCE as defined by the American Psychological Association (APA) is “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress…The operative word for this presentation is the ability to process, learn, and adapt in the face of trauma, whether perceived or real.

RESILIENCE BIRTHED OUT OF ADVERSITYRuth’s Resilience Emerges QuietlyWhile Naomi and Ruth rely on each other in the face of adversity, Ruth’s resilience is often overshadowed by the death of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, and her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. Ruth’s resilience cannot be overlooked because she faced cognitive dissonance in her faith, family, and future. Did you know that Ruth was perhaps a Moabite princess? Ruth’s family line goes back to Eglon, king of Moab. This same Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David. This is significant because Moabites were considered enemies of the Israelites for ten generations.

Ruth's faithfulness to Naomi and her willingness to give up her family, her faith (idolatry), and her future as a member of the royal court wAS traumatic. Can you imagine the adversity she faced? And yet, she was strong enough to adapt to a new family, a new faith, and a new future with Naomi. Ruth learned to adapt, and because of her resilience, she was later blessed with a son who would become the grandfather of King DavidRESILIENT RUTH

The Challenge of Black Women in the Church

THE CHALLENGE OF WOMEN CLERGYYOUDespite popular images of black women, their lived reality is often subordination, denigration, and a presence without a voice. “African American women have been the victims of the longest, most sustained cultural assault experienced by any racial-ethnic gender group,” according to Cheryl Wilkes Townes.

THE CHURCH A REFLECTION OF THE CULTUREThe culture in which a black woman exists perceives her as “angry, hostile, aggressive, loud, too straightforward, overbearing, illogical, ill-tempered and bitter. All of these descriptors are deeply rooted in American culture and date back to chattel slavery. Black women must deal with the color of their skin and their unique personality among whites, which is oppressive. Among her own people, her sexuality and strength threaten the black male’s masculinity in some cases, and she is subjugated, dismissed, and exploited. We accept the dominant culture as normative and it is not.

While the Black church supports and encourages the Black woman, it also disenfranchises her by creating barriers and challenges that limit her growth and leadership. Women in ministry in the Black church face:❖ Gender disparity – female stereotypes of inferiority, emotional, ❖ Critical Race Feminism, which focuses on feminism and race-racial and gender subjugation, is invisible because it is either denied, downplayed, or not taken seriously (Allen & Lewis, 2016)❖ Perceived as weak leaders❖ Lack of training and mentoring❖ Abuse of power by male leaders, misogyny, or prejudice against women❖ Misinterpretations of Scripture citing Eve in the Book of Genesis and declarations made by the Apostle Paul in the Book of 1 Timothy, which are frequently cited as proof positive that women should not preach.RESILIENCEPERSISTS

KEYS TO RESILIENCE FOR BLACK CLERGY WOMEN• Find your voice, listen to it, and trust the sound of it…• Support other women and leadership because you are destined to take her place.• Be authenticly yourself• Face your fears with hope and optimism• Are you your Sista’s Keeper? • Establish truth-telling spaces to discuss with other women who share in adversity, learn from it, and adapt, which is the definition of resilience.

RESILIENCE EXERCISESWhat do you see in other black clergywomen that is a reflection of yourself?

Closing Discussion and Comments• Ruth’s quiet resilience to leave the familiar for morePerserverance• Be aware of the barriers women in ministry face and tear them down. Adapt• Do not allow the culture or church to define nor write your narrativeVoice