Changing Church

Through the fascinating stories of pioneering ministers, this book reveals a unique picture of progressive changes occurring in the Christian tradition. Meeting challenges and overcoming obstacles, these twelve diverse ministers are changing the church as they take prophetic stands on gender, race, interfaith cooperation, ecology, sexual orientation, economic opportunity, and other social justice issues. Believing in the power of sacred symbolism to shape social reality and toprovide a foundation for justice and freedom for all people, these ministers lead worship with inclusive language and imagery for humanity and divinity. They include multicultural female and male images of the Divine. Their stories affirm the connection between this expansive theology and an ethic of justice and equality in human relationships. In working from within to change the church, these ministers have risked censure by denominational authorities, loss of opportunities for promotion to larger congregations or to prestigious denominational positions, and even loss of their jobs. They have found creative ways to balance advocating for change and working to support the church, using their positions as ordained clergy to bring liberating change to the church and the wider culture. ""I know of no other book like this. Jann Aldredge-Clanton not only convincingly shows why our language and imagery for God must include the feminine as well as the masculine, but she also shows how such inclusiveness can be introduced and implemented in our churches. And she does it through wonderful real-life stories. Wholeheartedly recommended."" -Letha Dawson Scanzoni Editor of Christian Feminism Today co-author of All We're Meant to Be: Biblical Feminism for Today ""These are stories that need to be told, that have been waiting to be told, so that women and men embarking on this journey know that others have been there before them, have faced some of the same challenges and struggles, and have found ways to be both faithful and emancipating. But most of all, we need to know these stories so that women's history in the church is not, once again, lost and forgotten and denied."" -Marjorie Procter-Smith Perkins School of Theology author of The Church in Her House: A Feminist Emancipatory Prayer Book of Christian Communities ""What does it mean to transform Christian language for prayer and liturgy to really include female symbols for the divine? This is the question Jann Aldredge-Clanton asked in writing this book. To answer this question she did interviews with twelve innovative ministers from seven denominations. These interviews give compelling testimony of the transformation that happens for religious communities when language for God is really affirmed in both genders."" -Rosemary Radford Ruether Claremont Graduate University author of Integrating Ecofeminism, Globalization, and World Religions Jann Aldredge-Clanton, PhD, ordained minister and chaplain, is an adjunct professor at Perkins School of Theology and at Richland Community College in Dallas, Texas. She is the author of numerous books, including Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians (2006); Seeking Wisdom: Inclusive Blessings and Prayers for Public Occasions (2010); Praying with Christ-Sophia: Services for Healing and Renewal (2007); and God, a Word for Girls and Boys (2007).