Episode 122: Leading in Faith (re-release)
/“My dad’s been pastoring for 30 plus years...I never expected to be able to offer my father resources to very practically help him do his job.”
Rebecca Anderson
“Can I really lead a community? Am I providing a source of comfort or strength to people in need? Am I role model? ”
Danielle Leshaw
“He said, ‘Wow, you’re a shapely chaplain!’ And it was instantaneous. I tried to defuse the situation.”
Adrian Dannhauser
With Easter and Passover approaching, I'm re-releasing one of my favourite episodes from 2015.
It's far more common than it used to be to see women in roles such as rabbi or priest. But these hard-won jobs aren't without their frustrations as well as their triumphs. In this show we meet three women. One went straight to her calling from college, the other two are career-changers. We talk about how women are viewed by the congregation, what you can get away with when you preach, and how getting ahead can still be tougher for women - even within denominations where women are accepted as leaders.
Appearance came up much more than I expected during these interviews. These women have to manage their image just as carefully as any corporate executive.
You can also read a transcript of the show.
Further reading: Rabbi Dannielle Leshaw is now senior educator with Hillel International.
Rebecca Anderson is co-pastor at Gilead Church Chicago, where there's a big emphasis on storytelling.
Adrian Dannhauser is associate rector at the Church of the Incarnation in Manhattan.
You can read more show notes at the original episode page for the show.