Women and leadership in Christian religious organisations: A review of opportunities, barriers, and changes

The role of women in religious organisations has become a dynamic field of scholarly inquiry, especially within Christian traditions where institutional and theological constraints continue to shape the experiences of female leaders. This literature review explores post-millennial academic research on women’s leadership in Christian religious organisations, focusing on, but not limited to: Anglican, Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, and African American churches across the UK, Europe, the United States, and selected international contexts. The review addresses four guiding research questions: What are the opportunities and barriers to women’s leadership? What internal religious and external societal factors shape their leadership trajectories? What are the contemporary battlegrounds for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)? How do women engage in activism and alliances to advance gender justice within and beyond their religious communities?<p></p>