A Different View from the Pulpit: The Life Stories of Female Episcopal Priests A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Nancy R. Wemm March 2009 © 2009 Nancy R. Wemm. All Rights Reserved. This dissertation titled A Different View from the Pulpit: The Life Stories of Female Episcopal Priests by NANCY R. WEMM has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by Jerry L. Miller Associate Professor of Communication Studies Gregory J. Shepherd Dean, Scripps College of Communication ii ABSTRACT WEMM, NANCY R., Ph.D., March 2009, Communication Studies A Different View from the Pulpit: The Life Stories of Female Episcopal Priests (267 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Jerry L. Miller The purpose of this work is to examine the personal narratives used by female Episcopal priests to validate and explain their work and their relationship with the organization to which they belong. Communication scholars recognize that organizational members use narratives or stories to understand the institution to which they belong (Czarniawska, 1997). Narratives are shared among the members to compare experiences, to create culture, and to indoctrinate new members. The Episcopal Church also makes vocational narrative one of the criteria for membership. The Episcopal Church was the last mainline protestant religious organization to accept women as members of the clergy and clerical offices. The federal government of the United States does not regulate hiring practices because the separation of church and state exempts religious organizations from mandated inclusionary hiring. In 1974, a self-identified ad hoc group of women participated in an irregular ordination in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to protest this discriminatory condition, and force a reluctant system to recognize their calling to the priesthood. Since then, female priests have had experiences which are formulated into narratives which need to be acknowledged and analyzed. The women who participated in this study were from the north central to mid-Atlantic regions; their ages ranged from mid-twenties to over seventy. They have served the church in roles ranging from deacons, vicars, counselors, to bishop and Presiding Bishop. Their narratives encompass iii such topics as recognition of the vocation, training and education, seminary experiences, leadership styles and concerns, family concerns, as well as harassment and discrimination. Their life stories closed with discussions about their current situations and again most of them had achieved a degree of satisfaction, respect, and recognition within their chosen field. They shared stories about their congregations and families which illustrated a personal satisfaction or appreciation for their current situation. This does not mean that several do not have goals or interest in moving up in the organization, but that they acknowledge what they have achieved so far. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Jerry L. Miller Associate Professor of Communication Studies iv DEDICATION This work is dedicated to Walter and Wilma Raach who instilled curiosity and perseverance in me, to Stephanie and Alex who prove that there is a brilliant future for all of us because of exceptional men and women like them, and most of all, to Dennis, my sanctuary and my patient, indomitable, and eternal partner. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank the many people who made this dissertation possible, especially Dr. Jerry Miller, Dr. Claudia Hale, Dr. Caryn Medved, and Dr. Adah Ward Randolph. Without them, I could never have completed this work. I cannot sufficiently express my appreciation of the women who generously shared their time, openness, and their stories. I was constantly amazed by their devotion, sincerity, and courage. And a special thanks to Beth Burkowski for her assistance transcribing interviews. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Dedication ........................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. vi List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... x List of Figures .................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Why Study Female Priests ............................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: The History of Women’s Ordination: An Episcopalian Standpoint ................. 8 Anglican Roots ............................................................................................................ 8 The Feminist Heritage ................................................................................................. 9 The Organizational Structure of the Contemporary Episcopal Church .................... 14 History of Episcopal Women’s Ordination Crusade................................................. 20 Secular and Pop Culture Influence............................................................................ 29 Chapter 3: The Priesthood and the Female Supplicant ..................................................... 34 Gender Communication Considerations ................................................................... 36 Deployment Issues .................................................................................................... 42 Leadership Concerns ................................................................................................. 44 Gender and Organization .......................................................................................... 46 Objections and Rejections ......................................................................................... 50 The Gender Question ................................................................................................ 54 Career and Occupational Issues ................................................................................ 57 vii Religion and Social Activism ................................................................................... 65 Feminist Theological Aspects ................................................................................... 68 An Organizational Transmutation ............................................................................. 70 Grounds and Motivation for this Inquiry .................................................................. 74 Chapter 4: Life Story Research ......................................................................................... 79 Life Story .................................................................................................................. 82 Interview Structure and Questions ............................................................................ 88 Data Collection and Analysis .................................................................................... 91 The Participants ........................................................................................................ 94 Chapter 5: Their Stories .................................................................................................... 98 Recognizing the Call to Serve ................................................................................... 99 Invited into the Club ............................................................................................... 113 Two Priests, One Marriage ..................................................................................... 119 Learning Performance Skills ................................................................................... 123 Stories of Status, Authority, and Leadership .......................................................... 136 Dressing for Success ............................................................................................... 151 Hostility and Harassment ........................................................................................ 164 What’s in a Name? .................................................................................................. 173 Chapter 6: The Moral of Their Stories and the Creation of a Narrative ......................... 181 Did You Call? ......................................................................................................... 184 The Role of Priest ................................................................................................... 189 Authority, Power, and Leadership .......................................................................... 195 viii Impression Making ................................................................................................. 200 Marriage and the Priest ........................................................................................... 205 Rejection, Hostility, and Harassment ...................................................................... 209 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 217 Appendix A: An Abbreviated Chronology of Women’s Ordination .............................