Book Nook - Beyond the Stained Glass Ceiling: Women Clergy in a Still-Patriarchal Church

 

Decades after mainline Protestant denominations began ordaining women, it's easy to believe the "stained glass ceiling" had been shattered.

However, a persistent reality remains. Patriarchal structures continue forcing women clergy to navigate a world not built for them. In her upcoming book, Beyond the Stained Glass Ceiling: Women Clergy in a Still-Patriarchal Church (Chalice Press, 2025), Rev. Dr. Alina Gayeuski provides a vital roadmap for those who long to see the church become a true model of God’s liberation. Drawing on powerful stories from women clergy across the United States, Gayeuski moves beyond statistics to name the "hard and holy work" of dismantling sexism. She introduces the concept of "portage"—the exhausting mental and physical energy women must spend to carry their ministries around systemic obstacles—and asks a bold question: What would it look like to build a church where no one has to choose between their call and their selfhood? Beyond the Stained Glass Ceiling is not just a critique; it is a vision of a "feminist church" rooted in abundance rather than scarcity. It offers a path toward a community that values relationship over hierarchy and celebrates the full, beautiful diversity of the body of Christ. "We have come to a point where we need to name the hold that sexism has continued to have on the institution," says Pastor Gayeuski. "We need to build a future shaped by God’s call for equity and justice, one in which the next generation of women clergy will be celebrated and their mothers’ fears will be calmed." Alina Gayeuski is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). She currently serves as the lead pastor at Reformation Lutheran Church in the Philadelphia suburbs, leading an all-female clergy team in a congregation that was originally sparked by the leadership of women. Gayeuski is a past chair and board member of Young Clergy Women International, a global organization supporting over 2,500 clergywomen. Her academic background includes advanced doctoral research into the intersection of theology and gender justice, and she is a dedicated advocate for creating inclusive communities where all of God's people can flourish. Beyond the Stained Glass Ceiling is published by Chalice Press, the leading progressive Christian publisher of books that challenge and inspire communities of faith, and the publishing house of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

About Chalice Press

Chalice Press is an imprint of Chalice Media Group, which works to grow and equip a community that is vibrant and energizing, a worldwide force for justice, peace, inclusion, and multi-faith cooperation.