While some progress has been made in the area of Black’s women advancement to leadership positions in the Black church, there remains a need to better understand the mechanisms, barriers, and facilitators influencing Black women’s ascent to senior leadership roles within the church. Using surveys and ethnographic methods such as interviews, observation and literature reviews, I seek to interrogate the following: a)Why are women underrepresented in senior leadership roles within the Black church? b) What are the theological, doctrinal, and traditional barriers that contribute to this underrepresentation? c) How can addressing these barriers facilitate greater gender inclusivity in church leadership? d) Finally, How does visibility and leadership of Black women in religious settings shape the experiences and practices of women in the Black church?
Never has this enquiry been more relevant than now when public scrutiny is focused on the ability of a black woman to lead our country. I believe this is a perfect backdrop for this extraordinarily ambitious and audacious project that raises the difficulty and raises the stake for an unforgettably high reward outcome.