"This book speaks to the intersection of gender and power within American evangelicalism by examining the formation of evangelical leaders in two seminary communities. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary inspires a vision of human flourishing gender differentiation and male headship. Men practice "Godly Manhood," and are taught to act as the "head" of the family, while their wives are socialized into codes of "Godly Womanhood" that prioritized prescribed gender roles. This power structure that prioritizes men yet offers agency to their wives in women-centered spaces and through martial relationships. Meanwhile, Asbury Theological Seminary promises freedom from gendered hierarchies. Appealing to a story of gender-blind equality, Asbury welcomes women into classrooms, administrative offices, and pulpits. But the institution's construction of egalitarianism obscures the fact that women are rewarded for adapting to an existing male-centered status quo rather than for developing their own voices as women. Featuring figures such as high-profile evangelicals such as Al Mohler, Owen Strachan, and Craig Keener along with young seminarians poised to lead the movement in the coming decades, this book illustrates the liabilities of white evangelical toolkits and argues that evangelical culture upholds male-centered structures of power even as it facilitates meaning and identity"--
This book compares gender and power in two American evangelical seminaries in Kentucky - Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Asbury Theological Seminary - and how students at each seminary are formed into their communities' gendered frameworks, along with the role of gendered power dynamics in the cultural processes of religious communities and identities. The author draws on 76 interviews with students, faculty, and administrators at each school; ethnographic observations from classrooms, chapel services, and community events; informal interactions with students and faculty; and analysis of print and online media from each school. She shows that the two seminaries differ in their embracing and resistance to patriarchal hierarchies, detailing the patriarchal structure at Southern Seminary and the gender blindness at Asbury, also showing how women in both communities find it necessary to participate in male centering to succeed. Annotation ©2022 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
This book speaks to the intersection of gender and power within American evangelicalism by examining the formation of evangelical leaders at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Asbury Theological Seminary, arguing that evangelical culture upholds male-centered structures of power even as it facilitates meaning and identity for both men and women.
Stained Glass Ceilings speaks to the intersection of gender and power within American evangelicalism by examining the formation of evangelical leaders in two seminary communities.Southern Baptist Theological Seminary inspires a vision of human flourishing through gender differentiation and male headship. Men practice Godly Manhood," and are taught to act as the "head" of a family, while their wives are socialized into codes of Godly Womanhood" that prioritize prescribed gender roles. This power structure privileges men yet offers agency to their wives in women-centered spaces and through marital relationships. Meanwhile, Asbury Theological Seminary promises freedom from gendered hierarchies. Appealing to a story of gender-blind equality, Asbury welcomes women into classrooms, administrative offices, and pulpits. But the institutions construction of egalitarianism obscures the fact that women are rewarded for adapting to an existing male-centered status quo rather than for developing their own voices as women. Featuring high-profile evangelicals such as Al Mohler and Owen Strachan, along with young seminarians poised to lead the movement in the coming decades, Stained Glass Ceilings illustrates the liabilities of white evangelical toolkits and argues that evangelical culture upholds male-centered structures of power even as it facilitates meaning and identity.
