http://www.gordon.edu/womeninleadership/sept19release

• After more than 20 years of advocacy by the Fund for Theological Education and the Association of Theological Schools for women and men of color seeking higher education, we know that, as of December 2012, according to the Association of Theological Schools, in the United States:
  • There were 1,037 white male full-time professors and 514 who were associate professors.
  • There were 232 white female full-time professors and 184 who were associate professors.
  • There were 71 African American male full-time professors and 43 who were associate professors.
  • There were 25 African American female full-time professors and 26 who were associate professors.
  • There were 48 Asian or Pacific Islander male full-time professors and 57 who were associate professors.
  • There were 6 Asian or Pacific Islander female professors and 24 who were associate professors.
  • There were 38 Hispanic male professors and 28 who were associate professors.
  • There were 10 Hispanic female full-time professors and 3 who were associate professors.
  • There were 2 Native American male professors and 2 who were associate professors.
  • There were 0 Native American female professors or associate professors.
• Most women of color in ministry, with the same credentials and experience as their male counterparts, earn less for the same work.
• Women of color are significantly less likely to be called as senior pastors than are men.
• Women of color do not hold the majority of leadership positions in any Protestant denomination, including those that are historically African American.
• According to The Association of Theological Schools, as of fall 2012, among ATS reporting attendance, there were 11,270 men of color attending seminaries in the United States and 7,041 women of color.
• There is not one staffed and funded employment and advocacy group for women of color in ministry, not one!

Three other things are also true:

• Women will continue to enter ministry and seek ministry jobs (in churches and schools).
• Mainline churches and seminaries/divinity schools are shrinking.
• Ministry is changing in form and function, to accommodate global technologies and the needs of twenty-first century parishioners.

Accordingly, now is the time to break the chains of gender discrimination and aid women of color in doing ministry in new and dynamic ministry growth sectors. As this is done, pay equity must become part-and-parcel of traditional employment positions, the new jobs, and new entrepreneurial opportunities.