Description
Book Synopsis"We invite you to come with curiosity into this living community of spiritual women, listening deeply as they share their personal stories of how their spiritual journeys have shaped and honed them as leaders.. We do not offer answers to all of the complex questions facing us as a human family, but we invite you to join us as we surrender to the mystery of being open, present and engaged together in these uncertain times." -from the Introduction This empowering resource engages women in an interactive exploration of the challenges and opportunities on the frontier of women's spiritual leadership. Through the voices of North American women representing a matrix of diversity - ethnically, spiritually, religiously, generationally and geographically - women will be inspired to new expressions of their own personal leadership and called into powerful collaborative action.
Trade Review"Showcases [women's spiritual leadership’s] hallmarks: listening and collaboration. Use the provocative, creative suggestions as a practical guide for sharing the insights and extending the reach." —Mary Hunt, co-founder/co-director, Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER); coeditor, New Feminist Christianity: Many Voices, Many Views “An essential tool, an exciting read and a gift on the journey toward a transformed future.” —Dirk Ficca, executive director, Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions “Full of wisdom and speaks the truth on difficult issues.... For people of all faiths—or no faith—it helps spark reflection on how true spirituality for our time can be re-shaped by empowering women.” —Rabbi Elyse Goldstein, editor, New Jewish Feminism: Probing the Past, Forging the Future “Unique, timely and valuable.... Here is a testament to the power of the word, of women, and above all, of faith.” —Azza Karam, PhD, senior adviser, Culture, United Nations Population Fund “A powerful plunge into the views, values and extraordinary endeavors by women on the leading edge of spirituality and leadership.” —Roshi Joan Halifax, founding abbot, Upaya Zen Center “Thought and action provoking ... a resource for women of all walks of life who seek to use the wisdom and knowledge of women to create a culture of peace and well-being for all.” —Mary Wiberg, executive director, California Commission on the Status of Women “A rallying cry for the twenty-first century, as it highlights the vision and activism of women bridging divides ... of faith, class, race and generation to bring real hope, healing and wholeness to our broken world. Women of deep faith and spiritual conviction everywhere owe it to themselves to read this compelling collection.” —The Rev. Dr. Katharine R. Henderson, president, Auburn Theological Seminary “Many religious institutions still hold to explicit glass ceilings that keep women from formal leadership. This obscures women’s extraordinary spiritual roles, their potential to change what we mean by religion and spirituality, and what a spiritual lens can offer to the world’s leading problems. Exploring vital and complex themes like communication and leadership with freshly defined terms, the editors and contributors look to a world governed by new conceptions of power and success. The personal spiritual journeys of a diverse group of women offer glimpses of the types of transformations that women spiritual and religious leaders might bring to society.” —Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University; executive director, World Faiths Development Dialogue “We all long for inspiration and guidance. With enormous sensitivity, Women, Spirituality, and Transformative Leadership gives us gems that are both joyous and poignant. Prepare to be uplifted and transformed!” —Susannah Heschel, Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth College “Call[s] us as women to the urgent task of developing a deep spiritual identity, not for our own good but to better equip us to be agents of transformation in a deeply divided world. Rejoice as you read this inspiring book and ready yourself for transformation.” —The Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, Department of Religion, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua, New York; author, Living into Hope: A Call to Spiritual Action for Such a Time as This “This carefully crafted collection of women’s insights into leadership from a spiritual root goes a long way in connecting the concept of power with the concept of love. Such a linkage stimulates moral courage, encourages social justice and opens one to deeper, more authentic, spiritually grounded relationships.” —Helen LaKelly Hunt, PhD, author, Faith & Feminism: A Holy Alliance; president, The Sister Fund “An important book for this pivotal moment. Its collection of voices embody a non-denominational, invitational and inclusive approach to spirituality, while also addressing the nitty-gritty practicalities and challenges that leadership in this transformative time requires of us. It offers a systemic overview of a landscape we’d all be advised to visit, frequently—that of the intersection of diverse women (and men), reinventing leadership to address a pivotal moment of change in ourselves, our communities and the world, while staying connected to the mystery, or sacred, within and surrounding us all. It offers useful practices and perspectives for how we may cultivate ourselves to return to right relationship with ourselves, each other and the Earth.” —Nina Simons, co-founder/co-CEO, Bioneers “If human civilization is to not only survive but thrive, it will be because of women: radical, gutsy, revolutionary women; women who don’t simply become leaders, but who reinvent leadership; women who don’t simply become clergy, but who reinvent religion and spirituality. We don’t need women taking their place in a man’s world—we need women to topple that world and lead us to a new and better one. The wisdom in Women, Spirituality and Transformative Leadership points us in the direction of a new world with a new heart and a new mind. This book gives me hope.” —Rabbi Rami Shapiro, translator/annotator, The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated and Explained
Table of ContentsA Blessing and an Invitation Ann Marie Sayers and Rachelle Figueroa xi Introduction 1 Exploration I: How Do I Express Being an Empowered Woman of Spirit and Faith? 17 Becoming a Vessel of Peace Lynda Terry 19 But I Thought You Knew the Way: Lessons in Leadership Fredelle Brief 25 Living My Way into Answers Courtney E. Martin 30 Seeing a World Where There Is No "Other" Yoland Trevino 36 Faith in the Transitions of Not Knowing Susan Quinn 40 Practicing Empowerment Karen R. Boyett, MA 45 Living Our Leadership 50 Digging Deeper God Our Father; God Our Mother: In Search of the Divine Feminine Joan Chittister, OSB 60 Exploration II: How Do My Spiritual Values Inform Me about Living with the Challenges and Blessings of Diversity? 73 Buddhism, Women, and Religious Diversity Karma Lekshe Tsomo 77 Faith's Challenges: The One We Seek Jamia Wilson 82 Living My Values Diane Tillman 88 Where Grace Meets Power Reverend Lorenza Andrade Smith 94 Best Friends Forever Jan Booman Saeed 99 God Said: We Have Created You from a Single (Pair) of a Female and Male Shareda Hosein 104 Remembrance, Witness, and Action: Fuel for the Journey The Right Reverend Mary Douglas Glasspool 109 Living Our Leadership 115 Digging Deeper Leading from a Whirlwind: Faith and Courage in a Swiftly Changing World Valarie Kaur 124 Exploration III: How Do We Stand for the Greatness of Each Other? 139 The Wind Is Blowing from the West and Has the Smell of the Sea Adelia Sandoval 141 Mother-Lines of Body, Mind, and Spirit Carol Lee Flinders, PhD 145 Birthing Awake the Dream Alisa Starkweather 151 Kindness Empowers: A Mohawk Skywoman's Journey of Thanksgiving Dawn T. Maracle, MEd, EdD (ABD) 156 In Order to Heal the World, We Have to Stand for Each Other's Greatness, but "First," the Grandmothers Told Her, "You Have to Heal the Wound between Women" China Galland 162 Living Our Leadership 168 Digging Deeper Where Do We Go from Here? Nontombi Naomi Tutu 174 Exploration IV: How Do We Catalyze Our Collective Transformational Power as Women of Spirit and Faith? 185 Living in God's Amazing Grace: The Power of Faith in Leadership Musimbi Kanyoro, PhD 188 Creative Acts of Expression: Catalyzed in Circles Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD 195 A Poetic Response: "The Catalyst" Lisa Anderson 201 The Meta-Civics of Feminine Leadership Dr. Barbara E. Fields 204 Thou Art Goddess: The Return of the Divine Feminine Phyllis W. Curott, JD and HPs 211 Living Our Leadership 216 Reflecting on the Pattern 224 Written in My Bones Kathe Schaaf 224 In Transition Kay Lindahl 227 On Being Advocates, Activists, and Alchemists: Exploring Power on the Way Forward Kathleen S. Hurty, PhD 230 Ever-Evolving Women of Spirit and Faith: Naming, Doing, and Be-ing Reverend Guo Cheen 234 Transformative Leadership Kathe Schaaf, Kay Lindahl, Kathleen S. Hurty, PhD, Reverend Guo Cheen 237 Engaging with Women of Spirit and Faith 240 The Young Leaders Council of WSF 241 The Mentoring Project 241 Local WSF Circles 242 Parliament of the World's Religions 2014 242 WSF in Canada 242 Closing Blessing Rachelle Figueroa 243 Resources and Networks 244 Circle and Dialogue Resources 244 Environment/Ecology 245 Interfaith Organizations 246 Leadership and Partnership Organizations 248 Seminaries and Educational Organizations 249 Women's Organizations 250 Women’s Organizations, Faith Based 253 Jewish Women’s Organizations 257 Muslim Women’s Organizations 258 Young Leaders 258 Acknowledgments 259 Notes 261 Selected Bibliography 264
