I was looking through the files of Research Services the other day when I came across a project with the title of "Pastors' Wives Study." When do you think it was done? I was bit surprised when I saw the date: 1977. Less than 25 years ago. I got out a Presbyterian Panel survey from that era and learned that, indeed, 99 percent of pastors were men in the mid-1970s.
By the mid-1980s, the situation had begun to change. Women were 9 percent of all ministers in 1985. As the figure shows, women were only a small proportion of pastors and co-pastors at that time, 4 percent, but were 22 percent of associate and assistant pastors and 22 percent of other active ministers (non-parish clergy and those, such as interims and stated supply, with temporary parish calls).
Over the next 15 years, women continued to increase their relative share, reaching 25 percent of active ministers in 2000. The least growth over this period was for pastors and co-pastors and the most for other active ministers. By 2000, women were one in seven pastors and co-pastors; four in ten associate pastors; and six in ten of all other active ministers. Also, women serving as pastors and co-pastors are disproportionately concentrated in smaller-membership congregations, as this table shows for 2000:
| Percent of Pastors | |
| Membership | Who Are Women |
| 1-50 | 31 |
| 51-100 | 27 |
| 101-150 | 20 |
| 201-300 | 16 |
| 301-500 | 11 |
| 501-800 | 8 |
| 801-1,201 | 7 |
| 1,201-1,600 | 2 |
| 1601+ | 1 |
Are the findings that women are disproportionately in smaller congregations and that women in ministry are more likely to serve outside the parish evidence of discrimination? Or are these findings evidence of very different career choices between men and women? These data, unfortunately, don't allow us to make a determination. I'm certain that examples can be found that fit either explanation, and some that are a combination of the two. What we lack is systematic evidence.
Until such research is done, it is important that the PC(USA) continue to monitor the broad statistical trends. With women half of all candidates, forces that constrain their career paths, whether structural or personal, have enormous implications for the ability of the PC(USA) to find the best leadership for its congregations, governing bodies, seminaries, and other institutions.
Email the author: Jack Marcum
Research Services