Documentary screening of The Philadelphia Eleven set in Rockdale

Exclusion of women from ordination and other church leadership roles made headlines earlier this summer when the Southern Baptist Convention banned women from the most senior leadership roles. Women in many parts of the Christian church continue a struggle for full inclusion in the sacraments and leadership of the church, a struggle that some women started 50 years ago. 

In 1974, there was a dramatic breakthrough of the so-called stained glass ceiling that gave hope to Christian women everywhere. At a church in Philadelphia, a group of eleven women were ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in violation of the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church – which at the time stated that only men were eligible for ordination. This story is told in a compelling new documentary The Philadelphia Eleven.

The feature documentary film will screen on Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at The Kay Theatre. Entry is free and donations will be taken in support of the CASA of Milam County, which works on behalf of at-risk children in Child Protective Services (CPS). A short panel discussion featuring local female  priests and ministers will take place directly after the film. 

This film tells a story that continues to resonate today as women seeking ordination continue to face resistance, disrespect and exclusion from roles reserved by men for men. The documentary explores the lives of these remarkable women who succeeded in transforming an age-old institution despite the threats to their personal safety and the risk of rejection by the church they loved. These women became and remain ugh an inspiration for generations of women in the ministry, and a clarion call for the entire Christian Church.

The film’s director, Margo Guernsey, is not Episcopalian. She reminds others, “this is a story for all of us. It is about how to break down barriers with grace and be true to oneself in the process. This story reveals ways in which voices that are inconvenient, are often buried. It also provides a vision for what a just and inclusive community looks like in practice.” 

This screening is hosted by St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rockdale and All Saints’ Episcopal Church of Cameron. 

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