AbstractsSociology

The status and role of women in organized leadershippositions in the Protestant church has reflected an Americancultural basis for sex-typing the professions. Specifically,the ministry as an occupation has traditionally been thoughtof as a male occupation. Although the obstacles faced bywomen are usually justified or explained on doctrinal ortheological grounds, it is my thesis that they are betteraccounted for by reference to secular conditions and statusstructures. This paper is concerned with the Christianministry as a profession and the ways in which culturalattitudes and social forces have worked together to preventwomen from full "professional" participation. Though womenhave played critical roles in the church, the status ofwomen in the church has been a controversial issue over manycenturies. Many people have accepted the barriers to womenin the church as natural and just. Others are sharplycritical.