Ordination of women in Christianity

{{Short description|Taking place in Protestant churches}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Christianity and gender|teachings}}

In Christianity, the [[ordination of women]] has been taking place in an increasing number of [[Protestant]] and [[Old Catholic]] churches, starting in the 20th century. Since ancient times, certain churches of the Orthodox tradition, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church, have raised women to the office of [[deaconess]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Can women hold or have ever held positions of authority such as deaconess or priestess in your church? |url=https://www.suscopts.org/q&a/index.php?qid=754&catid=442 |website=Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States |publisher=Orthodox}}</ref> While ordination of women has been approved in many denominations, it is still a very controversial and divisive topic.

[[Ordination]] is the process by which people are [[Consecration|consecrated]] by a [[Christian denomination]], that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious [[Rite (Christianity)|rites and ceremonies]] such as celebrating the [[sacrament]]s. The process and ceremonies of ordination varies by denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of ordination is sometimes called an ordinand. The [[Christian liturgy|liturgy]] used at an ordination is sometimes referred to as an ordinal.

==Overview of the theological debate==
Most (although not all) Protestant denominations ordain church leaders who have the task of equipping all believers in their Christian service ({{bibleref2|Ephesians|4:11–13}}). These leaders (variously styled ''elders'', ''pastors'', or ''ministers'') are seen to have a distinct role in teaching, pastoral leadership.

Protestant churches have historically viewed the Bible as the ultimate authority in church debates (the doctrine of ''[[sola scriptura]]''); as such, the debate over women's eligibility for such offices normally centers around the interpretation of certain Biblical passages relating to teaching and leadership roles. The main passages in this debate include {{Bibleref2|1Cor|11:2–16|ESV|1 Cor. 11:2–16}}, {{Bibleref2|1Cor|14:34–35|ESV|1 Cor. 14:34–35}} and {{Bibleref2|1Tim|2:11–14|ESV|1 Tim. 2:11–14}}, {{Bibleref2|1Tim|3:1–7|ESV|1 Tim. 3:1–7}}, and {{Bibleref2|Titus|1:5–9|ESV|Tit. 1:5–9}}

Increasingly however, supporters of women in ministry argue that the Biblical passages used to argue against women's ordination might be read differently when more understanding of the unique historical context of each passage is available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Women_Service_Church.htm|title=Women's Service in the Church: The Biblical Basis by N.T. Wright|access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref> They further argue that the New Testament shows that women did exercise certain ministries in the apostolic Church (e.g., {{Bibleref2|Acts|21:9}}, {{Bibleref2|Acts|18:18}}, {{Bibleref2|Romans|16:1–4}}, {{Bibleref2|Romans|16:7}}; {{Bibleref2|1Cor|16:19|ESV|1 Cor. 16:19}}, {{Bibleref2|Philippians|4:2–3}}, and {{Bibleref2|John|20:1–18|NRSV}}. Often quoting {{Bibleref2|Galatians|3:28}}, they argue that the good news brought by Jesus has broken down all barriers and that female ordination is an equality issue that Jesus would have approved of. They also quote {{Bibleref2|John|20:17–18|NRSV}}, and argue that in talking to Mary, Jesus is calling for women to evangelize

In turn, those who argue for a male only ministry say that the claims to contexts that change the apparent meaning of the texts at hand to one supporting female ordination are in fact spurious, that the passages that appear to show women in positions of authority do not in fact do so, and the idea that the good news of Jesus brings equality before God only relates to salvation and not to roles for ministry.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grudem |first=Wayne |title=Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism |last2=Piper |first2=John |publisher=Crossway |year=2021 |isbn=978-1433573453 |edition=Revised |location=Wheaton, IL |language=English}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

== By tradition ==
=== Anabaptist ===
'''Brethren'''

* The [[Church of the Brethren]] has ordained women since 1958.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brethren.org/about/statements/2008-womens-ordination.pdf|title=Resolution on 50 Years of Women's Ordination in the Church of the Brethren|date=March 9, 2008|website=www.brethren.org|access-date=January 20, 2020}}</ref>

==== Mennonite ====
* The [[Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]]' has ordained women.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalmar |first=Laura |date=May 2008 |title=Ordination of two women revives discussion |url=http://www.mbconf.ca/home/products_and_services/resources/publications/mb_herald/vol_47_no_5/people_and_events/ordination_of_two_women_revives_discussion/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725085732/http://www.mbconf.ca/home/products_and_services/resources/publications/mb_herald/vol_47_no_5/people_and_events/ordination_of_two_women_revives_discussion/ |archive-date=25 July 2011 |website=Mennonite Brethren Herald}}</ref>
* The [[Mennonite Church Canada]] ordains women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Mennonite Brethren Church]] does not ordain women to be lead pastors.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Mennonite Church USA]] ordains women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Brethren in Christ Church]] ordains women at all levels of leadership, including Bishop.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brethren in Christ U.S. |date=August 28, 2017 |title=Women in Ministry Leadership Statement |url=https://bicus.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Women-Ministry-Leadership.pdf}}</ref>

=== Anglican ===
{{Main|Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion}}
The ordination of women in the [[Anglican Communion]] has been increasingly common in certain provinces since the 1970s. However, several provinces (such as the [[Church of Pakistan]]—a [[United and uniting churches|united Protestant Church]] created as a result of a union between Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians) and certain dioceses within otherwise ordaining provinces (such as the [[Anglican Diocese of Sydney|Diocese of Sydney]] in the [[Anglican Church of Australia]]), continue to ordain only men.<ref name="Thompsett2014">{{cite book |last1=Thompsett |first1=Fredrica Harris |title=Looking Forward, Looking Backward: Forty Years of Women's Ordination |date=2014 |publisher=Church Publishing |isbn=9780819229236 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kalvelage |first1=david |title=The Living Church, Volume 217 |date=1998 |publisher=Morehouse-Gorham Company |page=13 |language=en}}</ref> Disputes over the [[ordination of women]] have contributed to the establishment and growth of conservative separatist tendencies, such the [[Anglican realignment]] and [[Continuing Anglican]] movements.

Some [[ecclesiastical province|provinces]] within the [[Anglican Communion]], such as the [[Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America]], ordain women to the three traditional [[holy orders]] of bishop, priest and deacon. Other provinces ordain women as deacons and priests but not as bishops; others still as deacons only; and seven provinces do not approve the ordination of women to any order of ministry.<ref name="Jule2005">{{cite book |last1=Jule |first1=A. |title=Gender and the Language of Religion |date=2005 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9780230523494 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Baptist ===
Baptist groups that do not support the ordination of women include;
* The [[Southern Baptist Convention]] (the largest of the various Baptist denominations) does not support the ordination of women; however, some churches that are members of the SBC have ordained women. Though each SBC church is autonomous and may choose whether or not to ordain women, the local associations and state conventions have the right to not seat messengers from those churches at the annual meetings, and some have done so.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

Baptist groups that ordain women include;
* United States : [[American Baptist Churches USA]], [[Alliance of Baptists]], [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]], [[National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.]], [[Progressive National Baptist Convention]], and [[Converge (United States)|Converge]]<ref>Glenn T. Miller, ''Piety and Plurality: Theological Education since 1960'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2014, p. 94</ref>
*The [[Baptists Together|Baptist Union of Great Britain]] since 1922<ref> Erich Geldbach, ''Baptists Worldwide: Origins, Expansions, Emerging Realities'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2022, p. 111</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/370692/Women_Baptists_and.aspx|title=Women, Baptists and Ordination}}</ref>
*The [[Canadian Baptist Ministries]] since 1947<ref> Gordon L. Heath, Dallas Friesen, Taylor Murray, '' Baptists in Canada: Their History and Polity'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2020, p. 73</ref>
* The [[Australian Baptist Ministries]] since 1978<ref> Erich Geldbach, ''Baptists Worldwide: Origins, Expansions, Emerging Realities'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2022, p. 112</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://repository.divinity.edu.au/divinityserver/api/core/bitstreams/007f1235-b9bf-4540-9d40-4b8e0cebe05f/content|page=30|title=Baptists in Australia: A church with a heritage and a future|first1=Philip J.|last1=Hughes|first2=Darren|last2=Cronshaw}}</ref>
*The [[Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches]] since 1980<ref> Erich Geldbach, ''Baptists Worldwide: Origins, Expansions, Emerging Realities'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2022, p. 112</ref>
* The [[Union of Evangelical Free Churches in Germany]] since 1992.<ref> Erich Geldbach, ''Baptists Worldwide: Origins, Expansions, Emerging Realities'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2022, p. 112</ref>
* The Okinawa Baptist Convention, Japan<ref>{{cite web|url=http://okinawa-baptist.asia/|title=沖縄バプテスト連盟|work=www.okinawa-baptist.asia|access-date=14 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093008/http://okinawa-baptist.asia/|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Catholic===
{{Main|Ordination of women and the Catholic Church}}
In the [[Catholic Church]], women are not ordained.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pope Francis explains to America Magazine why women cannot be ordained priests |url=https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/pope-francis-explains-to-america-magazine-why-women-cannot-be-ordained-priests/84328 |website=Catholic Telegraph |date=November 28, 2022}}</ref> The organization [[Roman Catholic Womenpriests]] aims to try to reverse this policy.

===Lutheran===
==== Europe ====
* The Lutheran churches within the [[Evangelical Church in Germany]] (EKD) ordain women and have women as bishops.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Church]] in Germany does not ordain women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia]] reversed its earlier (1975) decision to ordain women as pastors. Since 1993 it no longer does so in practice. Since 2016 this principle has been affirmed in its constitution.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Lutheran]] state churches in the [[Nordic countries]] ordain women as pastors and have women as bishops. The first female pastors were ordained in the [[Church of Denmark]] in 1948, in [[Church of Sweden|Sweden]] in 1960, [[Church of Norway|Norway]] in 1961, in [[Church of Iceland|Iceland]] in 1974 and in [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland|Finland]] in 1988.{{Citation needed|date=August 2016}}
** While the Church of Sweden ordained its first female pastors in 1960, there was a considerable debate in this church of the ordination of women, which led to marginalization of a vocal high-church minority, which successively subdivided into loyalist high-church adherents on one hand and the splinter group [[Missionsprovinsen]] which was formed in 2003 but in 2005 was separated as a church body from the Church of Sweden.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
**Although the ordination of women was accepted by the Church of Finland in 1988, controversy over the issue occasionally surfaces among the more conservative wing of the church. Occasional debate on the matter has caused church membership resignations.<ref>[[Eroakirkosta.fi]] – [http://www.eroakirkosta.fi/media/none/tiedote3_07.txt?year=2007 Naispappeuskiista tuplannut kirkosta eroamisen]</ref> 
* The [[Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church]] (EELC) began to ordain women in 1967 and 2004 all obstacles that forbade women to be consecrated as bishops were removed although none have yet been consecrated.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eestikirik.ee/5-05-naised-vaimulikus-ametis/|title=5.05 Naised vaimulikus ametis – Eesti Kirik|website=www.eestikirik.ee|access-date=2016-09-18}}</ref>
* The [[Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland]] ordains women as pastors since 2022. 9 pastors are women.
* The [[Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia]] ordains women as pastors since 1951 and women can be elected bishops.
* The [[Slovak Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Serbia]] ordains women as pastors. Out of 20 pastors in Serbia, 6 are women.

==== United States ====
* The [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] (ELCA) is the largest Lutheran body in the US. The church bodies that formed the ELCA in 1988 began ordaining women in 1970 when the [[Lutheran Church in America]] ordained [[Elizabeth Platz]]. In 2017 about 27% of the rostered leaders were women and about 50% of the seminarians preparing for ministry were women.<ref name="elca-facts">{{cite web|title=ELCA Facts|url=https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/ELCA-Facts|website=ELCA.org|publisher=ELCA|access-date=15 May 2017|language=en|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920084229/https://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/ELCA-Facts|archive-date=20 September 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 2013 the first female presiding bishop of the ELCA, [[Elizabeth Eaton]], was elected.<ref>{{cite web|title=Presiding Bishop|url=https://www.elca.org/About/Leadership/Churchwide-Officers/Presiding-Bishop|website=ELCA.org|publisher=ELCA|access-date=15 May 2017|language=en}}</ref> In 2018 16 of the 65 synodical bishops (17 bishops including Presiding Bishop Eaton) in the ELCA were women <ref>{{cite web |title='She is loose': A historic group of female Lutheran bishops on #MeToo and the Holy Spirit |url=https://religionnews.com/2018/07/25/new-elca-female-synod-bishops-talk-metoo-religious-left-what-lutheran-looks-like/ |website=Religion News Service |access-date=29 September 2018|date=25 July 2018 }}</ref>
* The [[General Lutheran Church]] ordains women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod]] (LCMS), which is the second largest [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] body in the United States, does not ordain women.<ref>{{cite web|title=Women in the Church: Scriptural Principles and Ecclesial Practice|url=https://files.lcms.org/dl/f/6CE2573A-4E8F-4EC8-A2B0-098BD1747124|website=lcms.org|publisher=LCMS|access-date=6 February 2023|language=en}}</ref>
*The [[Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ]] (LCMC) also allows for the ordination of women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lcmc.net/becoming-a-pastor|title=Becoming an LCMC Pastor 101 – LCMC|website=www.lcmc.net|access-date=2019-03-10}}</ref>
*The [[North American Lutheran Church]], was founded in 2010 does ordain women.<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution of the North American Lutheran Church |url=https://www.thenalc.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/Governance/NALC-Constitution-Ratified-2016-February-15.pdf |access-date=22 January 2019 |page=3.06 |date=15 February 2016}}</ref> The NALC has established ecumenical dialog with a number of Lutheran bodies, both those that ordain women and those that do not.
* The [[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] does not ordain women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wels.net/faq/why-no-women-pastors/|title=Why no women pastors?|website=wels.net|access-date=6 February 2023}}</ref>
* The [[Evangelical Lutheran Synod]] does not ordain women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://els.org/beliefs/doctrinal-statements/roles-of-men-and-women-in-the-church/|title=Roles of Men and Women in the Church|website=els.org/|access-date=6 February 2023}}</ref>
* The [[Church of the Lutheran Confession]] does not ordain women.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lutheranmissions.org/the-position-of-women-in-the-church/|title = The Position of Women in the Church}}</ref>
* [[The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church]] (GCEPC) has ordained women since its inception in 2000. Ordination of women is not a controversial issue in the LEPC/GCEPC. Women are ordained/consecrated at all levels, including deacon, priest, and bishop in the LEPC/GCEPC.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

==== Africa ====
* The [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania]] (ELCT) decided to ordain women in 1990, but does not have any women bishops. Some dioceses are still opposed to the ordination of women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elct.org/social.html|title=ELCT|website=www.elct.org}}</ref>
* The [[Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus]] (EECMY) began to ordain women in 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.wfn.org/2000/06/msg00149.html|author= Frank Imhoff |title=wfn.org – Lutheran pastor becomes Ethiopia's first ordained woman|website=archive.wfn.org|date=19 June 2000|access-date=14 February 2019}}</ref> but does not continue this practice since confessional Lutheranism has become stronger in this church body during recent years.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

===Methodist===
{{Main|Ordination of women in Methodism}}
* The [[United Methodist Church]] [[Ordination of women in the United Methodist Church|ordains women]]. In 1880, [[Anna Howard Shaw]] was ordained by the [[Methodist Protestant Church]]; Ella Niswonger was ordained in 1889 by the [[Church of the United Brethren in Christ|United Brethren Church]]. Both denominations later merged into the United Methodist Church. In 1956, the Methodist Church in America granted ordination and full clergy rights to women. Since that time, women have been [[Holy Orders|ordained]] full [[Elder (religious)|elders]] (pastors) in the denomination, and 21 have been elevated to the [[Bishop|episcopacy]]. In 1967 Noemi Diaz is the first Hispanic woman ordained by an Annual Conference. The New York Annual Conference did the honors.<ref>Rev. Patricia J. thompson, Courageous Past—Bold Future {{ISBN|0-938162-99-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gcah.org/history/united-methodist-church-timeline|title=United Methodist Church Timeline – GCAH|author=Paramore the digital agency|website=www.gcah.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyac.com/console/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/2010NYACJournalSection8_JRMFXYYM.pdf|title=2010 New York Annual Conference Newsletter}}</ref> The first woman elected and consecrated Bishop within the United Methodist Church (and, indeed, the first woman elected bishop of any mainline Christian church) was [[Marjorie Matthews]] in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.umc.org/who-we-are/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-council-of-bishops|title=Frequently Asked Questions about the Council of Bishops|last=Communications|first=United Methodist|website=The United Methodist Church|language=en|access-date=2018-12-05}}</ref> [[Leontine T. Kelly]], in 1984, was the first African-American woman elevated to the [[Bishop|episcopacy]] in any mainline denomination. In Germany [[Rosemarie Wenner]] is since 2005 leading bishop in the United Methodist Church. Bishop [[Karen Oliveto]], currently serving, is the first openly lesbian bishop in The United Methodist Church.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.umc.org/bishops/bishop-karen-oliveto|title=Bishop Karen Oliveto|last=Communications|first=United Methodist|website=The United Methodist Church|language=en|access-date=2018-12-05}}</ref>
* The [[Primitive Methodist Church]] does not ordain women as [[Elder (Methodism)|elders]] nor does it license them as pastors or [[Methodist local preacher|local preachers]];<ref name="PMC2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.primitivemethodistchurch.org/Discipline-2013.pdf|title=Discipline of the Primitive Methodist Church in the United States of America|publisher=[[Primitive Methodist Church]]|language=en|access-date=31 May 2017}}</ref> the PMC does consecrate women as [[deaconesses]].<ref name="PMC2013"/>
* The [[Evangelical Wesleyan Church]] (EWC) does not ordain women as [[Elder (Methodism)|elders]] although it does commission women as [[deaconesses]].<ref name="EWC2015">{{cite book|title=The Discipline of the Evangelical Wesleyan Church |year=2015|publisher=[[Evangelical Wesleyan Church]]|language=en|pages=115}}</ref> 
* The [[Fundamental Methodist Conference, Inc.|Fundamental Methodist Conference]] does not ordain women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Southern Methodist Church]] does not ordain women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Free Methodist Church]] has ordained women since 1911.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fmcusa.org/blog/1995/08/01/fmc-statement-on-women-in-ministry/|title=FMC Statement on Women in Ministry|publisher=[[Free Methodist Church]]|access-date=31 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807022256/http://fmcusa.org/blog/1995/08/01/fmc-statement-on-women-in-ministry/|archive-date=7 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The [[Bible Methodist Connection of Churches]] ordains women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biblemethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/proof2.pdf|title=The Bible Methodist, Issue I, Volume 49|last=Sams|first=G. Clair|year=2017|publisher=[[Bible Methodist Connection of Churches]]|page=2|language=en|access-date=31 May 2017}}</ref>
* The [[Salvation Army]] ordains women and has done since its inception. Catherine Booth was co-founder, with her husband William.
* The [[Church of the Nazarene]] ordains women, with the first women being ordained since 1908.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Wesleyan Methodist Church (United States)|Wesleyan Methodist Church]] (which is now the [[Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection]] and [[Wesleyan Church]]) has ordained women as ministers since near its inception, and claims to be one of the first to ordain women in the modern era.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secure.wesleyan.org/147/women-in-ministry-historical-view|title = Women in Ministry Historical View}}</ref>

===Old Catholic===
Many [[Old Catholic Church|Old Catholic]] denominations ordain women to the episcopate and to the presbyterate, such as the Old Catholic Churches International.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Godsey |first1=Gregory Wayne |title=On Female Clergy |url=https://www.myocci.org/about-us/our-faith/on-female-clergy/ |publisher=Old Catholic Churches International |date=May 11, 2003}}</ref>

The [[Polish National Catholic Church]] does not ordain women.<ref name="JDU">{{cite web |title=Joint Declaration on Unity |url=http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/ecumenical-and-interreligious/ecumenical/polish-national-catholic/unity.cfm |access-date=15 November 2017 |website=www.usccb.org}}</ref>

===Orthodox===
In the Orthodox Church, women have been ordained to the diaconate, but not to the episcopate or the presbyterate.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

===Pentecostal===
Pentecostal groups that do not support the ordination of women include;
* [[The Pentecostal Mission]] does not ordain women pastors.
* [[Church of God in Christ]] (COGIC) does not ordain women as elder or bishop

Pentecostal groups that ordain women include;
* The [[Federation of Pentecostal Churches (Germany)]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Dienst der Frau-Frauenordination eingeführt|year= 2004 |url=http://www.bfp.de/index.php?id=165&no_cache=1&sword_list}}</ref>
* The [[Assemblies of God USA]], 1927<ref>Lisa Stephenson, ''Dismantling the Dualisms for American Pentecostal Women in Ministry'', BRILL, Leiden, 2011, p. 46</ref>
* The [[Foursquare Church]], 1975 <ref>Lisa Stephenson, ''Dismantling the Dualisms for American Pentecostal Women in Ministry'', BRILL, Leiden, 2011, p. 55</ref>
* [[The Pentecostal Alliance of Independent Churches]] allows ordination of women.
* The occurrence of women pastors, often as co-pastors along with their husbands, is frequent in the Pentecostal movement especially in churches not affiliated with a denomination; they may or may not be ordained.

=== Presbyterian, United or Reformed ===

==== Scotland ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Church of Scotland]]
::* Women were commissioned as deacons from 1935, and allowed to preach from 1949.
::* In 1963 Mary Levison petitioned the General Assembly for ordination.
::* Woman elders were introduced in 1966 and women ministers in 1968.
::* The first female Moderator of the General Assembly was Dr Alison Elliot in 2004.
{{Main|Ordination of women in the Church of Scotland}}
* The [[United Free Church of Scotland]] has ordained women since 1929 and elected its first female general assembly moderator in 1960.<ref name="Field-Bibb">Jacqueline Field-Bibb, ''Women Towards Priesthood: Ministerial Politics and Feminist Praxis'' (Cambridge University Press, 1991), p. 117.</ref>
* The [[Free Church of Scotland (post-1900)|Free Church of Scotland]] does not ordain women. 
* The [[Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)]] does not ordain women.
* The [[Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland]] based in Scotland, Australia and Zimbabwe does not ordain women. 
* The [[Associated Presbyterian Churches]] based in Scotland does not ordain women.

==== England/Wales ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2018}}
* The [[United Reformed Church]] in [[the United Kingdom]] ordains women.
* The [[International Presbyterian Church]] based in the UK, Europe, and Korea does not ordain women. 
* The [[Evangelical Presbyterian Church in England and Wales]] does not ordain women. 
* The [[Free Church of England]] does not ordain women.
* The [[Presbyterian Church of Wales]] ordains women.

==== Ireland ====
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Presbyterian Church in Ireland]] does ordain women.
* The [[Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland]] ordains women. 
* The [[Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster]] does not ordain women.
* The [[Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Ireland)]] does not ordain women.
* The [[Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland]] does not ordain women.

==== Nigeria ====
* The [[Presbyterian Church of Nigeria]] does ordain women. In 1982, [[Mgbeke George Okore]] was ordained as a test case for women in ministry.<ref name="Ajah">{{cite book |last=Ajah |first=Miracle |chapter=The Experience of Women Leaders in the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria |editor-last1=Hyun |editor-first1=KeumJu Jewel |editor-last2=Chemorion |editor-first2=Diphus Chosefu |title=The Quest for Gender Equity in Leadership: Biblical Teachings on Gender Equity and Illustrations of Transformation in Africa |date=2016 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |page=170 |isbn=978-1-4982-9334-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tkXkDAAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>

==== Netherlands ====
* The [[Dutch Reformed Church]] does ordain women except the reformed union.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gereformeerdebond.nl/actueel/gereformeerde-bond-brengt-brochure-geroepen-vrouw-uit|title=Gereformeerde Bond &#124; Gereformeerde Bond brengt brochure 'Geroepen vrouw' uit}}</ref>
* The [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)]] does not ordain women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Reformed Congregations]] in the Netherlands does not ordain women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

==== Belgium ====
* The [[United Protestant Church in Belgium]] does ordain women.

==== Luxembourg ====
* The [[Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg]] does ordain women. 
* The [[Protestant Church of Luxembourg]] does ordain women.

==== France ====
* The [[Reformed Church of France]] ordains women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museeprotestant.org/Pages/Notices.php?scatid=147&noticeid=686&lev=2&cim=684&Lget=EN|title=Women pastors from 1900 to 1960 – Musée virtuel du Protestantisme|access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref>
* The [[United Protestant Church of France]] ordains women.

==== Switzerland ====
* The [[Swiss Reformed Church]] does ordain women.

==== Germany ====
* The united and reformed churches within the [[Evangelical Church in Germany]] (EKD) ordain women and have women as bishops.

==== Eastern Europe ====
* The [[Reformed Church in Hungary]] ordains women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Polish Reformed Church]] ordains women since 2003.

==== North America ====
* The [[National Presbyterian Church in Mexico]], which is the largest Presbyterian church in all of the Americas with 2.8 million members, does not ordain women. 
* The [[Presbyterian Church (USA)]]. The PC(USA) was formed in 1983 by a merger of the southern [[Presbyterian Church in the United States]] (PCUS) and the northern [[United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America]] (UPCUSA). The PC(USA) has always ordained women. With regards to its predecessor bodies - in 1893, [[Edith Livingston Peake]] was appointed Presbyterian Evangelist by First United Presbyterian of San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcusa.org/women/ordination/ordination-timeline.htm |title=Women's Ordination Time Line |access-date=2007-03-20}}</ref> Between 1907 and 1920 five more women became ministers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcusa.org/women/ordination/ordination-timeline2.htm |title=Women's Ordination Time Line (page 2)|access-date=2007-03-20}}</ref> The Presbyterian Church (USA) began ordaining women as elders in 1930, and as ministers of Word and sacrament in 1956. By 2001, the numbers of men and women holding office were almost equal.<ref>[http://www.pcusa.org/today/archive/believe/wpb0105.htm What Presbyterians Believe] Holper, J. Frederick, 2001 "What Presbyterians Believe about Ordination," ''Presbyterians Today,'' May 2001, retrieved from on 21 August 2006</ref> The first woman to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church in the United States was Rev. [[Rachel Henderlite]] who was ordained by a predominantly African American congregation in Richmond, Virginia, in 1965.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunter |first1=Rashell |title=PCUSA Celebrates 60 Years of Women Clergy |url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2016/5/24/pcusa-celebrates-60-years-womens-ordination/ |website=PCUSA.org |date=24 May 2016 |publisher=PCUSA.org |access-date=June 8, 2020}}</ref> 
* The [[Presbyterian Church in America]] does not ordain women.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.byfaithonline.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID323422%7CCHID664022%7CCIID2143300,00.html |title=The Authority of the Word and the Wisdom of the Church - byFaith Online |access-date=22 September 2009 |archive-date=26 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026144054/http://www.byfaithonline.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0%2C%2CPTID323422%7CCHID664022%7CCIID2143300%2C00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1997, the PCA even broke its fraternal relationship with the [[Christian Reformed Church in North America|Christian Reformed Church]] over this issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcanet.org/general/release3.htm|title=PCA: Press Release<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
* The [[Reformed Church in the United States]] does not ordain women.
* The [[Free Reformed Churches of North America]] ordain men only.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Cumberland Presbyterian Church]]. In 1888 [[Louisa Woosley]] was licensed to preach. She was ordained in 1889. She wrote Shall Woman Preach.
* The [[Christian Reformed Church in North America]] began ordaining women in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|title=Women in Ecclesiastical Office|url=http://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/position-statements/women-ecclesiastical-office|access-date=14 June 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726234652/http://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/position-statements/women-ecclesiastical-office|archive-date=26 July 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> As a result, several conservative congregations formed the [[United Reformed Churches in North America]], and the CRC's position as a member of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) was suspended in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|title=NAPARC Votes, 6–1, to Suspend the Christian Reformed Church|url= http://www.presbyteriannews.org/volumes/v4/1/n-crc.htm |access-date= 14 June 2013}}</ref> Several individual congregations continue to oppose women's ordination and women are not seated at some Classes (regional assemblies).
* The [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]] does not ordain women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://opc.org/whatis.html|title=Orthodox Presbyterian Church|access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref>
* The [[Reformed Church in America]] began allowing for the ordination of women in 1979.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2013/june/reformed-church-of-america-prevents-opposition-to-womens-or.html|title=Reformed Church of America Prevents Opposition to Women's Ordination|last=Stocker|first=Abby|website=News & Reporting|language=en|access-date=2019-11-23}}</ref>
* The [[United Church of Christ]]. [[Antoinette Brown]] was ordained as a minister by a Congregationalist Church in 1853, though this was not recognized by her denomination.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/femclrg13.htm|title=When churches started to ordain women|access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref> She later became a [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]]. The Christian Connection Church, which later merged with the Congregationalist Churches to form the Congregational Christian Church, ordained women as early as 1810. Women's ordination is now non-controversial in the United Church of Christ.
* The [[Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians]] (ECO) ordains women as both Teaching Elders (pastors) and Ruling Elders.
* The [[Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States)|Evangelical Presbyterian Church]] (EPC) allows individual congregations to determine whether or not they ordain women.
* The [[Presbyterian Church in Canada]] began ordaining women as elders and as ministers in 1966.<ref>{{cite web |title=Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Ordination of Women (1966–2016): The Discussion 1953-1966 |url=https://presbyterianarchives.ca/2016/07/20/the-discussion-1953-1966/ |website=The Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives |access-date=21 February 2023 |language=en-CA |date=20 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Canadian Presbyterians to Ordain Women |journal=Christianity Today |date=8 July 1966 |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1966/july-8/canadian-presbyterians-to-ordain-women.html |language=en}}</ref>
* The [[United Church of Canada]] ordains women. The church was divided during the 1930s by this issue inherited from the churches it brought together, the United Church ordained its first woman minister, Reverend [[Lydia Emelie Gruchy]], of Saskatchewan Conference in 1936. In 1953, Reverend Lydia Emelie Gruchy was the first Canadian woman to receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity.<ref>{{cite book |title=Fitzhenry and Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Dates  |last=Pound |first=Richard W. |publisher=Fitzhenry and Whiteside |year=2005}}</ref>

==== Australia ====
* The [[Uniting Church in Australia]] has ordained women since it formed in 1977. The three member denominations, the [[Congregational Union of Australia]], the [[Methodist Church of Australasia]] and the [[Presbyterian Church of Australia]] had all ordained women prior to Union. The [[Congregational Union of Australia]] ordained the first woman in Christian ministry in Australia, Rev [[Winifred Kiek]] in 1927. The [[Methodist Church of Australasia]] first ordained women (Rev Margaret Sanders and Rev [[Coralie Ling]]) in 1969, while the [[Presbyterian Church of Australia]] ordained its first woman minister in 1974. After formation of the [[Uniting Church in Australia]], the continuing [[Presbyterian Church of Australia]] reversed the decision to ordain women in 1991.
* The [[Presbyterian Church of Australia]] does not ordain women. As mentioned above some of its congregations left to join the new Uniting Church in 1977, 14 years later in 1991 it ceased ordaining women to the ministry, but the rights of women ordained prior to this time were not affected.<ref>[http://www.presbyterian.org.au/belief.htm Scheme of Union] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100403011159/http://www.presbyterian.org.au/belief.htm |date=3 April 2010 }} of the [[Presbyterian Church of Australia]].</ref>

==== Pakistan ====
* The [[Presbyterian Church of Pakistan]] ordains women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

===Other===
* The [[Religious Society of Friends]] (Quakers) do not ordain anyone but have had women in leadership roles such as [[Recorded Minister]] since they first started in 1652. See [[Elizabeth Hooton]] and [[Mary Fisher (missionary)|Mary Fisher]]<ref>{{Cite journal| issn = 0033-5053| volume = 63| issue = 2| pages = 75–93| last = Calvo| first = Janis| title = Quaker Women Ministers in Nineteenth Century America| journal = Quaker History| date = 1974| jstor = 41946743}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Soderlund |first1=Jean R. |title=Women's Authority in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Quaker Meetings, 1680–1760 |journal=The William and Mary Quarterly |date=October 1987 |volume=44 |issue=4 |pages=722–749 |doi=10.2307/1939742|jstor=1939742 }}</ref> It was longer before women held leadership roles in decision-making bodies that were historically exclusively men (e.g. Mary Jane Godlee was the first woman to clerk the [[London Yearly Meeting]] in 1918) - though the separate women's [[Monthly meeting|meetings]] did exercise significant authority.<ref>{{Cite book| publisher = Oxford University Press| isbn = 978-0-19-150667-3| last1 = Larsen| first1 = Timothy| last2 = Ledger-Lomas| first2 = Michael| title = The Oxford History of Protestant Dissenting Traditions, Volume III: The Nineteenth Century| date = 2017-04-28|page=96}}</ref>
* 'Christian Connection Church: An early relative of the [[Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)]] and the [[United Church of Christ]], this body ordained women as early as 1810. Among them were Nancy Gove Cram, who worked as a missionary with the Oneida Indians by 1812, and Abigail Roberts (a lay preacher and missionary), who helped establish many churches in New Jersey. Others included Ann Rexford, Sarah Hedges and Sally Thompson.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* The [[Christian and Missionary Alliance]] in Canada ordains women since 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cmacan.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/statement-on-the-roles-of-men-and-women-in-ministry.pdf|title=Statement on the Roles of Men and Women in Ministry|website=The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada}}</ref>
* The [[Christian and Missionary Alliance]] in the US ordains women since 2023.<ref>Ian M. Giatti, [https://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-and-missionary-alliance-to-allow-female-pastors.html In historic vote, Christian and Missionary Alliance approves 'pastor' titles for women], christianpost.com, USA, June 07, 2023</ref>
* The [[Moravian Church]] ordains women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moravian.org/publications/moravian/back_issues/2005/2005_sep_women_historical.phtml|title=Women in ordained ministry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415092411/http://www.moravian.org/publications/moravian/back_issues/2005/2005_sep_women_historical.phtml|archive-date=15 April 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* The [[Czechoslovak Hussite Church]] ordains women.
* The [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]] officially does not ordain women in most of the world, but in regions of the United States, the Netherlands, parts of Germany, and China may occasionally ordain women. These ordinations are considered irregular and are not officially recognized in the church yearbook. In some parts of the world the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Adventist Church]], commissions women instead of ordaining. They can perform almost the same duties as an ordained minister but do not hold the title of ordained. This is because recent votes at the worldwide [[General Conference Session]]s turned down a proposal to allow ordination of women. There was a strong polarization between nations, with Western countries and North Asia Pacific generally voting in support and other countries generally voting against. A further proposal to allow local choice was also turned down. In practice, there are numerous women working as ministers and in leadership positions. The most influential co-founder of the church, [[Ellen G. White]], was a woman, but never ordained.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
* [[Churches of Christ]], because of their conservative stance, generally do not ordain women.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}
*The [[Christian Leaders Institute|Christian Leaders Alliance]] allows women to serve as deacon ministers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christianleadersalliance.org/ordained-women-ministers-allowed/|title=Women Ministers Allowed}}</ref>

== Women as Protestant bishops ==
{{see also|Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion|Ordination of women in Methodism}}
Some Protestant Churches, including those of the Lutheran, Hussite, Anglican, Methodist, and Moravian traditions, have allowed women to become bishops:<ref name="autogenerated2"/>
* 1924: [[Mount Sinai Holy Church of America]] – [[Ida B. Robinson]] served as founder and first presiding bishop 
* 1929: [[Old Catholic Mariavite Church]] in Poland (and [[Catholic Mariavite Church]], a 1935 schism from the Old Catholic Mariavite Church) – [[Maria Izabela Wiłucka-Kowalska]] and 11 nuns
* 1980: [[United Methodist Church]] – [[Marjorie Matthews]]
* 1988: [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]] – [[Barbara Clementine Harris]]
* 1990: [[Anglican Church of New Zealand]] – [[Penelope Ann Bansall Jamieson]]
* 1990: Temple of The Good Shepherd Ministries Worldwide Inc. {Non Denominational} Eloisa Crawley Bonaparte 
* 1992: [[North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church]] – [[Maria Jepsen]]
* 1993: [[Church of Norway]] (Lutheran) – [[Rosemarie Köhn]]
* 1993: [[Anglican Church of Canada]] – [[Victoria Matthews]]
* 1995: [[Church of Denmark]] (Evangelical Lutheran) – [[Lise-Lotte Rebel]]
* 1995: [[Church of Greenland]] – [[Sofie Petersen]]
* 1996: [[Church of Sweden]] (Evangelical Lutheran) – [[Christina Odenberg]]
* 1998: [[Moravian Church in America]] – [[Kay Ward]]
* 1998: [[United Church of Christ in the Philippines]] – [[Nelinda Primavera-Briones]]
* 1998: [[Presbyterian Church in Guatemala]]
* 1999: [[Czechoslovak Hussite Church]] – [[Jana Šilerová]]
* 1999: [[Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Hanover]] – [[Margot Käßmann]]
* 2000: [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]] – [[Vashti Murphy McKenzie]]
* 2001: [[Evangelical Church of Bremen]] – [[Brigitte Boehme]], titled president, a laywoman since the presidency does not require theological skills 
* 2001: [[North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church]] – [[Bärbel Wartenberg-Potter]]
* 2003: [[The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church]] (GCEPC) USA – [[Nancy K. Drew]]
* 2003: [[Church of Denmark]] (Evangelical Lutheran) – [[Elisabeth Dons Chritensen]]
* 2007: [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada]] – [[Susan Johnson (bishop)|Susan Johnson]]
* 2008: [[Anglican Church of Australia]] – [[Kay Goldsworthy]]
* 2008: [[African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church]] – [[Mildred Hines]]
* 2009: [[Evangelical Church in Central Germany]] – [[Ilse Junkermann]]
* 2010: [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland]] – [[Irja Askola]]
* 2011: [[North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church]] – [[Kirsten Fehrs]]
* 2011: [[Evangelical Church of Westphalia]] – [[Annette Kurschus]], titled ''[[praeses]]''<!--http://www.evangelisch.de/themen/religion/die-neue-pr%C3%A4ses-und-ihr-verhei%C3%9Fungsvolles-unternehmen51903 -->
* 2012: [[Church of Iceland]] (Lutheran) – [[Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir]]
* 2012: [[Anglican Church of Southern Africa]] – [[Ellinah Wamukoya]]
* 2012: [[Anglican Church of Southern Africa]] – [[Margaret Brenda Vertue|Margaret Vertue]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201210040467.html|title=South Africa: Church Elects Woman Bishop|work=www.allAfrica.com|access-date=14 March 2015|date=4 October 2012}}</ref>
* 2012: [[Church of Denmark]] – [[Tine Lindhardt]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interchurch.dk/news/news/article/third-woman-bishop-elected-on-funen|title=interchurch.dk: Third woman bishop elected on Funen|work=interchurch.dk|access-date=14 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129031519/http://www.interchurch.dk/news/news/article/third-woman-bishop-elected-on-funen|archive-date=29 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 2013: [[Church of Denmark]] – [[Marianne Christiansen]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.folkekirken.dk/fast-indhold/nyhed/article/marianne-christiansen-bispeviet-i-haderslev|title=Marianne Christiansen bispeviet i Haderslev|date=4 March 2015|work=folkekirken.dk|access-date=14 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129031552/http://www.folkekirken.dk/fast-indhold/nyhed/article/marianne-christiansen-bispeviet-i-haderslev/|archive-date=29 November 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* 2013: [[Church of Ireland]] (Anglican) – [[Pat Storey]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ireland.anglican.org/news/4848|title=Church of Ireland – A province of the Anglican Communion|author=Central Communications Board of the General Synod)|access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref>
* 2013: [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of America]] – [[Elizabeth Eaton]]<ref name="elca.org">{{cite web|url=http://elca.org/About/Leadership/Churchwide-Officers/Presiding-Bishop|title=Presiding Bishop|work=ELCA.org|access-date=14 March 2015}}</ref>
* 2014: [[Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia]] – [[Helen-Ann Hartley]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Libby Lane]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Alison White (bishop)|Alison White]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Rachel Treweek]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Sarah Mullally]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Anne Hollinghurst]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Ruth Worsley]]
* 2015: [[Church of England]] – [[Christine Hardman]]
* 2016: [[Church of England]] – [[Karen Gorham]]
* 2016: [[Church of England]] – [[Jo Bailey Wells]]
* 2016: [[Church of England]] – [[Jan McFarlane]]
* 2017: [[Church of England]] – [[Guli Francis-Dehqani]]
* 2017: [[Church in Wales]] – [[June Osborne]]
* 2017: [[Church of Denmark]] – [[Marianne Gaarden]]
* 2018: [[Scottish Episcopal Church]] – [[Anne Dyer]]
* 2018: [[Church in Wales]] – [[Joanna Penberthy]] 
* 2019: [[Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck]] – [[Beate Hofmann]]
* 2019: [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany]] – [[Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt]]
* 2020: [[Church of Greenland]] – [[Paneeraq Siegstad Munk]]
* 2021: [[Evangelical Church of the Palatinate]] – [[Dorothee Wüst]], titled president
* 2021: [[Evangelical Reformed Church in Germany]] – [[Susanne Bei der Wieden]], titled president
* 2022: [[Protestant Church in Baden]] – [[Heike Springhart]]
* Others: Protestant churches in German Lutheran, Reformed and United churches (EKD), [[Protestant Church of the Netherlands]]

=== Women as archbishops or denominational heads ===
* 1934 [[Salvation Army]] – [[Evangeline Booth]] becomes [[General of The Salvation Army]].
* 1960 [[United Free Church of Scotland]] – [[Elizabeth Barr]] becomes Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Free Church of Scotland.
* 2004 [[Church of Scotland]] – Dr. [[Alison Elliot]] becomes [[Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland|moderator]] of the [[General Assembly of the Church of Scotland|General Assembly]]
* 2005 [[Metropolitan Community Church]] – [[Nancy Wilson (religious leader)|Nancy Wilson]], first woman installed as moderator. 
* 2006 [[The Episcopal Church]] – The Most Reverend Dr. [[Katharine Jefferts Schori]]. Installed as [[Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church]] and [[Primate (bishop)|Primate]] (the same position which some other provinces in the [[Anglican Communion]] refer to as an Archbishop) at [[Washington National Cathedral]] on 4 November 2006, though she technically took office on the first of November.
*2007 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada – [[Susan Johnson (bishop)|Susan Johnson]]. First woman to serve as National Bishop of the ELCIC. She was consecrated 29 September 2007.
*2008 The Wesleyan Church – [[Jo Anne Lyon (General Superintendent)|Jo Anne Lyon]]. First woman to serve as a General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church, and first to serve as the sole General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church in its history. She was elected in June 2008 and 2012 respectively.
* 2013: [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of America]] – [[Elizabeth Eaton]]. First women installed as Presiding Bishop.<ref name="elca.org"/>
* 2014 [[Church of Sweden]] – [[Antje Jackelén]] [[Archbishop of Uppsala]]. Installed in [[Uppsala Cathedral]] on 15 June 2014.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ordination of women in Christianity|Protestant]]
[[Category:Protestant worship and liturgy]]