Women’s Ordination, Covenant Polity, and Cultural Change: A 50-Year Retrospective

In 1976, Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) delegates voted to open ordination to women, marking a historic moment for the denomination. Fifty years later, North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS) invites pastors, students, scholars, and church leaders to a two-part conversation as we learn from the past, examine the present, and consider together how the ECC can faithfully nurture and receive the leadership gifts of future generations. 

Through historical analysis and practical reflection, participants will consider both the progress made and the challenges that remain as the church continues to discern the gifts and callings of all whom God raises up for ministry. 

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Five Decades of Women’s Ordination in the Covenant
November 2 | 12:00-1:30pm CT | Zoom

This panel brings together the researchers and authors of the decadal studies published in the Covenant Quarterly, which examined the experience of Covenant clergywomen. Each panelist will highlight key developments, challenges, and insights from the decade of their study, creating a broad narrative of change over time. Participants will gain a richer understanding of both the advances and the enduring tensions that have characterized the journey since 1976. Register here.

How Change Happens: Covenant Polity, Culture, and Leadership
December 7 | 12:00-1:30pm CT | Zoom

The second session turns from historical analysis to organizational reflection. Representatives from denominational, conference, congregational, and pastoral contexts will examine how change occurs within the ECC’s distinctive polity and culture. Building on themes emerging from the first panel, participants will consider the ways different levels of Covenant leadership have encouraged, complicated, or slowed the broader reception of women’s pastoral gifts and leadership. Register here.