Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Alvin Dockett

Keywords

African American, Black, Christian leadership, clergywomen, Protestant churches, Womanist theory, Womanist theology, phenomenological, qualitative

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership

Abstract

As Christian leaders, African American clergywomen have encountered obstacles and victories while serving in Protestant denominations. However, the challenges of Black women largely reflect those of Black clergywomen. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American clergywomen functioning in Christian leadership roles within Protestant churches in Jacksonville, Florida. At this stage in the research, lived experiences were generally defined as the personal, spiritual, professional, and social realities the clergywomen faced as they led congregations, networked with other denominations, and managed environmental factors in ministry. The theory guiding this study was Womanist theory, developed by Alice Walker and expanded by Katie Cannon, as it examines how race, gender, spirituality, and social context shape the lives of Black women. This study investigated how participants described their leadership experiences with church leaders and other denominations, their development and training, their pursuit of higher-level positions, congregational reception, and the effects of environmental factors in their communities. The instruments used for this qualitative research included questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Tesch’s eight-step coding process and Atlas.ti software were the initial methods employed for data analysis. Open, axial, and selective coding served as a supplementary approach. The findings interpreted the essence of 10 clergywomen’s leadership experiences through the intersectionality of race and gender, while rooted in faith and serving congregations and communities.

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