Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Also see Chronology of women's ordination, Germany Ecclesiastical Territories, Netherlands Substates, Switzerland Ecclesiastical Territories, Belgium Eccleastical Territories, France Ecclesiastical Territory, Spain Ecclesiastical Territory and Princess-Abbesses
Methodist Church
1980-84 Marjorie S. Matthews, Wisconsin (USA)
She lived (1916-86)
1984-88 Leontine T.G. Kelly, San Francisco
The first black bishop in a major domination
1984-99 Judith Craig, Ohio West (USA) 1988- Sharon Brown Christopher, Illinois (USA)
1988- Susan Murch Morrison, Albany (USA) 1988- Superintendent Minister of Vuda Revd. Paula Nayala Niukiula, Fiji
1992- Sharon Zimmerman Rader, Wisconsin (USA) 1992- Ann Sherer, Missouri (USA) 1992- Mary Ann Swenson, Denver/Rocky Mountain Diocese USA (USA)
1996- Susan Hassinger, Boston (USA) 1996- Janice Riggle Huie, Arkansas (USA) 1996- Charlene Kammerer, Charlotte (USA) 1996- Maureen Jones, Nairobi (Kenya) Ca. 1999 Graziela Alvarez in Mexico
2000- Violet Fisher, Northeastern District (USA)
2000- Beverly Shamana, San Francisco (USA) The second Black Methodist Bishop
2000- Margaret Payne, New England Synod (USA)
2000- Linda Lee, Michigan (USA)
2000- Purity Malinga, Natal Costal District (South Africa)
2004- Mary Virginia Taylor, South Carolina United Methodist Conference (USA) 2004- Hope Morgan Ward of Raleigh, Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference (USA) 2004- Minerva Carcaño, Phoenix Episcopal Area and the Desert Southwest Annual Conference (USA) Former superintendent of the Metropolitan District of the Oregon-Idaho Conference. 3 other women became bishops that year.
2005- Rosemarie Wenner of Germany A District superintendent of the United Methodist Church in Germany since 1996, she is the first female bishop of the church outside the USA
Anglican Church 1989-2003 Suffragan Bishop Barbara C. Harris, Massachusetts (USA) Since her retirement she has worked as assisting bishop to Bishop John B. Chane in the Diocese of Washington
1990-2004 Bishop Penelope Ann Bansall Jaimeson, Dunedin (New Zealand)
Known as Penny Jaimeson
1992-2001 Suffragan Bishop Jane Holmes Dixon, Washington D.C.
(USA)
Diocesan bishop
pro tempore in 2001
1993-2001 Bishop
Mary Adelia McLeod, Vermont (USA)
1994-97 Suffragan Bishop Victoria Matthews,
Toronto (Canada)
1997-2007 Bishop of Edmonton
2007-08 Bishop in Residence at
Wycliffe College, an Anglican seminary at the University of Toronto
2008- Designate Bishop of Christchurch (New Zealand and Polynesia)
WIll be installed on 30 August 2008.
1996- Bishop Geralyn
Wolf, Rhode Island (USA)
1996- Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish, Utah (USA)
1996- Suffragan Bishop Catherine S. Roskam, New York (USA)
1997- Bishop Catherine Eliz Maples Waynick, Indianapolis (USA)
1997- Suffragan Bishop Ann E Tottenham, Toronto (Canada)
1998- Bishop Chilton Abbie Richardson Knudsen, Maine (USA)
2001-06 Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori,
Nevada (USA)
2006-
Presiding Bishop and Primate
of the Episcopal Church of the United States
2002-07 Suffragan Bishop Carol Joy Gallagher, Southern Virginia (USA)
2003- Suffragan Bishop Gayle
Elizabeth Harris, Massachusetts (USA)
The 14. female Bishop in the Episcopal, Anglican Church in the USA.
2005- Suffragan Bishop
Bavi Edna "Nedi" Rivera Olympia (USA)
2006- Suffragan Bishop Dena Harrison, Austin-Waco Region (USA)
2007- Suffragan Bishop Nerva Cot Aguilera, Cuba
2007-
Suffragan
Bishop Laura Ahrens,
Connecticut (USA)
2007- Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves, Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real (USA)
2007- Bishop Sue Moxley, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (Canada)
2008-
Assistant Bishop Kay Goldsworthy, Western Australia (Australia)
2008- Bishop The Very Revd Jane Alexander,
Edmonton (Canada)
The first time a woman diocesan bishop has followed another woman.
2008- Suffragan Bishop Linda Nicholls, Toronto, (Canada)
2008- Assistant Bishop Revd Canon Barbara Darling, Melbourne (Australia)
The church of Scotland (Presbyterian)
The Lord High Commissioner to the General
Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The British Sovereign's personal representative to the General Assembly of the
Church of Scotland (the Kirk), reflecting the Church's role as the national
church of Scotland, and the Sovereign's role as protector and member of that
Church. While the General Assembly is meeting, the Lord High Commissioner is
treated as if a Regent. By custom, he or she is addressed as "Your Grace
1970 Rt Hon Margaret Herbison
1994 and 1995 Lady Marion Anne Fraser
1996 The Princess Royal (HRH Princess Anne)
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
2004 Alison Elliot
Elder and the first woman to be Moderator and first non-minister to be Moderator
since 16th century.
2007 Moderator Sheilagh M. Kesting
An ordained Minister and Secretary of the Committee on Ecumenical Relations
Evangelican-Lutheran
Around 1979 President-Superintendent Marie-Louise Caron of Eglise de la Confession d'Augsbourg d'Alsace et de Lorraine (France)
1992- Maria Jepsen, Landesbischöfin von Hamburg (Germany)
1992- April Ulring Larson, Minnesota United
Lutheran Church of America (USA)
Later of La Crosse Area
1993- Rosemarie Køhn, Hammar, Norway
1995- Lise-Lotte Gauger Rebel, Helsingør (Elsinore), Denmark
1995- Sofie Bodil Louise Lisbeth Petersen, Grønland, Denmark (Bispokeqaarfik Kalaallit Nunaat or the Bishop of Greenland)
1995- The Rev. Andrea F. DeGroot-Nesdahl, South Dakota
1996- Christina Odenberg, Lund, Sweden
1998- Caroline Krook, Stockholm, Sweden
She was Domprovst (Dean of the Cathedral
of Stockholm) 1990-98.
1999- Margot Kässmann, Hannover, Germany
1999- Bärbel Wartenberg-Potter, Holstein-Lübeck, Germany
2002 Cynthia Halmarson, Sask Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
2002- Marie C. Jerge, Upstate New York Synod (USA)
2002- Wilma S. Kucharek, Slovak Zion Synod (USA)
2003- Laila Riksaasen Dahl, Tunsberg, Norway
2003- Elisabeth Dons
Christensen, Ribe, Denmark
In the second round the other candidate was Provst Marianne Christiansen.
Elisabeth Dons is (b. 1944-)
2004- Victoria Cortés Rodríguez, Nicaragua
She is vice-president of the World Council of Lutheran
Churches.
2005- Helga Haugland Byfuglien, Borg, Norway
2006- Antje Jackelén, Lund,
Sweden
Pastor and Professor at the Lutheran University in Chicargo until her election. (b. 1955-).
2007- Jessica Crist, Montana Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
2007- National Bishop Rev. Susan Johnson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Reformed
1985- Superintendent Magda Szabo, Tszáninnen, Hungary
1994- Superintendent Gertraud Knoll, Burgenland, Austria
1995- Luise Müller, Salzburg/Tirol, Austria
1999- Jana Silerova, Olomock, The Hussite Church of Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic
Other Churches
1918-? Senior Bishop Alma White, The Pillar of
Five (USA)
1929-46 Archibishop Antonina Izabela Wiłucka of
Catholic
Church of the Maravites in Poland
1931 Suffragan (Assistant) Bishop Maria Celestyna Kraszewska of Catholic Church of the Maravites in Poland
1934-39 General Evangeline Cory Booth, Salvation Army
1940-46 Bishop Antonina Maria Izabella Wiłucka-Kowalska of Catholic Church of the Maravites in Poland
1962- Bishop
Tau Rosamonde Miller, Gnostic Church in France
1969 Bishop Mary E. Jackson, Mount Sinai Holy
Churches (USA)
She was the fourth female leader of the church, which was founded by bishop Ida
Robinson. (b. 1881)
1972-73
President of the Congregetional Federation Viscountess Stansgate, United Kingdom
Wife of Wedgwood Been, MP, mother of the former Labour Leader, Tony Benn. She
lived (1897-1994).
1976 Bishop The Rev. Diana Stewart of the
Detroit District of the Black Christian National Church
Barbara Martin also bishop.
1986-93
General Eva Burrows, World Salvation Army
1989-92 Bishop The Rev. Barbara Gray-Burke,
Southern Baptist Faith (Trinidad and Tobago)
1992- Archbishop (The Most Rev)
She was appointed Reverend Mother in 1975 and appointed independent senator 1995-2001.
1993- Bishop
of
Catholic Church
of the Maravites in Poland
Hanna Maria Rafaela Woińska
1996- Bishop Dr. Katakshamma Paul Rajibo of Bhadrachalamn, The Good Sameritan Evangelical-Lutheran Church of India
1998-2000 Bishop Nelinda Primavera-Briones, United Church of Christ, Philippines.
2000- Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, of the 18th
District African Methodist Episcopal Church (Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique and
Leshoto)
Around 2000- Archbishop Monica Randoo, Judeah Spiritual Baptist Church (The Caribbean)
Around 2000- Bishop Margaret Wanjiru Kariuki of
the Jesus is Alive Ministry (Kenya)
Famous Tele-evangalist of the Country.
2003- Leader of the
Baptist Society Karin Wiborn,
Sweden
Earlier Berit Karlsson was leader
of the Church.
2004- Bishop Diana
Afua Adjartey, Kingdom of God Mission International (KOGMI)
(Italy)
A Ghanian she is founder and General Overseer of the
church and she was appointed by members of the Calvary Crystal
International
2004- Bishop Carolyn Tyler-Guidry, The African
Methodist Episcopal Church (USA) and Presiding Prelate of the 16th Episcopal
district of the AME Church, comprising Suriname, Guyana, the Windward Islands,
the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba and London,
England.
First female Presiding elder in the Fifth Episcopal District of the AME Church
from 1994 and the second female bishop in the denomination. (b. 1937-).
2005- Bishop Beatrycze Szulgowicz of Catholic Church of the Maravites in Poland
2005- General Superintendent Nina G. Gunter, the Church of Nazarene (USA)
2006- Bishop Mother Mai Roberts, The Faith
Healing Temple of Jesus Christ (Liberia)
Known as Mother Roberts, she is also member of the Episcopal Church. The church
is part of the Metropolitan Church of the World. (b. 1921-).
Around
2006
Bishop-elect of the
Catholic Church
of the Maravites in Poland
Maria Alma Bialkowska
Apparently not inagurated by early 2008.
World Council of Churches
1975-83 President A.R. Jiagge (Ghana)
1983-91 President The Very Rev. Louis Wilson (Canada)
2006- Dame Dr. Mary Elizabeth Tanner (United Kingdom)
Other religious or church leaders
1732-43 Official Representative
of the Herrnhut Bretheren Countess Erdmut Dorotea von Zinzendorf, Bohemia,
Austria-Hungaria (Czech Republic)
From the time of her marriage to Reichsgraf Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf she
had been in charge of all the financial and economic aspects of his attemt to
create a pietistic community and she administered all the estates and
manors.After he had been banned from Sachsen she took over the leadership (Ortsherrschaft)
of Berthelsdorf and Herrnhut were officially transferred to her, she was lady of
the estate of Oberlausitz and "House Mother" of the "Pilgergemeine" wich lived
in exile with her husband. As the Official Representative she travelled to
Denmark, Estonia (Livonia) and Russia. 1743 she withdrew to the private life
because of health-problems. Born as Countess Reuß aus Ebersdorf, and lived
(1700-56)
1926-? Cardinal
Lam Thi Tanh, Cao Dai (Caodaism) (Vietnam)
She was inwested as the highest woman dignitary of
Caodaism, a religion founded the same year, which considers that
the principal founders of religions are nothing more than successive
reincarnations of the same entity, the Supreme God, in different times and in
different places, and it mixes traditions and rituals from many religions. One
woman was apparently appointed Honorary Pope by the founder of the religion.
1926-? Cardinal Nguyen Thi Hieu, Cao Dai (Caodaism) (Vietnam)
The Female Cardinal wields the same power as the Cardinals, but her
authority extends only as far as the College of Women, without any involvement
with the powers of the dignitaries of the College of Men. In their turn the
latter must refrain from intruding on the power of the College of Women.
Adound 1926 Cardinal The Venerable Lam Huong Thanh, Cao Dai (Caodaism) (Vietnam)
1926-? Principal
Archbishop Nguyen Huong-Hieu, Caodaism (Vietnam)
The office-holder have got the same functions as
their colleagues in the Men's College, except that they are only concerned with
the women
1926-? Bishop Nguyen Houng-Nhan, Cao Dai (Caodaism) (Vietnam)
Fulfills the same functions as do the Bishops of
the Men's College, but the former are concerned only with the women.
1999-2000 and 2004- Chairperson
of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak
Committee Bibi Jagir Kaur, Punjab (India)
The committee controlls all historic
Sikh shrines and institutions in north India (the or SGPC) - has announced the dismissal of the head priest or jathedar
Giani Puran Singh at the Golden Temple Complex in Amritsar
2005-08 Vice-chairperson
of the Belgian Muslim Executive and Chairperson of the Flemish college of the
executive Hacer Düzgün, Belgium
2008 Acting Chairperson (February-March)
2008- Chairperson
2008- Spokesperson of the Danish Muslim Society (Islamisk
Trossamfund) Bettina Meisner
Last update 05.05.08