Women. We are mothers, daughters and sisters. We are friends, girlfriends, lovers and wives. We cultivate, we scold, we discuss and we love. We teach with great conviction and learn with due attention. We produce life and hold our children with care and reverence. We listen while others ease their problems. We offer solutions to insurmountable problems. We have ruled kingdoms, tempered nations, and counseled those in power. We have made progress on equality that includes voting, running for office, and joining the military. Women are pop culture icons, from movie star Elizabeth Taylor to controversial Madonna to trendsetter Lady Gaga. Women are strong forces behind men in power, and in doing so, they become powers in their own right, like Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, and the indomitable Eleanor Roosevelt. Famous artists like Georgia O'Keefe have become the epitome of female expression. The list of influential women throughout history is endless. So, despite all these strides, what is the one position that women have historically never had the opportunity to fill? Clergy. Just 15 years ago, women were not allowed to be active members of the clergy, such as ministers, bishops or priests. With all our successes and progress, clergy should be the next logical step for women to belong and thrive. Many people might point out that women have always played an active role in the church community. The women organize bazaars and fundraisers. They care for the sick, care for wayward children so that everyone can enjoy the service in peace, and sing in the choir to raise their voices to God. Nuns are the most recognizable position women have held and are esteemed among... to paper... and to a prostitute. When he rose again after his death, to whom did he appear first? Mary Magdalene. Once again, a woman. Therefore, those who use the biblical text as a defense against women in the clergy must also recognize our importance in shaping religious history. It is a natural progression for women to exercise their beliefs before a suitable congregation as leaders. And we as a society should continue to work to make this a reality. Works Cited (n.d.). Religious sexism. (2011, September). Retrieved November 22, 2011, from Religious Tolerance: www.religioustolerance.comReuters. (2011, November 13). Retrieved November 22, 2011, from www.reuters.com: http://www.reuters.comPostma, G. (2011, October 21). Women in Ministry: 15 Years Later. The Standard, page. 1.Zylstra, S. (2011, October). The Baptist Fellowship offers cash incentives. Christianity today, p. 1.