This Week on American Black Journal:

It’s Women’s History Month and our “Black Church in Detroit” series examines the role of women in the Black church. We’ll talk about their vital contributions to the church as well as the challenges that exist for women pastors and those in other leadership positions.

Host Stephen Henderson holds a frank conversation about the issues impacting Black women in the church with two Detroit women ministers: Rev. Dr. Constance Simon of Fellowship Chapel and Rev. Dr. Remonia Chapman of Hartford Memorial Baptist Church. They discuss the state of women in the Black church, gender inequality in the pulpit, and continued resistance to women in leadership roles in the church. They cite a recent example of how this resistance to women pastors played out on a national stage when the Rev. Gina Stewart became the first woman to preach at a joint Black Baptist session.

Rev. Simon and Rev. Chapman also reflect on their own personal and professional journeys that led them to become ministers. They talk about the importance of mentoring young Black women interested in the ministry and encouraging them to do what they are called to do. Additionally, they speak to how there are a lot of pulpits that are welcome to women, and they recount their own positive experiences at their respective churches.

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Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.​