“For Fiedler, a feminist Roman Catholic nun, interfaith work seems as important as personal faith. Here, she conducts long, impassioned interviews with women religious and spiritual leaders, scholars and activists, finding common threads in their efforts to ensure women’s full participation in their realms of worship and belief.”
—MS Magazine
“This compelling collection of interfaith women’s voices signals the various ways women have and will continue to step into leadership roles in their religious communities. We should listen closely to these powerful voices of the future.”
—Emilie M. Townes, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of African American Religion and Theology, Yale Divinity School
“In bringing together a stunning array of some of America’s most influential and inspiring religious women’s voices, Maureen Fiedler captures both the frustrations and inspiring progress on the path to full gender equality. Fiedler, one of America’s most respected public interpreters of religious issues through her public radio show “Interfaith Voices,” has woven through these voices a compelling argument for women’s equality and leadership—and a moral and spiritual eye-opener to all men who continue to dominate too many religious institutions.”
—Rabbi David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action Center
“In writing this book, Fiedler has a bird’s eye view of the gender rights struggle in a wide variety of faiths. She sees not just the beauty but also the difficulties; the core commonalities and the delicate differences. Breaking Through the Stained Glass Ceiling is a testament to women’s resilience across faith communities as they struggle to serve both God and society.” —Asma T. Uddin, Editor-in-Chief, altmuslimah.com: exploring both sides of the gender divide
“Surely one of the defining breakthroughs of the last century has been the ascendancy of women into places of leadership, not least in the various religious traditions around the world. Maureen Fiedler’s new book not only documents this advance, but gives voice to a number of such faithful and courageous women ‘in their own words.’ This is a fascinating and important book.”
—The Right Reverend Christopher Epting, Former Deputy for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations, The Episcopal Church
“As a Christian reader, it is vital, in the literal meaning of the word, that Maureen Fiedler gives voice to the biblical proposition that women as well as men are created in the image of God. That is life transforming for both and thus our world. This book of religious women’s stories makes my heart sing; I believe it will do the same for you.”
—The Right Reverend Jane Holmes Dixon, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, Pro tempore, Retired
