History of the EWC
The Episcopal Women's Caucus was formed on
October 30, 1971, during a meeting of professional lay women and deacons.
Notified that the House of Bishops had created yet another study committee on
the ordination of women, without having taken action on its previous studies,
the women informed the Presiding Bishop of their refusal to cooperate further
and constituted themselves the EWC.
Regional organizing conferences were held in
1972, and EWC chapters were created in many parts of the country. Following the
ordinations in Philadelphia and Washington in 1974 and 1975, a special
conference was called to develop strategies for the 1976 General Convention.
These strategies contributed to the action of the 1976 Convention making the
ordination canon equally applicable to women and men.
The Caucus, committed to advancing the role
and status of women in the church, continues today as the feminist* voice in the
Episcopal Church, theologically, spiritually, and politically.
Issues for today include: challenging
the church to face its historical complicity in the interlocking, systemic
causes of sexual exploitation, oppression and violence; equal pay for work of
equal value in the church and in the world; increased appointment or election of
women to leadership roles, including the episcopate; support for the use and
ongoing refinement of liturgical and biblical materials that expand our vision
of God and include all of God's people; inclusion of women and minorities in
the church Calendar and Sunday lections; and encouraging familiarity and fluency
with new forms of technology which will assist our causes.
*A feminist is anyone who believes that God
created males and females equally human.
Marge Christie compiled an expanded history of the EWC in September 1996 for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Episcopal Women's Caucus. It is taken from back issues of Ruach, the Caucus' newsletter, dated Spring, 1974, through Winter, 1996.
Read The Story of the Episcopal Women's Caucus 1971-2003. Newly updated for 2003!