by Sister Alison Joy Whybrow OSB with Julie Clague

 Rev Dr Ellen Marie Barrett was for many years associate priest at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral Glasgow. In 1977, she was one of the first women to be ordained priest in the Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) - now known as The Episcopal Church (TEC) – and the first openly lesbian priest in the worldwide Anglican Communion. Her priestly ordination was a personal milestone and symbolic first. It was also a catalytic event that exposed unresolved tensions across Christianity over questions of women’s ordination, LGBTQ inclusion, scriptural interpretation, ecclesial authority and pastoral care.

Set in the wider context of the USA of the 1960s and 1970s, Barrett’s story belongs to a period of major cultural and ecclesial upheaval. Protesters marched against the Vietnam War; countercultures challenged societal values. Feminism, pacifism, black activism, and gay rights were on the rise. During these turbulent times, Barrett was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement and the campaign for women’s ordination. Following her ordination she was in the vanguard once again, offering pastoral support to those affected by HIV and AIDS.

During the 1970s, there were heated debates across the mainstream denominations concerning the ordination of women. ECUSA first discussed women priests at its 1970 General Convention, where it voted to permit the ordination of women to the diaconate, thereby recognising women as clergy for the first time. Prior to this, the only canonically recognised ministry available to women was that of Episcopal Deaconess, a non-sacramental service-oriented role for those women fulfilling pastoral or administrative ministries within the church as nurses, teachers, chaplains, missionaries etc. The Episcopal Deaconess movement, which began in Maryland in 1857, was canonically approved at the 1889 General Convention. At the movement’s height, in 1922, there were over 200 Episcopal Deaconesses. Following the 1970 General Convention vote to admit females to the diaconate, the ministry of Episcopal Deaconess became defunct.

Sr Alison Joy Whybrow OSB entered The Community of St Mary the Virgin in the Church of England in 2000 where she made her Life Profession in 2008. Following a period of time as a member of the Companions of Luke in The American Episcopal Church both she and Rev Dr. Ellen Barrett moved to Glasgow and transferred their vows to the Bishop of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Prior to becoming a religious Sr Alison Joy pursued careers as an analytical metallurgical chemist and a restaurant-owning chef. Recently, Sr Alison Joy graduated from the University of Glasgow with a Bachelor of Divinity and is now studying for a Masters in Theology.

 Julie Clague is Lecturer in Catholic Theology at the University of Glasgow and one of the editors of Open House.

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Image: Ellen M Barrett at her priestly ordination (1977), with Bishop Paul Moore (right)