Logo

 

Banner Image:   National-News-banner-Purple
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

Baptist Assembly tops gender balance report 

For the second year running, the Baptist Assembly has topped the rankings of Christian events and conferences based on how well they achieved gender parity among speakers

Hosts31 copyProject 3:28’s third annual analysis of gender parity at Christian events in the UK, released on Tuesday, ranks 21 different conferences and festivals and assesses year on year improvement.

Last year's Baptist Assembly took place in Peterborough (pictured right). It featured equal numbers of women and men speaking on stage at various points during the main sessions. Two more men than women were involved in leading the afternoon's Market Place sessions, meaning the event recorded a 52/48 per cent male/female gender split. A feature of the 2015 Assembly was the induction of Jenni Entrican (pictured below) as Baptist Union President.

In terms of gender parity the Assembly was closely followed by the Church and Media Conference (14 men and 16 women speaking; 47/53 per cent) and youth festival Soul Survivor (36 men and 29 women; 55/45 per cent).

Jenni address 250The project’s analysis is based on the assumption that conferences should aim to achieve equal representation of men and women speaking. Two conferences - the Church and Media Conference and Youthwork Summit - demonstrated a clear commitment to highlighting the gifts and expertise of women, each with a higher number of female speakers than men.

The events held in 2015 with the fewest women speaking were the Northern Ireland-based New Horizon (36 men and 4 women; 90/10 per cent), then each with an 80/20 per cent split of male/female speakers, Westpoint, Keswick and Word Alive.

Twelve events demonstrated an improvement in gender parity between 2014 and 2015.

Project 3:28 was set up in 2013 to provide an insight into the gendered dynamics of Christian events, where women speakers are often a minority despite the fact that in many churches, women are a majority. Its name is taken from Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." 

Its creation has prompted conversations on how to create platforms that better reflect the diversity of Christian experience. It says that some conference organisers have underlined a commitment to amplifying the voices of women, conducting gender audits and being proactive in finding more women speakers and making their events more accessible.

'It's great to see Christian events committed to increasing gender parity on their platforms; that the statistics show a slight rise from 2014 is positive,' said Natalie Collins, part of the Project 3:28 collective.

'For events that have a theological commitment to the equal gifting and calling of women to leadership positions there's still a long way to go, but hopefully these statistics, as with previous years, will inspire event organisers to be intentional in inviting, including and equipping women.'


The 2016 Baptist Assembly is taking place in Oxford on 14 May. Visit the website for more details.



 

Baptist Times, 23/02/2016
    Post     Tweet
The 2025 Sam Sharpe Lecture
This year's lecturer Dr Selina Stone brings a prophetic and deeply theological lens to the Sharpe legacy of "liberation from below”, writes Wale Hudson Roberts
Fresh Streams calls Baptists Together to a day of prayer and fasting
Fresh Streams is inviting Baptist churches, ministers, and individuals across the UK to unite in a dedicated day of prayer and fasting on Thursday, 25 September 2025
'A thank-you—from those taught, challenged, and inspired by her ministry'
The Revd Dr Karen E. Smith was surprised with the presentation of a new volume published in her honour at this year’s Baptist Historical Society Summer Conference
Calling previous members of the Joppa Group
Were you a member of the Joppa Group? Do you have historic papers about it? An invitation-based roundtable event is being co-convened to mark the 40th anniversary of the group's founding. Paul Weller explains more
Ripples of Change - a service of celebration and thankfulness
A service has been organised to mark the role Jane Day served in our Baptist family as Centenary Enabler, combining thankfulness for the progress made, as well as a time of lament for many of the findings of Project Violet. Lisa Kerry explains more
I Will...Leave a lasting legacy
The Baptist Union of Great Britain with BMS World Mission have now launched a new church resource to help those considering an ongoing blessing to support God’s mission both in the UK and overseas
     Latest News 
    Posted: 29/07/2025
    Posted: 04/06/2025
    Posted: 21/05/2025
    Posted: 07/01/2025
    Posted: 07/01/2025
     
    Text Size:  
    Small (Default)
    Medium
    Large
    Contrast:  
    Normal
    High Contrast