Betty Bone Schiess

Betty Bone Schiess famously brought “the world to the church” by laboring tirelessly to elevate women’s voices and roles in modern American Christianity. As the leader of the “Philadelphia Eleven,” she was ultimately responsible for the Episcopalian Church’s decision to ordain women as priests—a battle waged from the mid-1970s through the 1980s. In this moving interview, Reverend Schiess speaks with humility and humor about the experiences that determined her path. From the leadership roles she assumed in her youth, through her involvement with the civil rights movement and the National Organization of Women, to her studies in divinity school, traveling the world, and running her own parish, Reverend Schiess has consistently and courageously challenged authority in the pursuit of justice and compassion.