The Philadelphia Eleven

The Philadelphia Eleven is a story of those who overcame an injustice and succeeded in gaining access where access was once denied.  It is a story of justice, inclusion, and triumph. This story is told in a compelling new documentary The Philadelphia Eleven. Women in many parts of the Christian church continue a struggle for full inclusion in the leadership of the church.  The Philadelphia Eleven offers hope and inspiration where injustices persist.

In violation of the Episcopal Church’s constitution and canons – which stated that only men were eligible for ordination – a group of eleven women were ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in 1974 at a church in Philadelphia. This moment moved the Episcopal Church to change and gave hope to women everywhere. 

The feature documentary film will screen here in Lynchburg on Sunday, March 3 at the Academy Center of the Arts! All are invited to a reception at 4:30 p.m. where we will honor the Rev. Deborah Hunley, whose ordination in 1977 marked the first ordination of a woman in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia.  The screening of the 90-minute documentary will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Historic Academy Theatre. Tickets for the event are available on the Academy’s website.

This film tells a story that resonates even today as women seeking ordination continue to face resistance, disrespect, and exclusion from roles that were reserved for men. The documentary explores the lives of these remarkable women who succeeded in transforming an age-old institution despite threats to their personal safety and the risk of rejection by the church they loved. These women became and remain an inspiration for generations of women in the ministry and a clarion call for the entire Christian Church. 

This screening is hosted by the Convocation of Lynchburg area Episcopal Churches, whose congregations have been blessed by women in ministry and in leadership roles. We celebrate fifty years of Women in Ministry, even as we continue to pursue equity and justice for women in all spheres of life. 

A portion of the ticket sales from this screening will go to support YWCA Central Virginia, whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women.