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The stained-glass ceiling is a sociological phenomenon in religious communities similar to the concept of the "glass ceiling". This concept revolves around the apparent difficulty for women who seek to gain a role within church leadership. The use of the term "stained-glass ceiling" is metaphorical, indicating a certain level of power or authority within church structures that women tend not to rise above within church hierarchies. This could range from a group's de jure barring of women from positions like priest, bishop, pastor, rabbi, or similar clerical figures, to gender discrimination at the level of local congregations that prevent women from rising to any role of particular status or power.
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The stained-glass ceiling is a particular aspect of a broader trend of gender segregation and discrimination in religious communities, by use defined social roles and barriers typically justified by either tradition, dogma, or doctrine of the church group.
The phrase "stained-glass" refers to the frequent placement of stained-glass artwork in places of Christian worship.
Statistics
Among the most significant examples of resistance to female clergy has been in the position of senior pastor in large church settings. For example, in the United Methodist Church only two female ministers have ever led churches with membership numbers within the top 100 of United Methodist churches in the U.S. The most recent national data (2005) indicates that there are no female ministers currently leading top 100 membership UMCs. Resistance has eased more rapidly for the position of bishop in the United Methodist Church. For 2004–2008, 15 of the 50 (30%) United Methodist bishops serving the U.S. are women.