The Philadelphia Eleven

On July 29, 1974, at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, PA, eleven women were irregularly ordained by four renegade bishops of the Episcopal Church. This documentary introduces us to the courageous women at the heart of this act of faithful disobedience. It follows the path of women's ordination from the heartbreaking General Convention in 1973 through to the aftermath and repercussions of the ordination of the Philadelphia Eleven and the DC Four (1975). It speaks to the obstacles they encountered and the strength of the church's laity in supporting and welcoming the cause of equality in the church. It also speaks to the toll taken on the women as their desire to be faithful led to their being thrust into the public eye and becoming the targets of those who could not accept this momentous change.