He settled back for the long flight. When the plane was in the air, he opened his iPad to continue reading a novel. Glad the iPad provided cover for his book, he preferred that his reading choice not become known. He was reading the novel, Woman In The Pulpit.

Woman In The Pulpit

Rev. Theo (who doesn’t want his last name used) is part of a growing movement of male pastors who are reading Woman In The Pulpit. “I think the sympathy lies with Rev. Thomas Haliburton. Although what he did to Grace was wrong, I can certainly understand his actions. We all know people like him who can’t let go,” said Rev. Theo when asked about his attraction to the novel.

In Woman In The Pulpit, Rev. Thomas Haliburton has a hard time adapting to a female pastor of a church. He tries to undermine everything she does. He turns against anyone who is open to a woman pastor. The result is a tragedy that is blamed on the only female pastor in town.

Margaree Mitchell, the author of Woman In The Pulpit, has heard from male pastors. “The first thing they want to know is when the next book in the series will be published. Then they want to know what happens to Rev. Haliburton,” Mitchell said. “I’m glad they care what happens to him. I wanted to make Rev. Haliburton someone who people can identify with.”

Asked why she drew Rev. Haliburton as a complex character, Mitchell said, “At first he was a character with no redeeming value. But I decided to dig deeper and show the events which lead him to the brink.”

Rev. Haliburton’s character initiates soul-searching on the part of men who read the book. “I certainly questioned how I deal with change,” Rev. Theo said. “I found I wasn’t as progressive as I positioned myself to be.”

Would he recommend Woman In The Pulpit to other pastors? “Absolutely! I have already recommended it to my pastor friends,” he said.

Click to read Woman In The Pulpit