The purpose of the book Inspirational Women Leaders: The Challenges and Rewards of Religion, Spirituality, Purpose, and Calling in Leadership is to explore the rewards and challenges that women leaders face as shaped by religion and spirituality, the impact of historical and contemporary women religious leaders on religious practice and on society writ large, how women leaders practice spiritual leadership, expanding the boundaries of spirituality or religion to leadership in daily life and work, finding and exploring a sense of leadership purpose, recognizing and following a calling or vocation, positive and negative impacts of religion and spirituality on leadership and society, religious and spiritual diversity and inclusion, and more.

We seek chapters on a variety of perspectives on transformative women religious leaders and spiritual leadership, including, but not limited to the following:

1. Features about women and/or communities of women leaders who are leading religious or spiritual organizations or places of worship, describing their leadership challenges and rewards. This may include women religious activists, theologians, scholars, spiritual leaders, interfaith leaders, teachers, musicians, volunteers, etc.
2. Models of spiritual leadership, according to religious practices and belief systems, including Baha’i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Earth-based, Hinduism, Indigenous, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, , Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and others.
3. The impact of historical women religious leaders on contemporary women leaders and followers.
4. Auto-ethnographic stories by transformative women leaders that include their religious and spiritual challenges and rewards.
5. The significance of “purpose,” “calling,” and/or “vocation” to the practice of spiritual leadership.
6. Applications of spiritual leadership concepts such as stewardship, trustworthiness, compassion, and more, in contexts outside of religion, such as work and community.
7. Leading through obstacles such as religious and spiritual beliefs used in international and interpersonal conflicts.
8. Religious and spiritual diversity and inclusion.
9. Other related topics.