Abstract
Using the concept of agency, this article examines the choices Black Clergywomen make when offered guest speaking engagements where they would be prohibited from speaking from the pulpit. In-depth interviews were conducted with eighteen African American clergywomen. Utilizing the concept of agency in gender-conservative religions, findings demonstrate that the women engage in resistance and empowerment through their acceptance or decline of invitations. Theory of agency in gender-conservative religions is advanced by demonstrating that the examination of a wider religious context, as opposed to a single denomination, may be useful in understanding agency.