International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8, focuses on the progress made by women around the world. And it helps further that progress. It also highlights the courage and determination of "ordinary" women who have helped move the world toward greater justice and equality.
Our cover story this month makes it clear that pushing back gender boundaries for women results in progress for me as well. In our Starting Point essay, Bible scholar Virginia Stopfel honors the accomplishments of three women slaves from Old Testament times. Then we move to contemporary stories of women, from Brazil to Zambia, who are overcoming obstacles through their faith in God's unconditional justice.
Journal founder Mary Baker Eddy saw the struggle for women's rights at the turn of the last century in the even larger context of humanity's divine right to be free of all matter-based definitions and constraints. In this connection, you'll find accounts in this issue by both men and women who are finding freedom from disease, pressure, loneliness, and other ills, through their understanding of God as pure Spirit—universal and always kind toward His spiritual creation.
