After ages of involvement, women’s voices are finally being heard in religion, said Nikki Bado-Fralick.

Bado-Fralick, temporary assistant professor of philosophy and religious studies, was one of five panelists discussing the relationship between femininity and religion Thursday night to an audience of more than 30 people.

“Women as apostles fell out of the readings and were just not talked about [during the time Roman churches emerged],” she said. “I can’t find any Orthodox women voices anywhere, and we’re not particularly quiet.”

Panelists agreed many college women have questions about being a strong feminist and having a strong religious denomination at the same time.

“I talk to women all the time,” Bado-Fralick said. “It’s not my place to tell her where to go – I point her to good places and good people. The only thing I can do is listen.”

Mary Jane Oakland, deacon at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Marshalltown, said she believes women need the importance of hearing a women’s voice in religion. Other panelists included Mary Ricke, director of religious education at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 2210 Lincoln Way; Dawn Work, a pagan woman from Des Moines; and Kay Scott, associate pastor of First Christian Church, 611 Clark Ave.

Kelly Turpin, junior in public service and administration in agriculture, said she found the discussion very interesting.

“I already knew much of what the women of Christianity had gone through,” she said, “but have never heard much about the religion of Wicca or the Goddess. This was a very good opportunity for me to hear about strong women in various religions.”