The underrepresentation of women in executive levels of higher education leadership has been discussed in the literature from a variety of viewpoints. In the context of Christian higher education, the focus of this study, women's underrepresentation has sometimes been compounded by the conservative theological tenets of some denominations affiliated with postsecondary institutions. Women's leadership aspirations in such settings have sometimes been perceived as challenging traditional expectations of roles considered appropriate for women. Previous literature has documented numerous forces that hinder women's leadership advancement, including: (a) the effects of role incongruity; (b) a phenomenon termed "imposter syndrome;" (c) macro-, meso-, and micro-levels of gender-based barriers; (d) limited opportunities for mentorship and sponsorship; and (e) workplace experiences with sexism, tokenism, and the repercussions of "onlyness." To better understand the experiences of women who successfully broke through the stained-glass ceiling in Christian higher education, this study explored the lived experiences of 17 women who were the first and/or only to advance into a cabinet-level position at an institution affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). A hermeneutic phenomenological methodology guided the process of data collection and analysis, yielding four major themes symbolically characterized as leadership mantles: courage, awareness, competence, and resilience. Dahlvig and Longman's (2014) women leadership development model (WLDM) was used as an interpretive framework to present the findings. Examination of the mantle of courage included exploration of leadership motivators within the contexts of: (a) leadership preparation, (b) the influence of developmental networks, and (c) the presence of a sense of calling. Dimensions for the mantle of awareness included leadership influencers related to: (a) self-awareness and (b) awareness of organizational culture. The mantles of competence and resilience were discussed concerning sources of validation and resistance, respectively, within the WLDM. Regarding the mantle of competence, nuanced understandings emerged related to: (a) self-efficacy and (b) anti-tokenism. For the mantle of resilience, discussion of the findings yielded new understandings concerning: (a) gender-bound biases and assumptions, (b) exclusion from social networks, and (c) reframing sexism and exclusionary experiences. The findings led to recommendations in four areas that have the potential to support women's leadership advancement: (a) promotion of leadership preparation, (b) awareness of the significance of the role of calling, (c) the importance of developmental networks, and (d) addressing gender-based discriminatory practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]