by Melody

by Catherine Worthington

When I first began to hear rumblings that several groups were advocating for the ordination of LDS women, my immediate and somewhat surprising reaction was one of dismay. As a self-professed feminist, I realized that I needed to more closely examine that reaction. I am passionately interested in issues involving women and equality, and I have been deeply troubled by some of the cultural attitudes and practices within the Church that silence the voices and diminish the value of women. So what is it that makes me so uncomfortable with the current push for ordination?

I guess to begin with, despite my respect for many of the women (and men) involved and my genuine sympathy for their frustrations, the sinking feeling I experienced when I realized that this was a legitimate movement came from a sense that the modus operandi felt wrong. I’m concerned about the whole approach, which is decidedly secular. It doesn’t surprise me that Kate Kelly, one of the founders of Ordain Women, is a human rights law attorney. I’m sure she’s a very good one and I applaud any and all efforts to further the cause of human rights worldwide.  But ordination to the priesthood is not a human right. It is not any kind of a “right.” Trying to approach an essentially spiritual issue from the perspective of secular activism is neither reasonable nor appropriate. The Church is not a political entity.  It is the body of Christ, headed by Him and led on the earth by living prophets who hold the keys to revelation for the Church as a whole. This is our theology.  If we really believe this, then our actions must reflect that belief.  As humble disciples of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t our approach be to ask for further light and knowledge rather than to make demands?

I was initially encouraged when I read this from Kate Kelly in The Salt Lake Tribune:

“We sustain the prophet and the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and ask them to prayerfully consider this change,” she said. “We believe that what we are doing demonstrates our faith in the gospel.”

This is an approach I can get behind. Yes, by all means, let’s ask our leaders to prayerfully consider possible changes.

But when I go to the official Ordain Women website (ordainwomen.org), I find a very different rhetoric.

by Annie B.

In conversations about gender inequality in the LDS church, the biggest point I’ve seen made from those who are comfortable with the status quo and against the LDS feminist movement is that the status quo is the way God wants things.  I’ve seen and heard this point claimed both in online forums and in person, concerning everything from the figurative burqa surrounding Heavenly Mother to male-only Priesthood.

My question is this: Why do you assume that a male-only priesthood (insert other gender unequal policy here) is a principle that comes from God and not from mankind’s limited understanding?

Priesthood was first given to men in a time period when women were basically seen as the possessions of men. Considering the cultural norms of Bible times, it’s not surprising that throughout the Bible women are almost invisible as spiritual leaders, and all our scriptural texts are written by men (as far as I know).

by Aimee Hickman, co-editor of Exponent II magazine

This lesson cuts right to heart of one of the most profound and exhilarating teachings is Mormonism—that our eternal progression can lead us to godliness and Godhood. As women, we should consider thoughtfully and prayerfully what that means for us. I think one of the most successful things we could do as teachers in this lesson is to help each sister in our class envision this divine potential within herself and within the women surrounding her. The following outline offers possible questions you could ask and points you could emphasize to facilitate a discussion about what women of the Church can do to cultivate and understand our divine potential. We would love to hear your thoughts for how you plan to present this lesson in your own wards in the comments below.

God’s Human Past and Our Divine Future

I would suggest beginning the lesson by reading the first paragraph of the lesson and writing President Snow’s couplet on the board:

“As man now is, God once was:

As God now is, man may be.”

by Galen Dara

by Rachael Rose

One day, when talking to a lifelong Mormon woman about the church, she told me that she prays to Heavenly Mother all the time.

Surprised that an orthodox woman would admit this, I said “But your leaders would call you blasphemous.”

“I know,” she said matter-of-factly, “and I don’t care. She understands me.”

I was twenty at the time, and it was when I became aware of the variety of women’s relationships to the divine Mother–dynamic, living, and intimate. Church leadership would hardly encourage this reality, but even among the orthodox, Heavenly Mother finds Her way into our prayers, our questions, and our conversations.