Question
Gramps,
I have a question about women and the priesthood. A friend has posted her distaste for a recent quote that came out regarding women and priesthood power. The comments were crazy, to say the least, stuff about equality and power and patriarchy.
One sister answered a question about changes we can make to ensure we are equal and one of the things she mentioned was having young women pass the sacrament. I have searched but how is it different between men and women? Why can they pass?
Ruth
Answer
Hi, Ruth.
May you ever be a shining light as was your namesake.
This is a very good question. And the answer may not be as clear as we would like. But I’ll do my best to share my interpretation.
The guidance we have from modern revelation states:
The priest’s duty is to preach, teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and administer the sacrament, — D&C 20:46
And we note the duties of a deacon further down the page:
57 [The teacher] is to be assisted always, in all his duties in the church, by the deacons, if occasion requires.
58 But neither teachers nor deacons have authority to baptize, administer the sacrament, or lay on hands;
— IBID
So, it is interesting that the scriptures say that the teachers and deacons do not have authority to administer the sacrament. Yet we seem to think they do. Why is that?
As it is spoken of in verse 58, the word administer would only apply to the blessing of the sacrament, not the serving of it. So, if it is not specifically outlined in the scriptures, why is it a specific duty for deacons and teachers? Why can’t women serve the platters as deacons do?
To read the entire answer: Ask Gramps
