Authority of LDS Women

[MichaelCraig]

Please share your feelings and/or knowledge. Does anyone think the authorities given to LDS women will ever change? I know that young women can go on missions but are limited in things they can do like Baptize and other various things that say a Melchizedek priest can do. While on thier mission what else may they do besides teach. Will it always be that women can not hold any position higher than those in the Relief Society?

Thanks.

[Saguaro]

Please share your feelings and/or knowledge. Does anyone think the authorities given to LDS women will ever change? I know that young women can go on missions but are limited in things they can do like Baptize and other various things that say a Melchizedek priest can do. While on thier mission what else may they do besides teach. Will it always be that women can not hold any position higher than those in the Relief Society?

Thanks.

Anything is possible, I think women may receive the priesthood some day, what's continuing revelation for if not to bring about change? Today women perform priesthood ordnances in the temples (washing & anointing) and some women were ordained in the early days of the restored church.

Women and Authority -- chapter 17

[rameumptom]

Until God provides a revelation, things will remain as they are. As it is, women who are sealed in the temple DO hold the priesthood: they share the Patriarchal Priesthood with their husbands.

Just because women cannot baptize does not mean they are limited in what they can do in life. I cannot bear children, yet still find great joy in life in what I can do.

Besides, when it comes to priesthood I think it mostly means we are responsible for parking cars and ushering at stake conference..... And the sisters are welcome to that, as far as I'm concerned.

[RipplecutBuddha]

"Only the Relief Society" ? What about Primary and Young Women? Keep in mind that there are women holding leadership positions in each of these auxiliaries at the General Authority level as well. Women hold a great deal of responsibility and leadership in the church. And the RS is the largest and oldest women's organization on earth...no small statement there. They even have their own visiting teaching assignments aimed specifically at the women of each ward. They're hardly getting the short stick as it is.

As of right now, the duty of running the church is given to the Priesthood holders, which would be the men. God has always used men to act as prophets and apostles and to lead his church on the earth. While it is possible, I find it unlikely that women will ever be given the Priesthood as it is given to men currently.

If it does happen in the future, great. It's Christ's church, he can do with it as he pleases. Until then, it seems ushering and parking for stake conferences will remain the joy and pleasure of us guys.

[NeuroTypical]

Does anyone think the authorities given to LDS women will ever change?

Nope. My wife will always be the boss.

LM

[Hemidakota]

We already seen the pattern set already by GOD for us. What remains is the details that Ram alluded too that is not shown.

We do know by a simple vision from Joseph Smith, witnessing our first mortal parents, Adam and Eve were seated on thrones of glory; both of which, were enrobed with the celestial royalty, sharing the authority together.

As to wearing the pants in the family, I am with LM... :)

[pam]

Will it always be that women can not hold any position higher than those in the Relief Society?

Higher than Relief Society? What could ever be higher than Relief Society. *I am woman hear me roar*

[Hemidakota]

Lion or Lioness?

[applepansy]

Women also serve in the Temple.

Personally, I hope it doesn't change. I don't need more to do. :)

[pam]

Lion or Lioness?

Well I'm certainly not changing my gender. EVEN to be able to hold the Priesthood.

[Just_A_Guy]

In my experience, 9 times out of 10, when a non-Mormon asks about Mormon women and the priesthood, what he really means is whether Mormon women will ever have an opportunity to participate in running the Church in its highest councils. Discussions about what "priesthood" really entails, whether women hold it independently of or through their husbands, and the degree to which women could/do/did participate in healings and temple ceremonies are somewhat beside the point.

(At any rate, Quinn's article interprets certain quotes of Brigham Young, et. al using a Correlated, hyper-technical definition of the term "priesthood". There was a nine-part series over at bycommonconsent.com not too long ago that discussed how the definition of "priesthood" evolved and, ultimately, narrowed within the Church up through Harold B. Lee's administration; so Quinn's assertion that Nauvoo-era Mormon women held "priesthood" as we currently understand it strike me as anachronistic and therefore flawed).

It seems to me that the bottom line is this: We view ourselves as a restoration of ancient Christianity, which means we rely an awful lot on precedent. The versions of the scriptures canonized by our church contain no precedent whatsoever for female deacons, teachers, priests, bishops, elders, high priests, patriarchs, seventies, or apostles. This leads us to one of three conclusions:

1) The Church has been in apostasy for the entire seven thousand years of its recorded history;

2) It has not, to date, been appropriate for females to serve in such capacities, but may become so in the future;

3) There's something in the eternal scheme of things that prevents women from serving in such capacities, at least during their mortal probations.

I find 1) unacceptable. I'm agnostic between 2) and 3).

Edited June 23, 2010 by Just_A_Guy

[Traveler]

Please share your feelings and/or knowledge. Does anyone think the authorities given to LDS women will ever change? I know that young women can go on missions but are limited in things they can do like Baptize and other various things that say a Melchizedek priest can do. While on thier mission what else may they do besides teach. Will it always be that women can not hold any position higher than those in the Relief Society?

Thanks.

The highest calling of authority within the eternal organization of the LDS Church (kingdom) is that of a Father and Mother. The position cannot be held by an individual but must be jointly head by a man and a woman in what is known as “The New and Everlasting Covenant”. All other positions of authority are intended to be supportive of parents.

The Traveler

[LocalFarms]

Reading this thread has reminded me of a set of refrigerator magnets my grandparents had. One was of was a rooster puffing out his chest with the words written on the bottom: "I rule the roost". The other magnet was of a hen and it said, "I rule the rooster".

[Snow]

Please share your feelings and/or knowledge. Does anyone think the authorities given to LDS women will ever change? I know that young women can go on missions but are limited in things they can do like Baptize and other various things that say a Melchizedek priest can do. While on thier mission what else may they do besides teach. Will it always be that women can not hold any position higher than those in the Relief Society?

Thanks.

Women can do many things: Cooking, cleaning, darning, stand back while the men take charge, cry in baseball, read romance novels, gossip, be catty, scrap-booking; get snookered by Satan, oh - and discover radium... truly a multi-faceted bunch.

[pam]

And tell Snow to "stuff it."

[talisyn]

I think people who ask if LDS women will only get to serve in Relief Society have no real clue what Relief Society is. I'm with Apple, I don't need anything else added to my already overflowing plate

[Snow]

And tell Snow to "stuff it."

That's mean Pam. You women need to learn to show some compassion.

[Guest mormonmusic]

I believe anything is possible when it comes to changes in Doctrine. However, if you look at the Church's position on a number of issues, change comes slowly. I don't see women holding the priesthood any time soon.....they can have callings in most auxiliaries other than the priesthood quorums, though, and at all different levels of the organization.

[pam]

That's mean Pam. You women need to learn to show some compassion.

And here I thought that was one of the things we learned and practiced in RS.

[Moksha]

If Plan 10 From Outer Space ever comes to fruition, it will be Mormon women running the show.

[rameumptom]

When you consider the highest echelons of Church authority, we see the Priesthood running only a portion of things. True, we have the First Presidency, Twelve and 70 to run around the world organizing stakes and witnessing of Christ.

However, the top echelons also include three presidencies of women, who manage the effort over all the women, young women, and children in the Church. That's a considerably large group of members.

A ward RS president holds (or should hold) a position of power in the ward. The bishop should not do anything concerning the women without first counseling with her, etc. And even more, should probably leave most of those decisions to her.

There will be a time when all righteous will share in the priesthood. But I feel the duties may still not be exactly the same in the next life. That should not be a problem. That all are working towards the same eternal goals should be the focus.

[mightynancy]

"Only the Relief Society" ? What about Primary and Young Women? Keep in mind that there are women holding leadership positions in each of these auxiliaries at the General Authority level as well.

True, but these women are only rarely referred to as "President" and are not included in the umbrella of "General Authorities." I agree that what women DO is very powerful. How women are PERCEIVED is not. I don't do what I do in order to earn any sort of status in the perceptions of others, but it is completely understandable that someone looking on would see women's roles as subordinate. I even know women who think that way.

[LocalFarms]

True, but these women are only rarely referred to as "President" and are not included in the umbrella of "General Authorities." I agree that what women DO is very powerful. How women are PERCEIVED is not. I don't do what I do in order to earn any sort of status in the perceptions of others, but it is completely understandable that someone looking on would see women's roles as subordinate. I even know women who think that way.

We have no control over the perception of others.

[MichaelCraig]

Thank you very much for sharing your views. Please know that I did not in any way mean to belittle the Relief Society or the women that are a part of it. I am obviously, as it has been mentioned a non-member and knew nothing before now about Primary and Young Women so I did not leave that out on purpose. I asked for your views because I am wishing to learn for reasons that are completely positive. I've been here a while and I'm pretty sure that most know I mean no harm. I respect every ones views and please, continue if you will. The information is very helpful to me and the humor I hope makes everyone smile, (LM).

[Saguaro]

We have no control over the perception of others.

True, but how the world perceives the church can either help or hinder missionary work and the growth of the church. The fact is that many outside (and even some in) the church perceive it as a patriarchal organization lead by old men. Men have the priesthood and women don't, and even the leadership positions available to women are limited, and they still ultimately answer to a man.