Women and the priesthood

FAIR Answers—back to home page

Mormonism, women and the priesthood

Summary: Why do women not exercise priesthood authority in the Church?

Jump to details:

• Question: Why do women not hold priesthood offices in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith intend to ordain women to the priesthood?
• Question: Why are there no women prophets in the church today?

We rejoice that we are privileged to live in this season of the history of the Church when questions are being asked about the priesthood. There is great interest and desire to know and understand more about the authority, power, and blessings associated with the priesthood of God.

— Sister Linda Burton, Relief Society General President (3 May 2013).

Mormonism, women and the priesthood

Summary: Why do women not exercise priesthood authority in the Church?

Jump to details:

• Question: Why do women not hold priesthood offices in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith intend to ordain women to the priesthood?
• Question: Why are there no women prophets in the church today?

Mormonism, women and the priesthood

Summary: Why do women not exercise priesthood authority in the Church?

Jump to details:

• Question: Why do women not hold priesthood offices in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith intend to ordain women to the priesthood?
• Question: Why are there no women prophets in the church today?

Mormonism, women and the priesthood

Summary: Why do women not exercise priesthood authority in the Church?

Jump to details:

• Question: Why do women not hold priesthood offices in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
• Question: Did Joseph Smith intend to ordain women to the priesthood?
• Question: Why are there no women prophets in the church today?

Recommended Blog

Ardis E. Parshall,"“But Don’t You Want the Priesthood?”", Keepapitchinin, the Mormon History blog, (March 23, 2014)

Some version of this question, or a declarative answer – affirmative or negative – comes up in the comment thread of just about every discussion of O[rdain] W[omen]. No question could be more irrelevant to the issue of Latter-day Saint women and the priesthood.

(Click here for full article)

The FAIR Blog responds to these questions

Nick Galieti,"Articles of Faith 4: Valerie Hudson on the Current Discourse on Women and the Priesthood by Ballard, Dew, and Oaks", FAIR Blog, (26 May 2014)

Dr. Valerie Hudson joined the faculty of Texas A&M University at the Bush School in 2012 as the George Bush Chair. She is considered an expert on international security and foreign policy analysis, she received her PhD in political science at The Ohio State University. Prior to going to Texas A&M she taught at Brigham Young University. In 2009, Foreign Policy named her one of the top 100 Most Influential Global Thinkers. Dr. Hudson developed a nation-by-nation database on women (http://womanstats.org) that triggered both academic and policy interest including use by both the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and various agencies of the United Nations. Her research and teaching experience is also complemented by three major teaching awards and numerous research awards. She is a founding editorial board member of Foreign Policy Analysis, and also serves on the editorial boards of Politics and Gender and International Studies Review. More information can be found on her website, http://vmrhudson.org. She comes to us today under the nome de plume V.H. Cassler to discuss her article in the 7th Volume of the online journal SqaureTwo found at SquareTwo.org.

Click here to view the complete article

Notes