Women and the Priesthood

What is the priesthood?

The Church defines the priesthood as "the power and authority of God" and how "God created and governs the heavens and the earth."[1]

In mortality, it is "power" delegated to "worthy male members of the Church" which "enables them to act in God’s name for the salvation of the human family."[2]

Can women hold the priesthood?

No. Someone who "holds" or "bears" the Priesthood holds an office in the Priesthood, such as Deacon or Apostle,[3] and can perform and officiate in ordinances.[4] These positions and responsibilities are only available to male members of the Church, starting at age 11.[5]

However, women can perform priesthood ordinances in the temple,[6] as well as participate as witnesses in certain ordinances, such as baptisms and sealings.[7]

a black and white ink illustration by Joseph A F Averett for the March 1936 issue of the Relief Society Magazine, of two women, one covering her face, accepting a large symbolic key from the latter-day saint mormon prophet joseph smith. text on the image reads "I now turn the key to you in the name of God and this society shall rejoice, and knowledge and intelligence shall flow down from this time" — Detail an illustration from the cover of the March 1936 issue of the Relief Society Magazine by Joseph A. F. Averett. While the image is about the founding of the Relief Society, keys are often used to represent priesthood authority.

Why can't women hold the priesthood?

It's unclear. President Gordon B. Hinckley[BIO] stated, "It was the Lord who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood."[8] In 2014, President M. Russell Ballard[BIO] cited this quote and added that "The Lord has not revealed why He has organized His Church as He has."[9]

Will women ever be allowed to hold the Priesthood?

Possibly, however when asked about women receiving the Priesthood in a 1998 interview, President Gordon B. Hinckley stated, "It would take another revelation to bring that about. I don't anticipate it."[10]

And in 2014, President Dallin H. Oaks[BIO] stated in General Conference that Church leaders "are not free to alter the divinely decreed pattern that only men will hold offices in the priesthood."[11]

Does this mean that women are limited in their opportunities for leadership and service in the Church?

Yes. The Church is "governed by the priesthood," which means that women are limited in their opportunities for leadership[12] and certain types of service,[13] though there are some leadership positions held exclusively by women.[14][15]

Are there any women involved in the governing councils of the Church?

Yes. Since 2015, each of the following governing councils of the Church has had a permanent appointment of a female general authority: the Family Executive Council, the Missionary Executive Council, and the Temple and Family History Executive Council.[16]

But isn't it true that even though women have some positions of authority and governance in the Church, ultimately, in theory, all final decisions are made by men?

Yes.

Doesn't that make women "second-class" citizens in the Church?

Some have argued this is the case.[17] Others have argued that the Church is empowering and helpful to women.[18]

Prominent Latter-Day Saint Women's Views on Women in the Church.

Name	Position	View
Sheri Dew[BIO]	CEO of Deseret Book Former counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency	“There are hundreds of thousands of women, right now, who have legitimate leadership opportunities and expectations. As women in the Church we teach and preach, we expound doctrine, we serve missions as full-time proselyting missionaries, and we have leadership responsibilities.”[19] "Why has the Lord organized His Church in this manner? I don't know. But followers of Christ have always been required to accept some things on faith. Unanswered questions are not unique in the annals of the Lord's Church. Only the Lord 'knoweth all things.'"[20]
Sharon Eubank[BIO]	First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency	"And the answer to the question of 'Is this a woman's church,' rather than give you a premise or a thesis and back it up by a bunch of quotes, I'm only going to rely on my own experience and I'm going to tell you that my witness from being here and around the world is what I'm going to say to my Sisters: what you're hungry for, what you want most, is in this Church."[21]
Reyna Aburto[BIO]	Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency	"Priesthood authority is the permission or license to perform specific priesthood duties and comes from ordination to priesthood office and from being set apart for callings in the church. Priesthood authority is conferred by the laying on of hands under the direction of those who have priesthood keys. Women receive this authority in the form of a calling. Men receive this authority in the form of a calling or an office in the priesthood. President Dallin H. Oaks made that clear when he said, 'Whoever functions in an office or calling received from one who holds priesthood keys exercises priesthood authority in performing her or his assigned duties.'"[22]
Barbara Morgan Gardner[BIO]	Associate professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU	"Priesthood keys are 'the authority God has given to priesthood [holders] to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth.' President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, explains, 'Every act or ordinance performed in the Church is done under the direct or indirect authorization of one holding the keys for that function.' Women have authority to perform their callings, under the direction of one who holds priesthood keys, just as men do."[23]
Valerie Hudson[BIO]	Professor of political science at Texas A&M	"The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the strongest and most progressive force for women in the world today...Our Church authorities have been strong in their depiction of the equality of women and men before the Lord and before each other."[24] "We have the most revolutionary and feminist doctrine."[25]

Expand Table

Do women in the Church want the priesthood?

In 2011 a national survey conducted by Pew Research indicated that 90% of active Latter-day Saint women do not agree that women should be ordained to the priesthood.[26] There are some Latter-day Saints, such as the "Ordain Women" organization, that have advocated for the ordination of women.[27]

Does the Church teach that men have the priesthood and women can have babies and that is somehow equal?

Kind of. The Church asserts the position that "women and men are equal, with different responsibilities,"[28] and that there are "eternal differences—with women being given many tremendous responsibilities of motherhood and sisterhood and men being given the tremendous responsibilities of fatherhood and the priesthood.”[29]

Wasn't there a female apostle in the primitive Church named Junia? Does that mean that she had the priesthood?

Junia is a woman mentioned in Romans 16 and is referred to as "prominent among the apostles" which has led some secular scholars to speculate[30] that she was one of the Twelve.[31]

However, in the New Testament the Greek word ἀποστόλος (apostolos)[32] can be translated multiple ways: as one of the twelve apostles[33] or as a messenger (or missionary),[34] and was often used interchangeably.[35] It is not always clear which definition Paul had in mind when he was writing Romans and what implications about priesthood roles or duties, if any, he intended to suggest with it.[36]

I heard that things were different in the early days of the Church—that women were ordained and gave blessings. Is that true?

Although Joseph Smith[BIO] used the term "ordain" when referring to Relief Society leadership,[37][38] there is no historical record indicating that he intended to ordain women to priesthood offices. And shortly after Joseph's death, Brigham Young stated that women can "never hold the keys of the priesthood apart from their husband."[39]

However, women gave non-priesthood blessings of healing by the laying on hands throughout the 19th century and into the early 20th century.[40]

Timeline of Women and Blessings of Healing

1838

Joseph Smith Sr.[BIO] gives a patriarchal blessing to Eda Hollister Rogers[BIO] and says that in the absence of her husband that she "shalt lay thy hands on [her children] and they shall recover."[41]

1842

Joseph Smith[BIO] taught the Relief Society that there was "no sin" in women laying on hands to heal.[42]

1876

Mary Ann Freeze[BIO] recorded in her diary that women were washed and anointed with oil before the receiving blessings of healing from other women.[43]

1882

A eulogy in the Women's Exponent writes that Lucy Smith[BIO] blessed and healed a sick child.[44]

1892

A eulogy in the Women's Exponent states that Susanne Smith Adam was "set apart" by Elder George A. Smith[BIO] in 1854 to "wait upon her sex in sickness."[45]

1896

The editor of the Juvenile Instructor stated that "all members of the Church have a right to lay hands on the sick. . .even sisters can do this. . ."[46]

1901

Ruth May Fox[BIO] recorded instructions from Elmina Shepard Taylor[BIO] that it was "all right" for women to seal blessings if there was no available priesthood.[47]

1901

Relief Society general board minutes instruct women to "confirm" blessings rather than "seal" them.[48]

1917

Joseph F. Smith[BIO] is reported to have performed a blessing with the assistance of two of his wives.[49]

1921

In the April 1921 general conference President Charles Penrose[BIO] gives instruction that women should not "take the place that is given to the elders" with respect to administering to the sick.[50]

1924

In a meeting with the Relief Society general board, a mission president said that women were still performing washings and anointings before blessings in his mission "without any harm having come from it."[51]

1942

Pearl Knowles Everton[BIO] was reported to have been "appointed" in her ward to give blessings to expectant mothers.[52]

1946

Joseph Fielding Smith[BIO] instructed the general board of the Relief Society that "the plan the Lord has given us" is to have Elders administer to the sick, but "under certain conditions and with the approval of the Priesthood" women could perform washings and anointings for healing.[53]

1955

In the Improvement Era Joseph Fielding Smith quotes Joseph Smith saying that women may participate in blessings, but that these blessings are done by faith, not the priesthood.[54]

1956

In Joseph Fielding Smith's book, Doctrines of Salvation, it states that blessings from women are not "necessary or wise" and should only be administered by the priesthood.[55]

2020

In the 2020 General Handbook, Latter-day Saints are counseled against seeking spiritual healing outside of properly performed priesthood blessings.[56]

Expand Timeline

Does a woman receive the priesthood if she receives the second anointing?

Sort of. It depends on how you define "priesthood." Women who receive their second anointing are ordained as queens and priestesses.[57] But receiving the second anointing does not in itself authorize women to administer additional priesthood ordinances in this life.[58]

Do women have the priesthood and perform ordinances in the temple?

Yes and no. Joseph Fielding Smith said, "A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord."[59] Recently this has been echoed by Church leaders and publications in a more general sense, but there have not been any statements about women having the priesthood.[60]

The Facts

Only men can be ordained to the priesthood and hold priesthood offices and callings.
Women are delegated non-ecclesiastical positions of authority and leadership in the Church as callings.
The Church has no official position as to why women cannot hold offices in the priesthood.

In the past, women were allowed to do washing and anointings outside of the temple and perform blessings of healing by the laying on of hands.
Junia was a woman in a position of importance in the early Church, but no record exists indicating that she was given priesthood authority.

Our Take

From the inception of the Church, women have played crucial roles and continue to be vital contributors to its mission today. However, the male-only structure of the priesthood often seems like a historical vestige that appears outdated and sexist. For the numerous accomplished, skilled, and caring women within the Church, this policy can be a painful limitation, particularly when it prevents them from taking on leadership roles such as serving as a Bishop, shaping policy decisions, or offering blessings for the sick, including their own family members.

While women do carry out priesthood ordinances within the temple, the reasons behind the male-exclusive ordinations remain unclear. And although in the past women were encouraged to lay their hands on the sick to heal them in the name of Christ, today, this is discouraged. Some have argued that a change would benefit women and the Church, while others have argued that the gender roles in the Church are divinely inspired.

It's okay to have questions about the current policy and to hope that future changes may include the ordination of women. Recognizing the complexity of this issue enhances our ability to support and minister to Latter-day Saint women effectively. At the same time, we should maintain empathy for both those who find the current policy troubling and also those who consider the current policy to be inspired and beneficial. By acknowledging the significant ways women have and continue to exercise spiritual authority and service that benefits the Church, we can foster a more positive dialogue. And ultimately, we should find solace in the belief that any existing injustices will be corrected in the next life, thanks to the atonement of Jesus Christ.

What's Your Take?

Anna Marie
“If the church is true, all the doctrine and history should make sense to me, right? No reason to question. But in the scriptures, the pattern is clear- the Lord requires great faith of his children. We must each inquire of the Lord for answers. We walk by faith and not by sight.”
Barry W.
“Clearly a woman shares the priesthood in her family with her husband through temple marriage. That's the patriarchal priesthood. It's a foolish man who does not actively consult women regarding ecclesiastical decisions”
Jace
“I have no problem with women being ordained as long as it comes through a revelation revealed to the Prophet and Apostles. Most men in the church that I know feel the same way. Maybe it happens some day and maybe it doesn't. Either way, I'm ok with it.”
Carolyn
“Although questioning is healthy, faithful members should remember mortal beings are being directed by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If we have confidence in our prophets, even though not understanding the “why’s”, we can feel confident they are obeying a higher power. Are we?”

Read More Difficult Questions

209 Primary Sources

Footnotes

BIOGordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served as the fifteenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hinckley graduated from the University of Utah in English literature. After serving a mission to Great Britain, he became a secretary under the Church's Radio, Publicity, and Missionary Literature division. He became an apostle in 1961 and then a member of the First Presidency in 1981. In 1995, he became Church president. He oversaw the expansion of temple construction, increased standards for missionary worthiness, the expansion of the Church into West Africa and East Asia (particularly South Korea).
BIOM. Russell Ballard
M. Russell Ballard (1928–present) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and attended the University of Utah. He became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1985. Before his apostolic service, Ballard had a successful career in business, particularly in the automotive, real estate, and investment sectors. He also served as a mission president in Canada.
BIODallin H. Oaks
Dallin H. Oaks (1932–present) was born in Provo, Utah, and became an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1984. After the death of his first wife, June Dixon Oaks, in 1998, he married Kristen M. McMain in 2000. He graduated from Brigham Young University (1954) and the University of Chicago Law School (1957). After practicing and teaching law in Chicago, he became the president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980. He was then a justice of the Utah Supreme Court (1980–1984) before resigning to become an apostle. He was made the first counselor in the First Presidency and president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2018.
BIOSheri Dew
Sheri Dew (1953–present) was born in Ulysses, Kansas. Dew graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Music Education and later pursued a career in publishing. She became the CEO of Deseret Book Company, one of the largest Latter-day Saint book publishers, in 2002. Dew served in the General Relief Society Presidency in the Church from 1997 to 2002. She is also a prolific author, writing several faith-based books and biographies of Latter-day Saint leaders, including Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley and Ezra Taft Benson.
BIOSharon Eubank
Sharon Eubank (1964–present) was born in Redding, California, and is a graduate of Brigham Young University. She has been serving as the First Counselor in the General Presidency of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2017. Eubank is also the President of Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church. Prior to her current roles, she had an extensive career in business and also served a mission for the Church in Finland.
BIOReyna I. Aburto
Reyna Aburto (1963–present) was born in Managua, Nicaragua, and later moved to the United States, where she attended Utah Valley University. She has been serving as the Second Counselor in the General Presidency of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2017. Before her calling in the Relief Society, Aburto had experience in various Church leadership roles and was involved in the translation industry.
BIOBarbara Morgan Gardner
Barbara Morgan Gardner (1972–present) was born in Utah and is a graduate of Brigham Young University, where she also later earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Foundations. She is a professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University and is an active writer and speaker on topics relating to Latter-day Saint theology, women's roles in the Church, and religious education. Gardner has also been involved in interfaith dialogues and has served in various Church leadership positions.
BIOValerie Hudson
Valerie Hudson (1958–present) was born in the United States and is a prominent academic, specializing in international relations and gender studies. She graduated from Brigham Young University and later earned her Ph.D. from Ohio State University. Hudson is currently a professor of political science at Texas A&M University.
BIOJoseph Smith, Jr.
Joseph Smith (1805–1844) organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born in Sharon, Vermont, he began to experience visions of deity and angels at a young age. One vision featured the Angel Moroni, who revealed the location of gold plates with an account of ancient Americans. He translated this record and published it as The Book of Mormon. He continued to receive revelations throughout his life which serve as the foundation for the Church's doctrine today. He led the Latter-day Saints across the country from New York to Illinois. In 1844, he was martyred while awaiting trial in Carthage, Illinois.
BIOJoseph Smith, Sr.
Joseph Smith, Sr. (1771–1840) was born in Topsfield, Essex County, Massachussetts, to Asael Smith and Mary Duty. He married Lucy Mack Smith in 1796. He was the father of Joseph Smith, Jr. He was one of the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon and served as the first Patriarch of the Church. He died in Nauvoo, Illinois.
BIOEda Hollister Rogers
Eda Hollister Rogers (1801-1877) was born in Connecticut and died in Utah. She received a patriarchal blessing from Joseph Smith, Sr. in 1837.
BIOMary Ann Freeze
Mary Ann Freeze (1845-1912) was born in Nauvoo, Illinois and she moved to Utah in 1852. In 1898 she was appointed to the general board of the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association (Y.L.M.I.A.).
BIOLucy Mack Smith
Lucy Mack Smith (1775–1856) was the mother of Joseph Smith, Jr. Born and raised in New Hampshire, she married Joseph Smith, Sr. in 1796. A faithful Presbyterian and a committed Seeker, Smith believed her son's claims to visions. She stayed with the Latter-day Saints throughout her life until Nauvoo, when age prohibited her from traveling with the Saints to the Intermountain West. She composed and dictated the most thorough history of Joseph Smith's early life, which became The History of Joseph Smith By His Mother, transcribed by scribe Martha Coray.
BIOGeorge A. Smith
George Albert Smith (1817-1875) was born in Potsdam, New York. His father was John Smith, a younger brother of Joseph Smith Sr., and was baptized in 1832. His family moved to Kirtland, Ohio in 1833. Smith participated in Zion's Camp and also served several missions. Smith was ordained as an apostle in 1839. He married Bathseba Wilson Bigler in Nauvoo in 1841. Smith came to Utah in 1847 and was involved in various settlement efforts. He served in the First Presidency from 1868 until his death. Smith was also Church Historian and Trustee-in-Trust for the church.
BIORuth May Fox
Ruth May Fox (1853–1958) was born in Westbury, Wiltshire, England. After her family converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they emigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1867. Within the church, Fox served in various capacities, notably as the general president of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association from 1929 to 1937. Besides her religious commitments, she was a strong advocate for women's rights and suffrage. She was also a poet, and her works often depicted her faith and personal experiences. Ruth married Jesse W. Fox Jr. in 1873 and had nine children.
BIOElmina Shepard Taylor
Elmina Shepard Taylor (1830–1904) was born in Middlefield, New York. She converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and eventually settled in Salt Lake City, Utah. Taylor was a significant figure in the church's women's organizations, most notably serving as the first general president of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association (YLMIA) from 1880 to 1904. In addition to her religious roles, she actively promoted women's rights and suffrage. She married George Hamilton Taylor in 1852 and they had several children.
BIOJoseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) was born in Far West, Missouri to Hyrum and Mary Fielding Smith. At age 15, he was called to serve his first mission to the Sandwich Islands under the direction of apostle Parley P. Pratt. During the 1858-59 session of the Utah territorial legislature, he served as the sergeant-at-arms. He served another mission for the Church in Great Britain from 1860 to 1863.
Smith was ordained an apostle by Brigham Young in July 1866. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency under John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow. He became the president of the Church in 1901. Smith issued the Second Manifesto, declaring that any church officer who performed a plural marriage would be excommunicated, alongside the couple themselves. He also received what is now canonized as section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants, a vision of the spirit world in 1918.
BIOCharles W. Penrose
Charles W. Penrose (1832-1925) was an early Latter-day Saint leader. He was born in London, England, and joined the faith in 1850 as a teenager. In 1861, he immigrated to Utah and became a farmer, retailer, politician, and newspaper editor, publishing widely on subjects like polygamy and the Word of Wisdom. He was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1904 to 1911 and a member of the First Presidency from 1911 until 1925.
BIOPearl Knowles Everton
Laura Pearl Knowles Everton (1877-1952) was born and lived her life in Logan, Utah.
BIOJoseph Fielding Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He became an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve in 1910 and served in this capacity until he became a member of the First Presidency in 1965. He was the Church Historian and Recorder from 1921 until 1970. He became president of the Church following the death of David O. McKay in 1970.
[1]↩︎
Both the Church-published Gospel Principles manual and the entry for "Priesthood" on the Church website offer two definitions of the Priesthood: that it is "the power and authority of God" and that it is the power whereby "God created and governs the heavens and the earth."
- Church-published manual Gospel Principles teaches about Priesthood power and authority and that God has delegated His power to male members of the Church.
[2]↩︎
The Gospel Principles manual explains the position of the Church on the delegation and use of the Priesthood during mortality:
Our Heavenly Father delegates His priesthood power to worthy male members of the Church. The priesthood enables them to act in God’s name for the salvation of the human family. Through it they can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern God’s kingdom on earth.
- Church-published manual Gospel Principles teaches about Priesthood power and authority and that God has delegated His power to male members of the Church.
[3]↩︎
After a male member of the Church has the Priesthood conferred upon him, he is ordained to an office in the Priesthood organization of the Church:
When the Aaronic Priesthood is conferred on a man or boy, he is ordained to an office in that priesthood. The offices in the Aaronic Priesthood are deacon, teacher, priest, and bishop. Each office carries duties and responsibilities. . . The offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood are elder, high priest, patriarch, Seventy, and Apostle.
- Church-published manual Gospel Principles discusses the conferral of Priesthood and ordination to an office for male members of the Church.
[4]↩︎
The Church-published Gospel Principles provides a basic understanding of the Priesthood and the requirement that the ritual ordinances in the Church are performed by male members who hold the Priesthood:
Our Heavenly Father delegates His priesthood power to worthy male members of the Church. The priesthood enables them to act in God’s name for the salvation of the human family. Through it they can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern God’s kingdom on earth. . . We must have priesthood authority to act in the name of God when performing the sacred ordinances of the gospel, such as baptism, confirmation, administration of the sacrament, and temple marriage.
- Church-published manual Gospel Principles teaches about Priesthood power and authority and that God has delegated His power to male members of the Church.
[5]↩︎
The General Handbook of Instructions states that the "conferral of the Aaronic Priesthood and ordination to an office" and the "conferral of the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordination to an office" are only "for young men and men" (see sections 18.1 and 18.2).
In 2019, the Church adjusted the timing of when young men become eligible for ordination and advancement in the Aaronic Priesthood, effectively lowering the initial age of ordination to 11:
In addition, young men will be eligible for ordination to the appropriate priesthood office in January of the year they turn 12, 14, and 16. . . Ordination to a priesthood office for young men and obtaining a limited-use temple recommend for young women and young men will continue to be individual matters, based on worthiness, readiness, and personal circumstances. Ordinations and obtaining limited-use recommends will typically take place throughout January.
- Church Handbook discusses ordinances of salvation and the role of the Priesthood and male priesthood bearers who can perform saving ordinances.
- Church Leadership announces changes that allow male members of the Church to be ordained to the Priesthood starting at age 11.
[6]↩︎
In the 2013 essay entitled "Joseph Smith’s Teachings about Priesthood, Temple, and Women" published by the Church it states that "women continue to officiate in sacred ordinances in temples much as they did in Joseph Smith’s day."
In 1959, President Joseph Fielding Smith spoke to the Relief Society about the ordinance work that women do in the temple:
A person may have authority given to him, or a sister to her, to do certain things in the Church that are binding and absolutely necessary for our salvation, such as the work that our sisters do in the House of the Lord. They have authority given unto them to do some great and wonderful things, sacred unto the Lord, and binding just as thoroughly as are the blessings that are given by the men who hold the Priesthood. And you sisters who labor in the House of the Lord can lay your hands upon your sisters, and with divine authority, because the Lord recognizes positions which you occupy.
- Official Church-published essay states that "women continue to officiate in sacred ordinances in temples much as they did in Joseph Smith’s day."
- Joseph Fielding Smith speaks to the Priesthood authority women are given to "certain things in the Church" such as temple ordinances.
[7]↩︎
In 2019, the Church adjusted a policy to allow female members to serve as witnesses at baptisms and temple sealings, a duty previously only given to men who held a priesthood office.
- Russell M. Nelson announces policy change allowing girls and women to serve as witnesses to baptisms and and temple sealings, for both live and proxy ordinances.
[8]↩︎
President Gordon B. Hinckley stated the following during the Women's session of General Conference in October 1996:
And so, my beloved sisters, please know how much we appreciate you. You bring a measure of wholeness to us. You have great strength. With dignity and tremendous ability, you carry forward the remarkable programs of the Relief Society, the Young Women, and the Primary. You teach Sunday School. . . It was the Lord who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood. It was He who has given you your capabilities to round out this great and marvelous organization, which is the Church and kingdom of God.
During the same conference, Elder James E. Faust also addressed the topic of women's relationship to the Priesthood, saying,
For the daughters of God, doing the Savior’s work does not, of course, include the use of priesthood keys, authority, or powers. But it does include building faith by testimony and example. It includes teaching the doctrines of salvation. It includes following the Savior’s example of love for all mankind. It includes ministering to others. . .
- Gordon B. Hinckley states that "It was the Lord who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood."
- James E. Faust states that, "For the daughters of God, doing the Savior’s work does not, of course, include the use of priesthood keys, authority, or powers."
[9]↩︎
Elder M. Russell Ballard shared the following during a devotional at Brigham Young University in October of 2014:
Why are men ordained to priesthood offices and not women? President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that it was the Lord, not man, “who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood” and that it was also the Lord who endowed women with “capabilities to round out this great and marvelous organization, which is the Church and kingdom of God” (“Women of the Church,” Ensign, November 1996, 70). When all is said and done, the Lord has not revealed why He has organized His Church as He has.
Also, in the October 2013 General Conference, Elder Neal A. Anderson stated:
Some may sincerely ask the question, “If the power and blessings of the priesthood are available to all, why are the ordinances of the priesthood administered by men?” When an angel asked Nephi, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?” Nephi answered honestly, “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” When we speak of the priesthood, there are many things we do know.
- M. Russell Ballard suggests that while the Lord designated men as holders of the Priesthood, it has not been revealed "why He has organized His Church as He has."
- Neil L. Anderson quotes "I do not know the meaning of all things" from 1 Nephi 11:17 when addressing the question of why only men administer the ordinances of the Priesthood.
[10]↩︎
The following exchange took place between President Hinckley and a live caller during his interview with Larry King:
CALLER: Yes. Since we’re getting into the 21st century, President Hinckley, what is the chance that women may hold a priesthood in the Mormon church?
Gordon B. Hinckley: Well, they don’t hold the priesthood at the present time. It would take another revelation to bring that about. I don’t anticipate it. The women of the church are not complaining about it. They have their own organization, a very strong organization, 4 million plus members.
- Gordon B. Hinckley suggests in an interview with Larry King that it would "take another revelation" to bring about the Priesthood ordination of women, and he "[doesn't] anticipate it."
[11]↩︎
President Dallin H. Oaks offered an explanation of Church governance and the current practice of only allowing men to hold offices in the Priesthood during the April 2014 General Conference:
The divine nature of the limitations put upon the exercise of priesthood keys explains an essential contrast between decisions on matters of Church administration and decisions affecting the priesthood. The First Presidency and the Council of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, who preside over the Church, are empowered to make many decisions affecting Church policies and procedures—matters such as the location of Church buildings and the ages for missionary service. But even though these presiding authorities hold and exercise all of the keys delegated to men in this dispensation, they are not free to alter the divinely decreed pattern that only men will hold offices in the priesthood.
- Dallin H. Oaks states that Church leaders "are not free to alter the divinely decreed pattern that only men will hold offices in the priesthood."
[12]↩︎
The Church-published Gospel Principles states the position of the Church on Priesthood governance, and that such governing positions can only be held by male members:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is governed by the priesthood. The priesthood, which is always associated with God’s work, “continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years” (D&C 84:17). It is upon the earth today. Men young and old are baptized into the Church, and when they are judged worthy they are ordained to the priesthood. They are given the authority to act for the Lord and do His work on the earth.
- Official Church manual Gospel Principles states that the Church is governed by the Priesthood, and that such governing positions can only be held by male members.
[13]↩︎
Priesthood-related responsibilities, such as blessing and passing the sacrament, priesthood blessings, and performing saving ordinances are only performed by male Church members.
One notable exception is the performance of temple ordinances by women for other women. Otherwise, Priesthood responsibilities are related to the office one holds, and offices are available to male members exclusively.
The Church manual, Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, contains a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities given to young men and men who hold various Priesthood offices.
- Official Church-published essay states that "women continue to officiate in sacred ordinances in temples much as they did in Joseph Smith’s day."
- Official Church publication, Basic Manual for Priesthood Holders, contains a comprehensive list of the duties related to each office in the Priesthood.
[14]↩︎
In the General Handbook, the leadership roles of Relief Society Presidency, Primary Presidency, and Young Women's organization Presidency are all exclusively given to adult women.
And in August of 2013, Elder Ballard praised women in leadership roles during a devotional address given at BYU:
Women are integral to the governance and work of the Church through service as leaders in Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary; through service as teachers, full-time missionaries, and temple ordinance workers; and in the home, where the most important teaching in the Church occurs.
- M. Russell Ballard explains that women are "integral" to Church governance and hold many leadership positions.
- The General Handbook states that certain leadership roles in the Church, such as RS presidency, WM presidency, and Primary presidency, are given exclusively to "adult women."
[15]↩︎
In 2014, Apostle Dallin H. Oaks taught about women, their callings and priesthood authority:
We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their Church callings, but what other authority can it be? When a woman—young or old—is set apart to preach the gospel as a full-time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function. The same is true when a woman is set apart to function as an officer or teacher in a Church organization under the direction of one who holds the keys of the priesthood.
The "chart of callings" in the General Handbook of Instructions indicates that callings are recommended by men or women, depending on the calling, but all callings are approved by men who hold the priesthood (Handbook of Instructions section 30.8).
- Dallin H. Oaks states that women are delegated Priesthood authority to serve in the Church by key-holding Priesthood leaders.
- The chart of callings in the Handbook of Instructions establishes that all callings and positions of authority in the Church are decided and delegated by men.
[16]↩︎
In August of 2015, the Church Newsroom announced that the Relief Society General President, General Young Women's President, and General Primary President were invited to sit on the following general councils, respectively: the Family Executive Council, the Missionary Executive Council, and the Temple and Family History Executive Council.
- A Church Newsroom press release announces new appointments for several female leaders to sit on high level governing councils in the Church.
[17]↩︎
A book titled The Mormon Woman... Goddess or Second-class Citizen? contains interviews of women who have left "Mormonism" due to their difficulties being a woman in the Church. The prologue summarizes their experiences as follows:
With each of the women [interviewed], two common elements prevail - the deep and abiding love that each has found for the real Jesus of the Bible, and the conviction that an LDS woman is, at the very highest estimate, nothing more than a second class citizen in the Mormon world.
In a similar vein, there are examples of women, both active and former members, who talk about a perceived lack of access to power, authority, and decision-making opportunities within the Church.
For example, the group Ordain Women, which advocates froma position that Mormon theology supports the ordination of women, shares the following perspective on their website:
Only boys and men, however, are ordained to the lay priesthood and have ritual and administrative authority in the Church. Despite their gifts, talents, and aspirations, women are excluded from almost all positions of clerical, fiscal, ritual, and decision-making authority.
While women perform significant service in the Church’s auxiliaries. . . their contributions are always mediated and under the direction of male priesthood leaders. . . As such, Mormon women have many delegated responsibilities but lack the authority to define and oversee those responsibilities.
In another example, active members Meg Conley and Jana Riess appeared on a national radio news program, WBUR: On Point, where Reiss made the following comment:
And I also think that the structure, the ecclesiastical structure that Meg was referring to is, you know, very much a patriarchal, all male structure of hierarchical authority. Women do have callings. I have one. I'm active in the church and I love the church, but I can't make any decisions in the church that affect the lives of men or even my own life.
[18]↩︎
Deseret Book CEO and author Sheri Dew shared the following in a 2018 interview:
There are hundreds of thousands of women, right now, who have legitimate leadership opportunities and expectations. As women in the Church we teach and preach, we expound doctrine, we serve missions as full-time proselyting missionaries, and we have leadership responsibilities. I actually feel ennobled by being a Latter-day Saint woman. Every opportunity for growth I have ever had has come because of the Church.
And in a talk entitled "Is This a Woman's Church?", Sharon Eubank shared the following perspective: "My sisters: what you're hungry for, what you want most, is in this Church."
During a podcast interview, Valerie Hudson, who is a Church member and professor at Texas A&M, stated: "We have the most revolutionary and feminist doctrine of any religion on the face of the earth..." and in a 2018 book she stated that the "restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the strongest and most progressive force for women in the world today."
[19]↩︎
Sheri Dew was quoted in a Church News article in 2018.
- Sheri Dew explains why she feels the Church is good and ennobling for women.
[20]↩︎
Sheri Dew wrote this in her book Women and the Priesthood: What One Latter-day Saint Woman Believes.
- Sheri Dew shares her views about women and priesthood.
[21]↩︎
From Sharon Eubank's 2014 FAIR conference talk.
- Sharon Eubank claims that what women are "hungry for" and "want most" is in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[22]↩︎
From the 2019 BYU Women's Conference.
- Sister Aburto teaches that women receive priesthood authority in callings.
[23]↩︎
From the March 2019 Liahona.
- Barbara Morgan Gardner said that both men and women operate under priesthood keys and can have priesthood authority.
[24]↩︎
Hudson wrote this in her chapter “Demographic and Gender-Related Trends: Their Effect on Nations, Regions, and the International System,” in the book Lengthening Our Stride: Globalization of the Church.
- Hudson argues that the "restored gospel of Jesus Christ is the strongest and most progressive force for women in the world today."
[25]↩︎
From Valerie Hudson's interview on the Faith Matters Podcast.
- Valerie Hudson suggests that the Church has "the most revolutionary and feminist doctrine."
[26]↩︎
A 2011 Pew Research Center survey found that most Latter-day Saints in the United States oppose the idea of female ordination to the Priesthood:
[When] asked whether women who are dedicated members of the LDS Church should be ordained to the priesthood, 87% of U.S. Mormons said no, while 11% said yes. Mormon women are somewhat more likely than men to oppose the idea of women in the priesthood. Fully nine-in-ten Mormon women (90%) say women should not be ordained, compared with 84% of Mormon men.
- Pew Research claims that 90% of women and 84% of men disagree that women should be ordained to the Priesthood.
[27]↩︎
For example, an organization called Ordain Women, founded in 2013, advocates for changes in policy that would allow women to be ordained, as laid out in their mission statement:
The fundamental tenets of Mormonism support gender equality: God is male and female, father and mother, and all of us can progress to be like them someday. Priesthood, we are taught, is essential to this process. Ordain Women believes women must be ordained in order for our faith to reflect the equity and expansiveness of these teachings.
- The Ordain Women organization argues that LDS theology supports the ordination of women in their mission statement.
[28]↩︎
In a 2014 Conference address concerning the Priesthood, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "In the eyes of God, whether in the Church or in the family, women and men are equal, with different responsibilities."
These responsibilities are defined on the Church's website:
Women are a necessary part of the plan of happiness, and that plan cannot operate without them. Women participate in the work of salvation, which includes missionary work, convert retention, activation of less-active members, temple and family history work, teaching the gospel, and caring for the poor and needy. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, every woman in the Church is given the responsibility to know and defend the divine roles of women, which include that of wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.
- Dallin H. Oaks suggests that men and women are equal "in the eyes of God", despite having different responsibilities at home and in the Church.
- The Church describes the roles and privileges of women as Church members in an official article.
[29]↩︎
The Eternal Marriage Student Manual, published in 2003, used in Institute courses in Church education, contains the following quote by President Spencer W. Kimball:
We had full equality as his spirit children. We have equality as recipients of God’s perfected love for each of us. . . Within those great assurances, however, our roles and assignments differ. These are eternal differences—with women being given many tremendous responsibilities of motherhood and sisterhood and men being given the tremendous responsibilities of fatherhood and the priesthood.
- The Church-published "Preparing for an Eternal Marriage" student manual defines the differences between men and women with quotes from Church leaders.
[30]↩︎
Some early translations of the New Testament show the male name Junias rather than Junia. In the book Junia the First Woman Apostle, Eldon Jay Epp argues that the evidence indicates that Junia was a female and of some authority in the early Church:
For me—and those like-minded—the task that lies ahead is to make only one of these corrections, and to make it stick: Junias must be corrected to Junia. I trust that both theoretically and actually the Apostle Junias, who had deprived Junia of a century of apostleship, has evaporated—and rightly so—for he was merely the figment of the wishful imagination of some influential white European, British, and American male scholars, caught up in but actively abetting a culturally shaped bias that wished to exclude women from leadership positions in the church—in this case a role that a named woman filled in the earliest period and fulfilled as an outstanding member.
And in 2020, Yale scholar Yii-Jan Lin argues that the phrase "in Christ before I was," used by Paul to describe Junia, situates Junia as an apostle in the same way that Paul was:
Paul takes care to acknowledge their faith while at the same time alluding to his own imprisonment and, in the last clause, his own apostleship. . . in the context of Paul’s emphatic and sometimes strident defense and his claims of unique apostleship and authority, we can confidently understand Junia as an apostle before Paul.
- Eldon Jay Epp argues that Junia, mentioned by Paul in Rom 16, was a woman and had some apostolic authority or leadership role in the early Church.
- Yii-Jan Lin suggests that Paul considered Junia an apostle in the same way he was by referencing their joint imprisonment and that Junia was "in Christ before [he] was."
[31]↩︎
This debate stems from the best way to translate Romans 16:7. The word translated as "among" (ἐν) in the King James Version of the Bible has many uses in the original Koine Greek and has left room for interpretation. This has led to some versions of the Bible having an ambiguous reading (like the KJV) while others read that Junia was honored by the apostles.
- List of translations of Romans 16:7.
- Definition of ἐν in Strong's Concordance.
[32]↩︎
The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature defines ἀποστόλος as:
1. of messengers without extraordinary status delegate, envoy, messenger... 2. of messengers with extraordinary status, esp. of God's messenger, envoy... c. but predominately in the NT... of a group of highly honored believers w. a special function as God's envoys...
- Definition of ἀποστολός (apostolos) in the BDAG.
[33]↩︎
Verses that seem to clearly use apostolos as a specific group called by Jesus are:
- Mark 6:30
- Luke 6:13
- Luke 9:10
- Luke 11:49
- Luke 17:5
- Luke 22:14
- Luke 24:10
- Acts 1:2
- Acts 1:26
- Acts 2:37
- Acts 2:42-43
- Acts 4:33, 35-37
- Acts 5:2
- Acts 5:12
- Acts 5:18
- Acts 5:29
- Acts 5:40
- Acts 6:6
- Acts 8:1
- Acts 8:14
- Acts 8:18
- Acts 9:27
- Acts 11:1
- Acts 14:4
- Acts 14:14
- Acts 15:2
- Acts 15:4
- Acts 15:6
- Acts 15:22-23
- Acts 16:4
- 1 Corinthians 4:9
- 1 Corinthians 9:5
- 1 Corinthians 15:7, 9
- Ephesians 2:20
- Ephesians 3:5
- Ephesians 4:11
- 1 Timothy 1:1
- 1 Timothy 2:7
- 2 Timothy 1:1, 11
- Titus 1:1
- Jude 1:17
- Revelation 21:14
- Strong's Concordance citations for ἀπόστολος in the New Testament.
[34]↩︎
Verses in the New Testament that use apostolos to describe a messenger are:
- John 13:16
- 2 Corinthians 8:23
- Philippians 2:25
- Strong's Concordance citations for ἀπόστολος in the New Testament.
[35]↩︎
There are many cases where the use of apostolos to mean a messenger or as a title established by Jesus is debatable:
- Matthew 10:2-4
- Mark 3:14
- Romans 1:1
- Romans 11:13
- Romans 16:7
- 1 Corinthians 9:1-2
- 1 Corinthians 12:28-29
- 2 Corinthians 2:1
- 2 Corinthians 8:23
- 2 Corinthians 11:5, 13
- 2 Corinthians 12:11-12
- Galatians 1:1, 17, 19
- Ephesians 1:1
- Colossians 1:1
- 1 Thessalonians 2:6
- 1 Timothy 2:7
- 2 Timothy 1:11
- Hebrews 3:1
- 1 Peter 1:1
- 2 Peter 1:1
- Revelation 2:2
- Revelation 18:20
- Strong's Concordance citations for ἀπόστολος in the New Testament.
[36]↩︎
Unlike Luke and Acts, the Pauline corpus shows an inconsistent use apostolos. Many of the references to apostles could be understood to refer to either the twelve apostles Jesus commissioned or to a larger group of messengers/missionaries sent out to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For example, Paul repeatedly refers to himself as an apostle (e.g., Romans 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:1, and Galatians 1:1), but his callings to preach (e.g., Acts 13:1-4, Acts 26:16-18) do not specify that he was given the title of apostle like the original twelve or Matthias.
[37]↩︎
The very first Relief Society leaders were "ordained" to their positions in the Presidency:
Mov’d by Prest. Smith, that Mrs. Smith proceed to choose her Counsellors, that they may be ordain’d to preside over this Society, in taking care of the poor— administering to their wants, and attending to the various affairs of this Institution.
- In the first Relief Society minutes book, Eliza R. Snow records Joseph ordaining Emma Smith and her counselors to the Presidency.
[38]↩︎
Eliza R. Snow recorded the following from Joseph Smith at the third meeting of the Nauvoo Relief Society on March 30, 1842:
The Society should move according to the ancient Priesthood, hence there should be a select Society separate from all the evils of the world, choice, virtuou[s] and holy — Said he was going to make of this Society a kingdom of priests [as] in Enoch’s day — as in Pauls day.
- Joseph is recorded in the first Relief Society minutes book instructing the Society that they "should move according to the ancient Priesthood. . . separate from all the evils of the world."
[39]↩︎
Brigham Young is recorded stating the following about women and their relationship to Church governance:
President Brigham Young, arose & said he would make remarks relative to thing in which many of or our Sister have been engaged they have no right to meddle in the affairs of the kingdom of God outside the pale of this they have a right to meddle because many of them are more sagacious & shrewd & more competent to attend to things of the financial affairs. the never can hold the keys of the Priesthood apart from their husband. When I want Sisters or the Wives of the members of this church to get up Relief Society I will summon them to my aid but until that time let them stay at home.
- Brigham states that women "never can hold the keys of the Priesthood apart from their husband."
[40]↩︎
In their article, "Female Ritual Healing in Mormonism," scholars Jonathan Stapley and Kristine Wright give an exhaustive history of Latter-day Saint women's participation in the Church's rituals, especially healings.
- Jonathan A. Stapley and Kristine Wright give a comprehensive history of Latter-day Saint women performing healings.
[41]↩︎
Comments recorded with Eda Hollister Rogers' patriarchal blessing include:
Sister Rogers will understand that she has something of the priesthood conferred on her for in the absence of her husband she can lay hands on her children. She has formerly belonged to the Campbellites. She must be faithful in talking to them, or as Father Smith called it, preaching to them and some of them shall come into the church.
- Joseph Smith, Sr. gave a patriarchal blessing where he said that Sister Rogers can lay her hands on her children's head when her husband is absent.
[42]↩︎
On April 28, 1842 the Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book records Joseph Smith as saying:
Respecting the female laying on hands, he further remark’d, there could be no devil in it if God gave his sanction by healing— that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on the sick than in wetting the face with water— that it is no sin for any body to do it that has faith, or if the sick has faith to be heal’d by the administration.
- Joseph is states "the female laying on hands" is "no sin" and that sisters who heal others act "in that authority which is confer’d on them."
[43]↩︎
In the March 2, 1876 entry of her diary, Mary Ann Freeze wrote:
They had washed Sister Young preparatory to having her annointed which ordanance I attended to after we had prayers, Sister Lawson be ing mouth made an excellent and humble prayer. Then I called Sopha to seal the annointing, which she did in a praiseworthy manner, for one so young. Then I called upon Jane to annoint the head of Sister Wickens and Sister Newsom to administer to her. They both did exceedingly well, I will here mention that we all laid our hands on when each one was administered to. Then it was proposed to bless Sister Louie Felt, she being poorly. Sister Cushing annointed and Sister Law son blessed her. After we were through with these, Sister Aggie Tuckett who is very sick sent a word for us to come and pray for her. We went in and Lizzie Felt annointed, and, I administered to her. Felt, that they would all soon be healed They were so grateful to us, seemed to look upon us as ministering angels.
- Mary Ann describes washing and anointings of women.
[44]↩︎
The author of the eulogy wrote, "The mother of the Prophet, Mrs. Lucy Smith, came and blessed the child, and said she should live. This was something new in that age, for a woman to administer to the sick, but the Lord blessed the administration and manifested his power in behalf of the child, and she speedily recovered."
- Anonymous eulogizer describes Mary Isabella Horne as administering to sick children when her husband was away.
[45]↩︎
It states:
In 1854 [Susanne Smith Adam] she was set apart by Apostle Geo. A. Smith to wait upon her sex in sickness. For thirty eight years she humbly pursued her calling with great success.
- An article in the Women's Exponent says that a woman, Susanne Smith Adams, was set apart to "wait upon her sex in sickness."
[46]↩︎
The Juvenile Instructor said:
Members of the Church have a right to lay hands on the sick and pray for them. Even sisters can do this, and there is no impropriety in it, though it would be better if one holding the Priesthood could be obtained to attend to this ordinance. It is frequently the case that mothers find it necessary to administer to their sick children, at times when no one is at hand who bears the Priesthood whom they can secure to administer the ordinance of laying on of hands for the restoration of the sick. There have been repeated instances of such administration by mothers being attended with healing effects. This, we suppose, no one of experience in the Church will question.
- The Juvenile Instructor states that all members, "even sisters" of the church can lay hands on the sick.
[47]↩︎
Elmina Shepard Taylor was the first general president of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association. Ruth May Fox wrote in her journal:
This eve have been to Board Meeting to Pres. E. S. Taylor's res. A question was asked as to whether the sisters should seal the annointing after washings and annointings. Pres. Taylor said that she thought it was all right. She had received just as great benefit from the sealing of the sisters as form the brethren, but thought it wise to ask the Priesthood to seal the annointing when it was get-at-able. And if the brethren decided that woman could not seal the annointing then we should do as they say, but she could not see any reason why woman could not.
- Ruth May Fox records that Elmina Shepard Taylor states that women could seal blessings for the sick.
[48]↩︎
The minutes record, "Administration to Sick by Women: The subject of administering to the sick was then discussed and Sister Wells, the Secretary, stated that she had the answers to questions approved by President Snow in which he had used the word "confirm" instead of 'seal'."
- Emmeline B. Wells records that President Lorenzo Snow directs that women should confirm blessings rather than seal.
[49]↩︎
F. W. Otterstrom reported a talk that was given by Joseph F. Smith at the funeral of Joseph H. Grant. Joseph F. Smith was reported to have said:
I asked him if he desired to have us administer to him. He feebly said: "Yes; I always love to have the administrations of the elders." We anointed him with holy oil, as the scriptures direct, and laid our hands upon him-both the Bishop and myself, one of his sons who was present, and my wives. We all laid our hands upon him and prayed for him; and the spirit that pervaded that occasion, openly and directly and positively declared that he would not die, that he would get well. You may judge the result, for he still lives, and is in possession of his faculties and of his strength of body and of mind today, as fully as he had been for years and years before that day.
- F. W. Otterstrom recorded Joseph F. Smith saying two of his wives assisted in a priesthood blessing.
[50]↩︎
Charles Penrose shared:
As I say, there are occasions when perhaps it would be wise for a woman to lay her hands upon a child, or upon one another sometimes, and there have been appointments made for our sisters, some good women, to anoint and bless others of their sex who expect to go through times of great personal trial, travail and "labor;" so that is all right, so far as it goes. But when women go around and declare that they have been set apart to administer to the sick and take the place that is given to the elders of the Church by revelation as declared through James of old, and through the Prophet Joseph in modern times, that is an assumption of authority and contrary to scripture, which is that when people are sick they shall call for the elders of the Church and they shall pray over and officially lay hands on them.
- Charles W. Penrose says that women are not ordained to the priesthood and that healings ought to be done by elders.
[51]↩︎
The Relief Society general board notes record:
Washing and Anointing: In some of the missions, notably the Northern States mission, washing and anointing is not used, due to the peculiar conditions in the missions. President Taylor has stated that for those who desire this service, the Priesthood is on hand at all times to give administrations. President McMurrin reported that this practice is carried on in his mission to the same extent, approximately, that it is in the stakes at home, without any harm having come from it.
- President McMurrin reports that women are still performing washings and anointings in his mission.
[52]↩︎
Walter Everton record this about his wife, Pearl Knowles Everton.
Several years ago she was appointed to be one of two women in the ward who work together in giving blessings to expectant mothers.
- Walter Everton reports that Pearl Knowles Everton was set apart to perform blessings in her ward to expectant mothers.
[53]↩︎
In a letter sent to the general board of the Relief Society Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
While the Authorities of the Church have ruled that it is permissible, under certain conditions and with the approval of the Priesthood, for sisters to wash and anoint other sisters, yet they feel that it is far better for us to follow the plan the Lord has given us and send for the Elders of the Church to come and administer to the sick and afflicted. The service of washing and anointing is not a Relief Society function, and, therefore, is not under the direction of the Relief Society. Women should not be set apart to perform this ordinance, but the presiding Priesthood authorities may determine if such an ordinance is to be performed and designate the sisters to perform it. The washing and anointing by our sisters in the past was greatly abused and improperly done, and for this reason, as well as for the reason that the Lord has given us by revelation the order for the administration for those who are sick or in need of a blessing, the washing and anointing by the sisters has not been encouraged.
- Joseph Fielding Smith says that washing and anointing by women should not be encouraged.
[54]↩︎
In a Question and Answer column about how to do blessings Joseph Fielding Smith wrote:
They would lay hands just as would a member of the Aaronic Priesthood, or a faithful brother without the priesthood, or a faithful brother without the priesthood, thus giving support by faith to the ordinance. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "Respecting females administering for the healing of the sick, there could be no evil in it, if God gave his sanction by healing; that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on and praying for the sick, than in wetting the face with water; it is no sin for anybody to administer that has faith, or if the sick have faith to be healed by their administration." Such an administration would not be by virtue of the priesthood, but a manifestation of faith.
- Joseph Fielding Smith says that women and men without the priesthood may participate in blessings.
[55]↩︎
Joseph Fielding Smith states:
The Brethren do not consider it necessary or wise for the women of the Relief Society to wash women who are sick. The Lord has given us directions in matters of this kind; we are to call in the elders, and they are to anoint with oil on the head and bless by the laying on of heads.
- Joseph Fielding Smith states that women "do not hold the priesthood with their husbands" but if exalted, it is implied that they will hold the priesthood.
[56]↩︎
In the 2020 version of the General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it states:
In addition to seeking competent medical help, members of the Church are encouraged to follow the scriptural injunction in James 5:14 to “call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” Priesthood blessings of healing are given by those who hold the necessary priesthood office. They are given when requested and at no charge (see 18.13). Church members are discouraged from seeking miraculous or supernatural healing from an individual or group that claims to have special methods for accessing healing power outside of prayer and properly performed priesthood blessings.
- Church Handbook directs members to seek priesthood blessings, not other spiritual healing.
[57]↩︎
Elizabeth Ann Whitney, for example, was "anointed a Queen & Priestess unto her Husband" in January 1846.
That same month, Lewis D. Wilson recorded that his wife, Nancy, "received her washings and anointings even to become a queen and a priestess."
[58]↩︎
There are no known records that indicate that women that have received the second anointing have been permitted to perform priesthood ordinances outside of the temple such as baptism or blessing the sacrament.
[59]↩︎
Earlier, after the organization of the Relief Society Joseph Smith stated, "the Society should move according to the ancient Priesthood" but it is not evident that he meant that women are meant to have the priesthood.
- Joseph Fielding Smith speaks to the Priesthood authority women are given to "certain things in the Church" such as temple ordinances.
- Joseph is recorded in the first Relief Society minutes book instructing the Society that they "should move according to the ancient Priesthood. . . separate from all the evils of the world."
[60]↩︎
In the April 2020 general conference President Oaks said:
The same principle applies to the priesthood ordinances in which women officiate in the temple. Though women do not hold an office in the priesthood, they perform sacred temple ordinances under the authorization of the president of the temple, who holds the keys for the ordinances of the temple.
Oaks shared a similar sentiment in a 2014 general conference talk. Barbara Morgan Gardner quoted Elder Oak's 2014 talk in her 2019 Liahona article on women and the priesthood. Additionally, Elder Neil L. Anderson acknowledged that there are many things we do not fully understood about why priesthood ordinances are only administered by men.