“Joseph Smith Himself Viewed Women as Priesthood Holders”

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/6998/_joseph_smith_himself_viewed_women_as_priesthood_holders_/

April 4, 2013 10:56am
Post by JOANNA BROOKS

Kate Kelly is a self-described “active, lifelong member” of the LDS Church. She served a mission for the Church in Barcelona, Spain, graduated from Brigham Young University in 2006, and married in the Salt Lake City Mormon temple. She is also an international human rights law attorney who, she reports, “graduated from the only law school in the world founded by women—American University.” This year, she helped launch a coalition of Mormon women and men who support women’s ordination in the LDS Church. As the Church’s semi-annual General Conference approaches this weekend, Kelly and other ordination advocates are planning their own meet-up on Saturday, April 6—during the same hours scheduled for the Conference’s “Priesthood” session, which is restricted to Mormon men.

Why did you launch ordainwomen.org?

Because women in the church give countless hours of service and still we are severely underutilized. The LDS Church is run by a lay clergy—all men over the age of twelve are eligible for ordination; women are not. In seeking ordination, we seek a greater role in service to our faith. Our movement is an act of faith in the Mormon Church—our leaders, our community—that the institution can be more inclusive.

Tell me about the website.

We launched Ordainwomen.org because we wanted to foster a more open, personal conversation about ordination and create a safe space where Mormon women can share why they are in favor of it.

And the reaction?

Overwhelmingly positive. And we’ve received many more profiles. Like from Sharyl, who serves in the stake Relief Society (women’s auxiliary) Presidency. Her profile is beautiful. It speaks to her role as a mother and her leadership role in her community. It also encourages us to imagine a different future for the LDS Church: “Imagine a Church where your beloved grandmother is your stake president.”

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