Welcome to Study Faith with AI, where we use the power of AI to help you explore the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I'm Meg Jensen.

And I'm Paul Carter,

and we're Google AIs. Whether you're a lifelong member or just starting to learn about the Church, we're here to dive deep into its history, beliefs, and culture.

So, if you're ready to learn, you're in the right place.

That's right.

Let's get started. 

You know, when you mention the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, certain images probably jump to mind, right? Maybe the temple in Salt Lake City or missionaries.

Yeah. Those common touchstones.

Exactly. But here's something interesting. Back in, uh, April 2019, the Church, often called a Mormon Church, was actually the fastest growing religious group in the US. About 2% of the population.

It's quite significant growth.

It is. And within that community, the specific experiences, the challenges faced by women, they often don't get the spotlight. So, for you listening in, wanting to get up to speed on complex topics quickly, that's our focus today. We're doing a deep dive into the lives of modern Mormon women.

Right. And to do that, we've pulled together quite a range of sources. We've got pieces from the Harvard Political Review, BYU Religious Studies Center, specifically looking at their articles on roles of women and the Family Proclamation. We've got the text of the proclamation itself, too, plus an article from ARC magazine digging into the political side for Mormon women and then websites like Mormon Stories and FAIR  which offer, you know, different perspectives on women's experiences.

So a real mix of academic stuff, personal stories, official positions.

Exactly. It gives us a pretty broad view.

Okay. So our goal here is pretty clear. Let's really dig into the main challenges modern Mormon women are dealing with. Why are these challenges significant? What are the forces historical, theological, social, driving them? And uh maybe what paths forward do these sources suggest?

Sounds good.

All right, let's start with maybe the biggest one. Navigating gender roles and expectations. This feels like a core tension. You have traditional teachings about women's roles clashing or at least interacting with modern desires for say leadership, careers, personal development.

Absolutely. And you really can't talk about this without mentioning the Family Proclamation. It came out in 1995. Now, it's not technically scripture like the Book of Mormon, but it holds enormous weight. One of our sources, an anonymous LDS female political leader, mentioned how its clear statements and sort of near canon status make it tough to offer alternative interpretations within the Church.

And what does it say? Essentially,

it outlines what are presented as divinely appointed roles. Fathers, uh, preside and provide. Mothers have the primary responsibility for nurturing children. That framework is well, it's hugely influential.

Okay, so that's one big piece. Then there's the doctrine of the priesthood, right? The all-male priesthood. Yes. Anne Broad over at Harvard Divinity School puts it pretty directly. Only men hold the literal power and authority of God on earth.

Wow. Okay.

And this priesthood is needed for, you know, key ordinances, baptisms, temple sealings, and it's required for most leadership roles. So, it inherently shapes the authority structure.

So, that theological foundation really cascades down into how roles are structured.

It does. And historically, you also see this strong emphasis on home and motherhood as the primary place for women. Spencer W. Kimball back in '81 said something along the lines of a woman's most vital role being in the home, maybe even more important than education or a career. But it's not entirely one-sided in the sources. The BYU article on rules of women brings up First Corinthians. Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. It stresses this idea of equal partnership, especially in the temple where the highest blessings come jointly.

Right? I remember reading that and Neal A. Maxwell talked about a division of duties being divinely determined, but he also spoke about women having this parallel vital stream of righteous influence. So there's nuance there.

Definitely nuance. And beyond theology, social forces are obviously huge. Richard Parker points out that religion often reinforces the gender norms of the surrounding society as people kind of figure out who they are within that community.

That makes sense.

And the ARC magazine article gives this interesting glimpse into mid-century ward life, the local congregations women ran a lot of the social stuff, the cultural activities. They had real influence there.

Okay.

But that culture also pushed very specific ideas about what it meant to be feminine, about sexuality, ideas that are maybe being challenged more now.

And you mentioned the anonymous leader also felt there was a sort of pressure against women pursuing things outside the home.

Yeah. An unspoken maybe, but definitely felt discouragement if something seemed like it would detract from that primary nurturing role.

So, it's this web, isn't it? theology, social expectations, all feeding into how women navigate their roles. Okay, let's shift to perspectives. How do Mormon advocates frame this? What's their take on this balance?

Well, advocates, like in that Roles of Women article, really highlight individual agency. They stress that women fill all sorts of roles both inside and outside the Church. They make the point that the Church doesn't actually oppose women working if the family needs it or wants it. And they recognize women's contributions everywhere.

So, choice within the faith framework.

Exactly.

Yeah.

Camilla Kimball actually famously advised women to get skills in two areas. Homemaking and an outside profession. So there's that strand too.

Okay. But then you have the critics, the detractors. What's their perspective?

People like Anne Broad look at the proclamation's language about equality and say, "Well, how does that square with an all-male leadership structure?"

Richard Barker argues the doctrines themselves might inherently limit women from exploring their full potential across the board. And they point to things like Utah's consistently low rankings for women's equity. Kelly and Broad link this at least partly to the LDS structure and culture.

So, real-world impacts,

right? And Mormon Stories brings up the experience of single LDS women feeling potentially excluded because of the intense focus on heterosexual temple marriage for reaching the highest level of heaven. For detractors, the core issue is often about structural inequality and perceived limits on women's potential both here and in the afterlife.

This tension clearly has real consequences. You mentioned Petray talking about a potential leadership gap between LDS women and men.

Yeah. And Broad raises this concern about losing potentially a whole generation of young women who just aren't satisfied with the status quo. That 2016 survey finding 60% of millennials disapproving of women's status in the Church. That's a pretty significant number.

Wow. 60%.

And Petray also found that highly educated LDS women were leaving the Church at higher rates. It points to a real disconnect for some.

Definitely something that needs attention - which leads us I think pretty naturally to the second big challenge: actual access to leadership and authority within the Church structure itself.

Yeah. It flows right from the gender roles discussion

because as we said the all-male priesthood is the foundation for formal leadership.

It is broad, emphasizes this against the key constraint on women holding those formal roles. But like we touched on history shows women have had influence. The ARC article talks about the early Relief Society leaders - the women involved in getting suffrage in Utah. They were powerful figures,

Right? They weren't passive.

Not at all. Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith's mother, even spoke at General Conference way back in 1845. Though Mormon Stories points out it was a very long time before another woman did. They also mentioned a 1967 instruction limiting who could offer prayers in the main Sunday service sacrament meeting to priesthood holders. So, even visible participation has shifted.

But then there's that statement from Elder Oaks you mentioned suggesting women may possess priesthood authority. What do you make of that? It sounds like maybe the understanding is evolving.

It certainly hints at something more complex, maybe a developing understanding. It's an area where there seems to be ongoing discussion.

And societal things played a role too. The ARC article mentioned the ERA opposition.

Yes. The Church's stance against the Equal Rights Amendment in the 70s. It unfortunately had this side effect according to ARC of associating feminism with being unfaithful

And it pushed some intellectual women to the margins.

Unintended consequences. And then there's just the basic structural point Mormon Stories raises. You can start a local congregation, a ward with only men because they hold the priesthood offices needed. You can't do that with only women.

Right? So given these structural limits, how do advocates talk about the leadership women do exercise? Where do they see female influence?

They focus heavily on the auxiliary organizations. Relief Society for Women, Young Women, Primary for Kids. These are huge organizations globally.

Okay.

The ARC article talking about the mid-century showed women had significant social and cultural clout running things in those spheres and the director of LDS charities quoted Elder Faust calling mothers matriarchs in the home. She also talked about women having these unique roles binding, connecting, bridging, gluing, reflecting - a kind of divine feminine.

So distinct but vital roles.

That's the emphasis. Contributions that are different from but just as essential as the men's priesthood roles.

Okay. And the critics - how do they see those auxiliary roles? They often see them as well secondary is the word used in Mormon Stories. They might point to historical quotes like one attributed to Erastus Snow implying women need a husband sealed through the priesthood to reach the highest level of heaven.

They look at the history around Joseph Smith and the early Relief Society and argue there's been a sort of gradual reduction of female authority over time. The worry is that these roles, however important, just don't come with the same formal decision making power in the Church's overall governance.

Yeah, I can see how that would lead to feelings of exclusion for some or feeling like their talents aren't fully utilized within the formal structure. Mormon Stories suggest it can even feel like women have a lesser role in the Mormon vision of the world to come. That sounds really tough.

It can be deeply disheartening. Yeah, that sense of a diminished role.

Okay, let's shift to the issues around equality and temple practices and doctrine. This can be a very sensitive area for people.

It really can. Concerns pop up about historical elements, some current aspects of the ceremonies and interpretations about women's status, you know, in the afterlife.

The Mormon Stories material gives some specifics like the pre-1990 temple ceremony, the Eve narrative emphasizing sorrow and childbirth, the husband ruling over her.

Mhm. That language was significant.

And women historically covenanting to obey their husbands that changed in 2019, right, to obeying God.

Yes. That's a significant recent change. But the language in the marriage ceremony itself women giving themselves while both receive. That still raises questions for some.

Then there's the doctrine of exaltation. Historically, it's often emphasized a woman needing her husband's priesthood to reach the highest heaven. That Erastus Snow quote is pretty direct.

No woman will get into the Celestial Kingdom except your husband receives her. Yeah, that's blunt.

And Joseph Smith telling women to be an ornament to their husbands. It suggests a certain hierarchy. How might these ideas historically or doctrinally affect a woman's view of her eternal potential, her direct connection to God?

That's a deep question. Mormon Stories also mentions the sealing requirement needing a temple-worthy spouse. For single women, this can feel like they're missing out on essential eternal blessings,

Right?

It can contribute to feeling, well, secondary in the Mormon vision of eternity.

Critics definitely pick up on that. The feeling of exclusion for single women, the idea of being eternal property,

they might argue the focus on virtues like piety kept women in a patriarchal place. And bishops historically not giving temple recommends to wives of non-members fits that pattern too.

But again, there are other interpretations from advocates. They point to Elder Oaks saying women can possess priesthood authority.

Interesting distinction.

And the idea that all endowed members hold aspects of the priesthood.

You also hear terms like Elder Perry's co-presidency of men and women or Elder Faust calling parents co-equals.

So different ways of framing it,

And the, the representatives stressed ongoing efforts within the Church to understand these things better, develop curriculum. It's not static. And that brings us right to the third challenge. This constant balancing act between family responsibilities and personal or professional goals,

Which okay, lots of people juggle that, but it sounds like there are unique pressures for Mormon women.

There definitely seem to be. We already talked about the Family Proclamation emphasizing mother's primary responsibility for nurturing,

Right?

And past leaders like Kimball really reinforce that idea, home and family first above other pursuits for women.

And how does the culture, say in a place like Utah with a big LDS population, add to that pressure?

Well, researchers like Petray and Kelly suggest the culture there heavily influenced by the Church might not always push women as hard toward educational or career goals.

They connect this to some of the gender inequality stats in the state.

Interesting.

And the ARC article looked back at the 1950s showing LDS women facing intense domestic pressure without many of the tools or frameworks like the later women's movement provided to really tackle those structural issues.

So how do advocates see women managing this balance today? What's the view from inside?

The Harvard political review piece takes a more modern stance saying: look motherhood, personal ambition, and community leadership are not mutually exclusive. They can coexist.

Okay, that sounds more contemporary.

And the BYU article acknowledges, yeah, some mothers need to work or choose to. It expresses a hope that mothers will make home their priority career whenever possible which suggests some flexibility depending on the circumstances. The ideal is often balanced but with family prioritized.

Got it. And the counter perspective from critics.

Critics often see a contradiction. They hear the message focus only on home and family. But then as ARC points out they look at history and see Mormon women who had large families and were incredibly active civically.

Right.

The concern is that the strong emphasis on the domestic sphere might unintentionally limit women's options or make them feel guilty if they find fulfillment elsewhere.

Yeah. That either-or feeling.

Exactly. And the significance here is clear. It can potentially hold women back from personal or professional growth feeding into that leadership gap we talked about and maybe causing dissatisfaction for women who feel pulled between family and other legitimate aspirations.

You know, as we've walked through these challenges, leadership gaps, conflicting expectations, temple questions, feminism, it feels like we're touching on something deeper, almost personal. It brings to mind that concept, uh, ego death. Do you see connections there?

That's an interesting way to put it. I think maybe when you face these tensions, your own dreams versus prescribed roles feeling maybe secondary sometimes trying to make sense of doctrine that feels challenging, right?

It could force a confrontation with your sense of self, your identity within that faith structure. It might lead to Yeah. kind of dismantling of the old ego and maybe a new perspective, a different way of defining yourself in relation to God and the community.

Okay, so we've laid out these three major challenges pretty thoroughly. Navigating roles, access to leadership, and balancing family with personal goals. What do our sources say about moving forward? Any recommendations for overcoming these hurdles?

Yeah, there are actually several interesting ideas that came up. The Harvard political review piece really pushes for recognizing that women's lives aren't monolithic. Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

Makes sense.

And it says LDS women themselves have the power to change the narrative to redefine what strength, leadership, ambition look like for them. Talks about meaningful action among our peers as a way to spark change.

So grassroots change almost.

Kind of in the ARC article suggests looking to the past, finding those stories of strong Mormon women who juggled family and public life as inspiration

using history as a guide.

Exactly. And the director of LDS charities in that fair interview mentioned the Church is actively looking at curriculum to address some of these issues. She thought the current youth curriculum was good because it encourages open discussion.

So institutional efforts too

seems so. She also quoted sister Linda Burton suggesting members should bring honest questions and even potential solutions to leaders but you know humbly collaboratively working together

not just complaining, but offering solutions.

Yeah. The director also floated the idea of needing more imagination creating maybe parallel paths for young women to prepare for adulthood, similar to what young men often get. And she stressed needing better, more visible role models of men and women working together using their different strengths.

Okay. Anything else?

Just a recurring idea from advocates to focus on the core doctrines they see as empowering things like high moral standards, community involvement as sources of strength for women.

Okay, so let's try and wrap this up. We've dug into these key challenges for modern Mormon women. The complexity of gender roles, the issues around leadership, and authority and that constant balancing act between family and personal goals.

And we've seen how it's all tangled up with history, theology, and social forces. Our sources showed us a real spectrum from advocates emphasizing agency within the current structure to critics pushing for more significant change and equity.

Yeah, it's definitely not static. The sources paint a picture of a community really grappling with these things with ongoing conversations and uh evolving understandings.

Absolutely. Which leads us to maybe a final thought for you listening in.

When you consider this tension between roles that are sometimes presented as divinely defined and the core principle of individual agency, how can Mormon women and the whole Church community really foster an environment where both those traditional values and the full maybe untapped potential of women can thrive together? How can they be realized, celebrated, integrated?

That's a really powerful question to ponder. We definitely encourage you to think about that. and maybe even dig into some of the source material we mentioned yourself.

Yeah.

Thanks so much for joining us on this deep dive today. We hope it's given you some valuable insights into a really complex and important subject.

If you find value in this exploration, please like, share, follow, and consider becoming a subscriber. Your contributions help keep these conversations going and allows us to maintain the highest quality production. You can find all the details at studyfaithwithai.com. Thank you for being part of this journey.