ACADEMIC PAPER ON FEMALE AUTHORITY - February 2022
Notes from our discussion about Dr. Cory Crawford's paper:
The Struggle for Female Authority in Biblical and Mormon Theology
“Women are much less marginalized in biblical texts than they are in the history of their interpretation.” Luzia Sutter Rehmann, Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Ethics (2014:422)
Look at the texts themselves - look with fresh eyes - Women are very much the center of the story of Jesus Christ
Women in power - this was cyclical
Eve - descriptive, not prescriptive - warning what would happen because of her decision
No hands-on ordination by Jesus Christ in the scriptures
How would I act differently as an ordained priestess? I am one now because of my endowment, whether I am in the temple or outside the temple.
Not a physical ordination for us.
Did Christ need to ordain when he was here? No need for that structure when he was here. Ordination took place when Christ was not physically on the earth.
Dan Peterson - description of women in the early Arab world - they used to view their wives in a very sacred, but then something changed.
Important to know what we have and how to use it. Knowing how to speak up when it is misused or misapplied or misstated.
YW: Should acknowledge priesthood authority that a class leader has to conduct the meeting, etc. under priesthood keys to help the young women process this and see another way priesthood applies to them.
If this is not discussed at church, then discuss it in the family—talk about this
What does our Heavenly Mother think of our discussion? Does she want us to focus on having a purified heart? Does she want us to teach her other daughters? A combination? Does she want us to stand true to the doctrine and share when inspired? When making a comment regarding women, would it help to conjure a vision of her in our minds?
Feel that this discussion pleases Her but She wants us to stay focused on Her son, Jesus Christ. He is the way back to Them.
Dr. Kerry Muhlestein - stake fireside - the Abrahamic Covenant -