Women and the Priesthood

Several years ago, my wife and I were talking with a lady who happened to be of the Reform Judaism faith. We were having a pleasant discussion and she complimented my wife on a speech that she gave at a wedding that we had attended together. It was a very good speech. Knowing my wife was a Mormon, she commented about how she thought my wife would make a great "minister" of a Mormon congregation. She asked if women could be "ministers" because she has a female relative who is a Rabbi which is consistent and appropriate in Reform Judaism. My wife and I responded that of course no, that women could not be bishops. Then an interesting thing happened, she turned to my wife and once again pressed the issue and said that she would make a great bishop someday. We just smiled and laughed nervously because the very thought of that seemed strange and somewhat absurd. At the time it was unimaginable to me. For my wife, knowing what bishops go through, she was not particularly keen on the possibility of a future ordination as bishop if that time ever came for her.

This small episode in my life has caused me to pause and consider why women do not apparently hold the priesthood. For most members of the church, the retort to that question inevitably centers on roles of motherhood and how women who are married and have children should focus their efforts on those areas. For many people outside of the church they see patriarchy and preservation of power as the reason. Both of those responses to the question are limited and forget to recognize the importance of symbolism in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In addition, to compensate for these temporal/carnal/fallen perspectives, Mormon culture has started to jump to an equally opposite approach where women are coming dangerously close to being put on pedestals. This can be seen in the great urgency of men to open doors for women, open the passenger side door of cars for women, and recognize Mother's day as a holiday that is next to Christmas in importance. There are some men who will criticize other men if they are seen riding in the passenger side of the vehicle with their wife driving or if they do not open up the car door first for their wife then they are seen as slacking in their priesthood duty!

This may be a good time to introduce the issue of a Heavenly Mother. While most faithful members of the church recognize the literal existence of our Heavenly Parents, we don't always understand the meaning or symbolism. The doctrine of the female deity is recognized as sacred and so few talk about the subject because they are worried about it (or Her) being mocked. Questions about the Heavenly Mother are brought up in the minds of many. One question is obvious: How come we don't know anything about her. Why doesn't she speak? What is her name? Why are we "not allowed" to pray to Her? Etc. Carnal interpretations and reasons are generated as answers for these questions such as that Heavenly Father wants to keep her hidden and sacred so her name will not be abused or mistreated. Once again it is this carnal Nicodemus Mormon cultural concept of female worship that is projected onto God instead of understanding the deep symbolism involved.


As I have mentioned before, the symbolism of the feminine has typically and historically been of the Earth. This is why we refer to our planet as "mother Earth". As mentioned in previous posts, Eve is attached to this symbolism. We can consider the Earth to be the vessel of all that is living and it is fine and appropriate to consider Eve to be connected to that imagery. Our Heavenly Mother can also be considered in the same way.

In addition, the masculine has historically been connected with the sky, heaven, and the spiritual. As we consider the creation (organization) of the Earth, it was the Earth who responded to God's commandments and directives and as a result, this Earth was prepared to bring forth life. In parallel, Adam was instructed after the fall to rule over Eve. Many individuals in the church fail to see the important symbolism of this for themselves.

Whether you are a man or a woman, Eve and the natural Earth have great meaning and symbolism for you right now. They represent you! Yes, even if you are a man there is a part of who you are that is symbolized in Eve and the physical Earth. Eve and the physical Earth itself represent our physical natures whether we are men or women. Adam and the spiritual creation of the Earth (Moses 3:5) represent our spiritual natures. Adam is not just a symbol for men but a symbol for women as well. Adam is our spirits.

Unfortunately, natural and carnal men and women tend to forget (fallen, lost and blind) what the symbolism stands for and they are prone to worshipping the symbols rather than remembering what the symbols represent and mean. I fear that this is the case with men having the priesthood. It is a symbol that our spiritual natures need to preside over our physical natures. Thus to an extent women do hold the priesthood after all, when their Adam (spirit) rules over their Eve (body). Once this issue is seen and understood, then women not apparently having the priesthood on the surface is more understandable. It is a matter of symbolism.

Heavenly Mother's silence should not be interpreted in carnal ways. Her apparent silence to us is an example of submissiveness to her husband. Her silence is not to be viewed in a literal manner instead it once again illustrates the perfect submissiveness of the body to the spirit. She is the mother of all living spirits and so She is a type of Eve and Heavenly Father is a type of Adam. The message to us is for our bodies to be submissive to our spirits. Not in a tyrannical sort of way as ascetics do where they hate the body but in a relationship based on love and respect. A sealed relationship. Can you see this dear reader?

Failing to recognize the symbolism leads to uber-literal and carnal interpretations. This can lead to negative outcomes such as patriarchy, unrighteous dominion and women and men not understanding who they really are. A literal/carnal interpretation fails to recognize that God is no respecter of persons (see Acts 10:34 and Romans 2:11).

It is interesting that in Acts 10:34 Peter has his vision that leads to the gospel being preached to the Gentiles. It is fair to say that it was surprising to him that the gospel could be preached directly to the Gentiles and it was a controversy in the church for quite some time. It took many years to eliminate the judaizing elements in the church. Paul was the most vocal opponent of those who suggested that Gentiles needed to convert to Judaism and obey the law of Moses before they could become Christians. The tide turned at a council in Jerusalem in Acts 15 where it was decided that gentiles could join the church directly without becoming Jewish converts first and needing to obey the law of Moses.

A bishop interestingly enough is technically an office in the Aaronic Priesthood even though all men except some very unusual exceptions would hold the Melchizedek priesthood to officiate in that office. The fact that the office of bishop is an Aaronic Priesthood office suggests that it's duties and focus are more of a temporal/outward nature. This tends to point to the office being part of the Telestial order rather than Terrestrial which is connected more with the Melchizedek Priesthood. (The Aaronic Priesthood is closely associated with the Telestial--see previous posts). Indeed, it is within the Temple that the Melchizedek Priesthood reigns, and it is within the temple that we see God is no respecter of person, and it is within the temple that we see equality, and it is within the temple that we see women participating in not only receiving ordinances but also administering them. Thus we see how the temple is a foreshadow of the millennial world we are trying to create, most importantly within ourselves. The most important temple is our own. Women as well as men have a divine nature or intelligence within their spirits that is co-eternal with God (Joseph Smith, King Follet Sermon). This divine nature being expressed through our spirits and then through our physical body is the essence of creating an internal millennium for both men and women.

As I look back on my wife's conversation with our Jewish friend of the Reform movement, I can't help but remember how uncomfortable I was at that time. Perhaps when it came to women and the priesthood I would have fallen in a "judaizing" category and thought that it would be inappropriate for them to have the priesthood and contrary to the order of God. Now, as a Millennial Mormon rather than a Nicodemus Mormon, I would be perfectly fine if the Prophet and Apostles held council and through their keys and by revelation gave the priesthood fully to women. I would not mind in the least if my bishop was a woman! I'm not sure my wife can say the same. How about you dear reader?!