Recently, thanks to the Ordain Women movement, people have been discussing the issue of “Women and the Priesthood” across the Internet. I have chosen ten of the most common arguments against women’s ordination, and assess them below:

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1. Women have too much to do already. Why would they want more responsibility?

The idea that women have “too much to do” isn’t far from the truth. Priesthood-holding men already have “too much to do” as well. We are all overwhelmed and doing our best! Giving some women the priesthood wouldn’t intensify the pressure on one gender to get all the work done; instead, it would alleviate the pressure by providing fluidity for tasks to be distributed more efficiently and equitably. Not good at accounting but your wife is? Let her be the ward clerk while you get the kids ready for church. Perhaps you are a man who struggles with being away from your family, since you spend the majority of your day at work, and then head straight to church meetings? Maybe you’d like to spend more time with the kids? Why not let your capable spouse head to the church meetings while you spend some much-needed time with the kiddos at home? There are myriad ways that allowing a little bit more flexibility in the assignment of responsibilities in the church would strengthen home and family by letting all members contribute according to their talents, gifts and abilities, rather than by forcing every square peg into a round, eternal hole. The priesthood is a transformative power and the Spirit helps us rise to our callings.



2. It is wrong to ask the prophet to change something. We need to wait until it is given to us.

President Hinckley once said:

“Now we don’t need a lot of continuing revelation. We have a great, basic reservoir of revelation. But if a problem arises, as it does occasionally, a vexatious thing with which we have to deal, we go to the Lord in prayer. We discuss it as a First Presidency and as a Council of the Twelve Apostles. We pray about it and then comes the whisperings of a still small voice. And we know the direction we should take and we proceed accordingly.”

He also implied that one reason women are not ordained is that there has not been agitation for it, or women asking for it, which some Mormon Feminists took as a suggestion. Revelation isn’t always simply a top-down mandate; it is often a conversation. The Word of Wisdom came about this way, as a church member asked the Prophet, “Hey, can we do something about this?” The answer came back, “Yes!” Sometimes God is waiting to give us blessings, if we but ask.

(The following doctrines, policies, and programs all started from the “bottom up” rather than the top down: • The Word of Wisdom was instituted after Emma and several other women asked Joseph to seek revelation. • The Relief Society was started by the Sisters and then adopted by the Church. • The Primary, likewise, was started independently by Aurelia Spencer Rogers, who had a revelation to do so, then approved by Eliza Snow, then later adopted by the Church. • The Sunday School program was started independently by a ward in Salt Lake City and adopted by other wards; more than 100 wards were running their own Sunday Schools before Brigham Young made it a Church-wide program. • Single Adult and Student wards were the brainchild of BYU President Ernest L. Wilkinson, who took the idea to David O. McKay for his approval. • Many changes to the temple garments over the years started with members questioning old patterns. • Women were allowed to pray in sacrament meeting after many members wrote to church leadership questioning the policy. • Men of African descent received the priesthood IN PART because President Kimball became aware of Lester Bush’s article Mormonism’s Negro Doctrine: An Historical Overview by Lester Bush, Jr and had several General Authorities study it. • The 3-hour Sunday meeting block came about because members in remote areas educated Utah-based church leaders about their issues with travel time and the cost of gas. )

3. The Priesthood has always been for men. Motherhood has always been for women.

Today’s structure of universal male Priesthood eligibility represents a thin slice of Priesthood history, for most of which only a few men were given Priesthood authority. This suggests that it was never intended to be a counterpart for motherhood. The history of Priesthood eligibility has been one of steady expansion — from a small subset of Jews, to some Gentiles, to all worthy male members of the church, regardless of ethnic background. There is no reason to conclude that the expansion is now finished. (Some historical context might be helpful here!)

Plus, let’s be kind! What about the many women who find themselves unable to have children? Men in our church often get to claim both fatherhood and priesthood authority. Motherhood conveys zero actual acting authority in the governing structure of the church, but plenty of fathers can still govern and make large decisions that affect all the Saints, including mothers.

“It is a precept of the Church that women of the Church share the authority of the priesthood with their husbands, actual or prospective; and therefore women, whether taking the endowment for themselves or for the dead, are not ordained to specific rank in the priesthood. Nevertheless, there is no grade, rank, or phase of the temple endowment to which women are not eligible on an equality with man.”

– James E. Talmage, The House of the Lord (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1912), p. 94.

4. Women asking for ordination must just not understand their Divine Worth or The Gospel.

Actually, the opposite is true. The women who ask for further light and knowledge on this subject are well-versed in LDS history and theology–which is exactly why they seek clarification. Many women take the scriptures very seriously and believe “all are alike unto God”. Mormon Feminists know that they are beloved daughters of Heavenly Parents, and that they and their talents have value in the Kingdom. Many LDS feminists know the history of the LDS Succession Crisis, during which Joseph’s direct line of priesthood became confusing and murky and not clear-cut (it’s called “Crisis” for a reason!). LDS feminists know the History of the Relief Society, including Joseph’s stated intent to make the Relief Society a “Kingdom of Priests.” Many draw strength and solace from the accounts of women giving healing blessings in the early church (including many of Joseph’s wives, with his knowledge and approval). The more we study the Gospel, the more we realize that today’s practice of limiting Priesthood and Church administrative functions to men is a product of culture, not of the Gospel itself.

In 1867 Brigham Young preached that God was “bestowing upon His sons and daughters, who are worthy, this priesthood, and kingly power to increase subjects and obtain territory, to extend the greatness of their kingdom forever …”

5. Women that want the priesthood are power hungry and just want attention.

Is it power hungry to ask for something half of the LDS population already has? For some reason as a society, asking for power or being powerful as a woman is looked down on. If a man prepares himself to be a worthy priesthood holder and exercise his priesthood to the fullest potential, we applaud him. If a woman were to do the same thing, she is “power hungry” or “prideful.” Perhaps we need to dig deep inside ourselves and ask why that is. And let’s be clear: These “power hungry” women are asking to be allowed to serve. Because that’s what the Priesthood is about, service. (see this Ensign article, 1992. ) When the child Samuel heard the voice of the Lord, he said, “Here am I.” (see 1 Sam.) He was eager to serve the Lord. Women today feel the same.

Read Numbers 26 to learn how the Daughters of Zelophehad petitioned Moses to petition to the Lord. Since the current structure of the church doesn’t allow for women to just walk up to the prophet (even a bishop or Stake President can’t do that!), what other way can women’s voices be heard?

“The Mormon women, as well as men, hold the priesthood.”



-Edward Tullidge, Women of Mormonism, 1877



6. Women already have the priesthood in the temple.

While it is true that endowed members of the LDS receive a form of priesthood in the LDS church, it is still very limited due to cultural constraints. There is currently no LDS doctrine that states that women cannot exercise the priesthood given to them and yet, what practical use at all is given to women to exercise that priesthood? Very few women in the temple actually ‘exercise’ the priesthood. And the wording in the ceremony promises women that they will be made priestesses “unto their husbands.” Think of how the priesthood is currently understood in the church and then apply those same tasks to a husband and wife. That’s not equality but it can be very problematic. This can lead some couples to be locked into abusive paradigms of oppression, not Divine Partnership. Still, Mormon Feminists are optimistic that the endowment ceremony includes ordination for women, but just like the The LDS Temple Ceremony has changed over time, many are hopeful that similar updates can be made to make more space for faithful and hopeful women.

7. Women asking for priesthood are apostates.

Actually, the majority of the women and men involved in the current Ordain Women campaign are faithful, active Latter-day Saints. There are plenty of supporters as well whose levels of activity and belief are diverse, as well as many women from other faith traditions supporting the idea. The Ordain Women movement is made up of returned missionaries, women serving in Relief Society Stake Presidencies,and even a former Bishop, retired BYU prof and current High Priest group secretary.

8. Mormon feminists just wish they were men.

This one is difficult to address because who can speak for every single woman and more importantly, how can you possibly address such a strange idea and take it seriously? Again, this speaks to the problematic communication we currently have as Latter Day Saints when anyone who expresses diversity or a difference in a opinion is automatically dismissed with a nuclear argument. That said, we live in a society that if people of one gender wish to be another gender there are plenty of avenues for them to do that. Mormon Feminists don’t equate priesthood authority and administrative duties with a particular set of genitals and neither should anyone else. It is important to separate priesthood power from gender. Women who hold the priesthood in the temple aren’t accused of wanting to be men. Because some women want the power of God does not mean they want to BE men, because the priesthood does not = men, although our culture has become confused on that over time.

9. The priesthood as it is currently used, benefits both men and women.

Yes, both men and women benefit from the Priesthood right now. But we could benefit so much more from expanding the gifts and powers of the Priesthood!

There are many who for one reason or another don’t have priesthood authority in their homes and even many areas where priesthood leadership is hard to come by.

Prior to the work of Peter and Paul, both Jews and Gentiles benefited from the Priesthood. But once eligibility was expanded, both groups benefited even more. Similarly, the Priesthood could bless the lives of African-American saints, prior to 1978, and often did. But after 1978, a fuller and broader set of blessings was available. It was a win-win for everyone and Mormon Feminists have no reason to believe it wouldn’t be the same if women were ordained.



“You too, my sisters, will take a part therein for you will hold a portion of the priesthood with your husbands, and you will thus do a work, as well as they, that will augment that glory which you will enjoy after your resurrection.”



-Orson Pratt sermon, 1845, as reported in the Times & Seasons

10. It is wrong and a sin to ask for the priesthood.

The entire restoration came about when a 14-year-old boy asked a question. Our testimonies are based in part on obedience but they must also be authentic for us to claim them as our own. We cannot learn if we cannot question and we can never receive more if we aren’t willing to humble ourselves and first ask.

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So, the bottom line here is that many women agitating faithfully for the priesthood aren’t as misguided as you might have originally suspected. That doesn’t mean you still have to want the priesthood for yourself! The Kingdom of God is big and bright and beautiful and there are many positions for a variety of different talents. If raising your children is the maximum you can give to The Lord right now, don’t sweat it. It is enough! You can serve God the way that makes your heart and mind and spirit feel at peace. Hopefully, you’ll be able to allow others to do the same! God bless!

*Special thanks to many people including JaneAnne Peterson who helped edit and Jerilyn Hassell Pool who turned this post into a Youtube Video, Kate Kelly, and other scholars and historians who helped research for this post.