Many believe that feminism and the church are in opposition to each other. But in no place are women more respected and valued than in the church.

The Church is run by Christ.

The people who believe the LDS church is in opposition to feminism often cite the fact that the majority of our leaders are men.

But, there is a fatal flaw in this logic.

Our church isn’t run by men. It isn’t run by man at all. There is not a single man, or woman, on this earth who runs, or could run, the church.

“The head of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ,” said Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley. “It is His Church.”

Christ works through a Prophet who, yes, is a man. However, men do not run this church. They are merely in the service of the Lord.

Their revelations and instructions for the church are not the viewpoint of men. They are the views of God and therefore are perfect and unbiased.

A “leader” in the church is someone who carries out the administrative work so that the Lord can minister to his people. Their responsibility is purely to serve as Christ would if he was here.

The Lord directs the path of the church the same way He directs our individual paths.

The most important role a person has is their roles as a Mother or Father.

In the church, we have division of labor. Economics junkies could explain this better than I can but the basic idea is that if you divide up the labor then each person can specialize in what they are best at and the whole entity is more productive.

The church employs this same principle. We divide the labor.

And, just as the farmer is no more important than the builder who is no more important than the governor, thus it is in our church

The woman is no more important than the man and the man is no more important than the woman.

“The restored gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims the doctrine of equal partnership between men and women, here and in the eternities” (Equal Partnership in Marriage).

Yes, our divine roles are different. And yes, the world may see the roles of men in our church as more important. But, to those of us in the church, those of us who understand the plan of salvation and the role of men and women on the earth, there can be no more important role for women, or men, than the role we play in our eternal families.

Yes, that is right. The most important role in the church is that of either Father or Mother. (You can view the Family Proclamation for more information about the roles of mothers and fathers).

“It is wonderful to see husbands and wives who have worked out real partnerships where they blend together their influence and communicate effectively both about their children and to their children,” said Elder L. Tom Perry.

A calling does not make you better or worse than another.

On top of the role of being a mother or a father, we are also giving callings in the church. These callings are given to us to help guide our service to the Lord. However, our calling does not define us, nor does it make us more or less important in His eyes.

“You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands. His work is to bless His Father’s spirit children with the opportunity to choose eternal life. So, your calling is to bless lives. That will be true even in the most ordinary tasks you are assigned,” said President Henry B. Eyring.

Our calling is what God asks us to do; however, it is not the limit to how much or where we can serve. Even in the most ordinary tasks, you are His hands. You are doing His work. No matter what you calling, you can magnify your call and serve the Lord.

We are to serve continually. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me [Christ]” (Matthew 25:40).

God loves all His children perfectly.

“God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). This means that He does not care if we are white or black, male or female, young or old, sinner or saint. He loves each of us and He wants us to come unto him.

How could we have faith in Christ to save us if he did not love us perfectly? Or why would he perform the ultimate sacrifice and go through unimaginable pain for someone He does not love perfectly?

“If he were a respecter of persons, they could not tell what their privileges were, nor how far they were authorized to exercise faith in him, or whether they were authorized to do it at all, but all must be confusion” (Third Lecture on Faith).

The world may tell us we cannot have it all but Christ promises us we can.

You may not be equal to a man in the world’s eyes. There may be a glass ceiling at work. The world may be telling you that you have less worth because you do not work in an office or because you do work in an office. But God does not see you that way. God has promised you all that He has.

God does not say that men will inherit the highest kingdom and women will inherit less. He says that all who follow him and repent can inherit all He has to offer.

Christ is the only one who offers us true equality. He is the only one who promises us everything. He is the only one who loves us perfectly and equally.

And that is why Christ’s church is a feminist organization.