The Mormon Church has excommunicated Kate Kelly, the well-known founder of Ordain Women, a Mormon women’s group, on grounds of apostasy. Kate Kelly was informed about the excommunication on June 23rd by leaders of her former church, after she refused to attend a disciplinary hearing at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the previous day and decided to hold a vigil along with 200 supporters in Salt Lake City instead.

Kelly was accused of apostasy for heading Ordain Women, which speaks out against objectionable church teachings. While Mormon officials have refused to comment on Kelly’s case, sources suggest that disciplinary hearings are organized only when church members’ actions oppose church doctrine or tend to lead others astray.

Apart from Kelly, another prominent Mormon John Dehlin has been excommunicated for creating a website that allows church members to question their faith and speaking in favour of LGBT rights. According to religious experts, Kelly and Dehlin are the most high-profile cases of excommunication since 1993, the year in which the church disciplined six Mormon writers for questioning church doctrine.

Kelly said she still identifies as a Mormon and perhaps always will.

“I don't feel like Mormonism is something that washes off… That identity is not something that they can take from me,” she said.

Apart from the vigil that Kelly organized in Salt Lake City, Ordain Women organized similar vigils in 17 other countries.

“I’m overwhelmed by the positive support, and I think it really demonstrates that this isn’t just happening to one person… This isn’t just happening to me, but it feels like the entire Mormon feminist community is being put on trial,” said Kelly.

Kelly, who is a practicing international human rights lawyer, stood by everything she has done since founding Ordain Women in 2013, a group that has actively advocated gender equality in Mormonism with the aim to allow women in the lay clergy eventually. Reportedly, women are allowed to hold several positions in the church but they are not allowed to become presidents of stakes or bishops of congregations. All of the church’s highest leaders, including the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, are men. Kelly also insisted that she had not spoken ill against church doctrine or any particular church leader.

Earlier this year, Ordain Women drew criticism from church leaders after marching on church property, asking to be allowed into a meeting reserved for members of the priesthood that includes male members only. Apparently, church leaders informed Kelly from beforehand that her group would not be let in and they had requested Ordain Women not to disturb the Mormons’ biennial general conference.

“In the Church, we want everyone to feel welcome, safe and valued, and of course, there is room to ask questions. But how we ask is just as important as what we ask. We should not try to dictate to God what is right for his Church,” said church spokeswoman Ally Isom.

Photo Credit: Rick Bowmer / AP