Church History Matters 194 - How are Women Connected to the Priesthood? | Church History Matters I Women & Priesthood Series
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Mar 3, 2026 Lisa Olsen Tait, a historian of Latter-day Saint women who worked on Young Women history and the Saints series, helps lay a historical foundation for women’s connection to priesthood. Short takes cover 19th-century meanings of priesthood, Relief Society leadership, temple partnership of men and women, spiritual gifts and healing, and how language and roles have shifted over time.
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Definitions Of Priesthood Changed Over Time
- Early debates about women and priesthood require understanding shifting definitions of priesthood across eras.
- Lisa Olsen Tait emphasizes 19th-century priesthood meant ordination and ecclesiastical office, not the later abstract notion of divine power.
Young Woman Declined Deacon Messenger Role
- Casey shares a ward story offering a young woman the messenger role usually given to a deacon; she refused, showing uneven desire for visible roles.
- This example illustrates that acceptance of mixed-gender duties varies locally and culturally.
Use Historical Context Before Debating Priesthood
- Approach women-and-priesthood questions historically, not theologically; trace how definitions and practices evolved.
- Scott and Lisa recommend using primary sources like Relief Society minutes and Joseph Smith sermons to avoid anachronistic conclusions.
