Church History Matters 195 - Can Women Be Part of the Priesthood? | Church History Matters I Women & Priesthood Series
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Mar 10, 2026 Lisa Olsen Tait, a Church History Department scholar specializing in women and priesthood, guides a historical tour of female spiritual authority. The conversation traces early Christian and 19th-century views, highlights Nauvoo temple innovations where men and women participated in sacred rites, and examines how rituals, sealing, and temple practice shaped evolving understandings of priesthood.
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Authority Was The Early Focus Not Modern Definitions
- Early revelations emphasize authority as the core question: do men have authority to administer ordinances.
- Lisa warns modern readers not to project today's abstract definition of priesthood onto 1830s texts or they'll misunderstand original meanings.
Cross Reference Early Revelations Before Interpreting Priesthood
- When reading early scripture and documents, check modern assumptions at the door and cross-reference contemporary revelations.
- Lisa and Scott recommend comparing texts like D&C 13 and D&C 27 to resolve ambiguous wording about ordination.
Male Headship Was Widely Assumed In The 19th Century
- Nineteenth-century Christian society widely assumed male headship, shaping church organization and interpretations of scripture about gender.
- Casey and Lisa cite Genesis, Ephesians, and 1 Corinthians plus Parley P. Pratt to show that male leadership was normative.