Do Women Hold the Priesthood?
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe in the authority and power of the Priesthood. However, unlike many religious traditions, we do not understand the Priesthood to be an organization or even a group of religious leaders, but rather a power. A page on Mormon.org entitled What Is the Priesthood? repeats the definition most often heard in Church meetings and lesson manuals: “The Priesthood,” it writes, “is the authority to act in God’s name.” Whereas some religions view priesthood like an electric company, we view it as the actual electricity; it exists independently of its holders, ready to be called upon by all those who are authorized to do so.
So my question is: who, pray tell, is so authorized?
It’s an interesting question, to say the least, and one that I don’t think has been particularly explored among Latter-day Saints. I know, for example, that I am authorized to perform certain ordinances because I am an elder in the Church. I can go anywhere on Earth, perhaps even elsewhere, and, based on my authority, perform any Priesthood ordinance of which the Church does not maintain a record (e.g. consecrate oil, dedicate a grave, anoint and/or bless a sick person, etc.). I am also authorized to perform most other Priesthood ordinances, given verbal authorization from the individual who holds the necessary Priesthood keys (e.g. a bishop). I know I may do any of these things because an elder in the Church, duly authorized by the bishop who then presided over us, placed his hands upon my head and ordained me to the Melchizedek Priesthood and to the office of elder. This much is simple. But there are others who have never been ordained to such an office and yet have much more authority than I. What of them?
In my ward, for example, is my friend Mary Aagard, who serves as Relief Society President and thus presides, with her counselors, over dozens of women. She, in turn, reports to Stake Relief Society President Lynn Isenbarger, who, with her counselors, presides over hundreds. And so it goes, right up to General Relief Society President Julie Beck, who, with her counselors, presides over millions. To the best of my knowledge, not one of these women has ever been ordained to a specific Priesthood office, and yet every one of them has the authority to preside. They have each had hands placed upon their respective heads, been set apart to their respective callings, and been authorized to act in God’s name by fulfilling said callings.
Wait a minute.
What is “the authority to act in God’s name” called?
You got it.
To be continued….
So my question is: who, pray tell, is so authorized?
It’s an interesting question, to say the least, and one that I don’t think has been particularly explored among Latter-day Saints. I know, for example, that I am authorized to perform certain ordinances because I am an elder in the Church. I can go anywhere on Earth, perhaps even elsewhere, and, based on my authority, perform any Priesthood ordinance of which the Church does not maintain a record (e.g. consecrate oil, dedicate a grave, anoint and/or bless a sick person, etc.). I am also authorized to perform most other Priesthood ordinances, given verbal authorization from the individual who holds the necessary Priesthood keys (e.g. a bishop). I know I may do any of these things because an elder in the Church, duly authorized by the bishop who then presided over us, placed his hands upon my head and ordained me to the Melchizedek Priesthood and to the office of elder. This much is simple. But there are others who have never been ordained to such an office and yet have much more authority than I. What of them?
In my ward, for example, is my friend Mary Aagard, who serves as Relief Society President and thus presides, with her counselors, over dozens of women. She, in turn, reports to Stake Relief Society President Lynn Isenbarger, who, with her counselors, presides over hundreds. And so it goes, right up to General Relief Society President Julie Beck, who, with her counselors, presides over millions. To the best of my knowledge, not one of these women has ever been ordained to a specific Priesthood office, and yet every one of them has the authority to preside. They have each had hands placed upon their respective heads, been set apart to their respective callings, and been authorized to act in God’s name by fulfilling said callings.
Wait a minute.
What is “the authority to act in God’s name” called?
You got it.
To be continued….
Comments
Post a Comment