Podcasts about Ordain Women

Hey guys, it's Throwback Thursday! Today we're revisiting one of my favorite conversations on the show—my sit-down with Mormon feminist powerhouse Abby Hansen.If that name doesn't ring a bell, Abby has been a bold and influential voice in Mormon feminist spaces for years, involved with Ordain Women and featured in the documentary Where We Stand (Journeyman Pictures). She dives into tough conversations about gender, equality in the church, and the challenges of raising kids when faith journeys diverge.In this highlight version (~30 minutes), you'll hear Abby's candid perspectives on Mormon feminism, working with transgender Latter-day Saints, and navigating family dynamics with honesty and empathy—without me talking over her.For the full, uncut conversation, check out Episode 129 of the Mormon News Roundup Link: https://youtube.com/live/5NNIqjEAd4Y

Many people have heard of Kate Kelly—the Mormon feminist who challenged church power—but few know her full story.In this episode of Mormon News Roundup, we trace her journey in chronological order: from a faithful member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the founder of Ordain Women, and ultimately to a nationally recognized advocate for gender equality and the Equal Rights Amendment.This video covers:The founding of Ordain Women and the 2013 General Conference protestThe theological and ethical arguments for women's ordinationThe events leading up to her 2014 excommunicationNational media coverage and public reactionLife after the LDS Church, including activism in feminism and reproductive rightsHer evolution into a broader political and cultural voiceThrough interviews, speeches, and key moments, you'll see how Kate Kelly's story reflects the power—and cost—of challenging institutional authority from within.

The Synod of Synodality refuses to let their matriarchal demands fail.Sponsored by Pray Latinhttps://praylatin.comSources:https://www.returntotradition.orgorhttps://substack.com/@returntotradition1Contact Me:Email: return2catholictradition@gmail.comSupport My Work:Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/AnthonyStineSubscribeStarhttps://www.subscribestar.net/return-to-traditionBuy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/AnthonyStinePhysical Mail:Anthony StinePO Box 3048Shawnee, OK74802Follow me on the following social media:https://www.facebook.com/ReturnToCatholicTradition/https://twitter.com/pontificatormax+JMJ+#popeleoXIV #catholicism #catholicchurch #catholicprophecy#infiltration

Award-winning authors Katie Rich and Heather Sundahl explore 2 controversies: Ordain Women & Equal Rights Amendment in the sometimes turbulent history of Exponent II during the late 20th century and its evolution into the digital age. The discussion centers on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and how it marked a “watershed moment” for Mormon feminism. While many LDS women initially supported the ERA, the Church’s stance shifted after Phyllis Schlafly convinced leadership that the amendment was a threat to the family. This led to a massive, coordinated effort where the church deployed 13,000 women to the 1977 International Women's Year meeting in Salt Lake City to vote against nearly every proposal, including protections for victims of rape and childhood education. https://youtu.be/fW6UiSJehCo Don't miss our other conversations about Mormon feminism: https://gospeltangents.com/lds_theology/feminism/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved A central figure in this era was Sonia Johnson, a “firebrand” who founded Mormons for ERA and publicly challenged the church’s covert lobbying efforts. Her excommunication in 1979 was particularly shocking because it was based on her political activism and public reach rather than moral failings. The authors note that the Church often distinguishes between private belief and public dissent; while many shared Sonia’s views, her large platform made her a target for disciplinary action. The conversation also highlights how Exponent II has navigated these tensions by prioritizing “community over ideological purity”. Unlike more direct activist groups like Ordained Women, Exponent II provides a platform for a wide spectrum of voices, from those seeking ordination to those who find power in traditional roles. This is exemplified in their “priesthood issue,” which contrasted the experiences of women who felt marginalized by their inability to give blessings with those who, like Diane Pritchette, believe women already possess inherent spiritual power. The authors conclude by discussing the historical precedent of Mormon women giving blessings by the laying on of hands—a practice that was common until the 1930s and continues in private settings today, despite official discouragement. We highlighted the distinction between direct activist movements and the platform-based approach of Exponent II. While the two share common threads, Exponent 2 remaines a space for diverse perspectives rather than an organization that took an official stance on the ordination of women. The authors describe Ordain Women as a movement focused on direct activism, whereas Exponent II is a feminist platform that hosts a “Mormon continuum” of voices, including those who are active, inactive, ex-Mormon, or never Mormon. Many early profiles for the Ordain Women movement, which utilized a style similar to the “I'm a Mormon” campaign, were actually Exponent II bloggers. Kate Kelly, the founder of Ordain Women, participated in Exponent II retreats. She was featured on a panel that specifically discussed women and the priesthood, showcasing how the organization fostered dialogue on controversial topics without mandating a “universal stance”. A specific quarterly issue of the Exponent 2 magazine was dedicated to the priesthood to explore the topic’s complexity67. This issue highlighted two contrasting viewpoints: ◦ Abby Hansen, a member of Ordain Women, shared the pain of feeling disconnected from spiritual power, specifically the difficulty of needing to seek blessings from “random” home teachers while her husband was away in the military. ◦ A Relief Society president in Boston, recounted an instance where she laid her hands on a woman’s head to give a blessing during a crisis, operating under the belief that women already possess inherent spiritual power and do not need to “agitate” for others to give it to them. The desire for ordination is often linked to the lost history of Mormon women giving blessings. Women historically performed healings by the laying on of hands until the 1930s, as mentioned by Jonathan Stapley and Kristine Wright. The practice still occurs in private, “unauthorized” settings today among both feminists and traditionalists who feel a spiritual confidence to act in moments of crisis. Don't miss our other conversations about Mormon feminism: https://gospeltangents.com/lds_theology/feminism/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved

Pope Leo XIV's accession could mean a new opportunity to reform the Catholic Church by allowing women as ordained deacons. Those advocating for this change argue that allowing women would represent a return to early Church tradition and showcase an evolving Church ready for modernity. Those against this argue that it would blur theological lines and that women already play substantial leadership roles within the Church. Now we debate: Is It Time for the Catholic Church to Ordain Women as Deacons?  Arguing Yes: Casey Stanton, Co-director of Discerning Deacons  Arguing No: Pia de Solenni, Theologian; Former Chancellor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange in California  Nayeema Raza, Journalist and Host of "Smart Girl Dumb Questions", is the guest moderator.  Visit OpentoDebate.org to watch more insightful debates.   Take our podcast listener survey here: https://bit.ly/opentodebatesurvey  Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on our curated weekly debates, dynamic live events, and educational initiatives.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this intimate follow-up episode, journalist Lauren continues her powerful story—this time focusing on her path from reporter to advocate, wife, and co-founder of Hidden True Crime. Lauren shares the deeply personal journey that brought her to John Matthias, their relationship, marriage, and parenting as a mixed-faith couple—all while navigating the high-stakes world of reporting on religious extremism and the Lori Vallow Daybell case.She reflects on pivotal moments in Mormonism, including the excommunication of progressive voices, the Church's stance on same-sex marriage, and the Ordain Women movement. As her career unfolds, Lauren breaks major stories from inside Mormon and FLDS communities, reporting from Hildale, Utah, and uncovering secrets in St. George.Her life is upended again by the Daybell case, which becomes the catalyst for launching Hidden True Crime. Balancing her professional calling with profound personal loss—her brother's accident and coma—Lauren makes the gut-wrenching decision to attend Lori Vallow Daybell's trial anyway.This episode is a moving reflection on belief, justice, trauma, love, and the power of storytelling to make sense of chaos.From breaking the Daybell story to building a platformA deeply personal account of faith, loss, and loveIncludes exclusive insight into Chad Daybell's patriarchal blessing and courtroom revelations___________________YouTubeMormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:One-time or recurring donation through DonorboxSupport us on PatreonPayPalVenmoOur Platforms:YouTubePatreonSpotifyApple PodcastsContact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117Social Media:Insta: @mormstoriesTikTok: @mormonstoriespodcastJoin the Discord

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Dr Adam Koontz talks about the history of women's suffrage in the LCMS, obstacles to fellowship with WELS, and whether the LCMS will ever ordain women. Check out What God Has Joined Together Visit our website - A Brief History of Power Dr Koontz - Redeemer Lutheran Church Music thanks to Verny

On March 12, 2025, Church educator and BYU professor Jared Halverson released an Instagram short where he stated: “One of the statistics that has worried me the most of late, comes from a survey that was done in 2023 and it's suggesting that for the first time that I can think of, more women are leaving religion than men are.” Is this true? Why are more women leaving Mormonism than men are? Join us today as we gather with Katie Rich (author of Fifty Years of Exponent II), Amy McPhie Allebest (of the Breaking Down Patriarchy YouTube channel), and Abby Maxwell Hansen (who was threatened with excommunication for her profile on Ordain Women in 2013 and an Exponent II blogger since 2019), as well as writer and columnist Jana Riess to discuss this growing phenomenon.Jared Halverson is an associate professor of Ancient Scriptures and served for over 20 years in the Church Education System. Halverson earned his BA in History and MA in Religious Education. He has been a featured speaker in devotionals as well as in academic settings. He is the host of the YouTube channel and podcast titled “Unshaken.”You can view Jared Halverson's original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TevsIrw1nqsShow Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/why-are-women-leaving-the-mormon-church/

This video explores the rich history and ongoing journey of Mormon feminism through the lens of Exponent II. Katie Ludlow Rich and Heather Sundahl share their personal stories, including feminist awakenings, experiences with the Church, and their work preserving women's voices in Mormon history. Topics include women's roles in the Church, the suppression of women's spiritual practices, mixed-faith marriages, and the impact of feminist movements like Ordain Women. Dive into the influence of Exponent II, the challenges faced by Mormon feminists, and the resilience of women seeking to redefine their roles in faith and community. Show Notes YouTube Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors! Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today: One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox Support us on Patreon PayPal Venmo Our Platforms: YouTube Patreon Spotify Apple Podcasts Contact us:MormonStories@gmail.comPO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117 Social Media: Insta: @mormstories TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast Join the Discord

Joe Heschmeyer dispels confusion about the subject of female ordination, examining the meaning of priesthood and what it reveals about God. Transcription: Why won’t the Catholic church just ordain women as priests? That is one of the most common questions that I as a Catholic get from non-Catholics, and I think it’s unsatisfying to them to hear the first part of the answer, which is that from a Catholic perspective, the church can’t ordain women as priests. Then John Paul II was completely clear about this point where he said that the teaching that priestly ordination is to…

Does Excommunication work? It seems to have shut down both the Ordain Women movement and the Feminist Movement in 1993. What can people learn from these episodes to effect change in the LDS Church? Dr Margaret Toscano discusses lessons learned. Check out our conversation... https://youtu.be/8PydVPNg9jI Don't miss our other conversations about the Sept Six: https://gospeltangents.com/mormon_history/sept-six/ transcript to follow Copyright © 2024 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission transcript to follow Copyright © 2024 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved

A decade after the Ordain Women movement within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made national news, another feminist issue is getting lots of media attention. During a March 17 meeting to celebrate the creation of the church's Relief Society, J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the faith's global women's organization, declared that “there is no other religious organization in the world that I know of that has so broadly given power and authority to women.” Dennis went on to say that “other faiths ordain women to roles like priest or pastor, but those individuals represent a small minority when compared to the total number of women within their congregations.” In the Utah-based church, all women “who choose a covenant relationship with God in the House of the Lord are endowed with priesthood power directly from God.” It is a sentiment that has been expressed previously by Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the church's governing First Presidency, and by Sheri Dew, a former counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency. But when the church posted Dennis' quote on Instagram, a flood of responses from women ensued — more than 15,000 comments. And, in an unusual acknowledgment, the church's social media team promised to share the “thoughts, feelings and experiences” with the faith's leaders. On this week's show, discussing this speech, the overwhelming response it generated and the role of women in the church, are Julie Hanks, a Latter-day Saint therapist in Utah, and Amy Watkins Jensen, a Latter-day Saint middle school humanities teacher in Oakland, California, who created the Women on the Stand letter-writing campaign in the wake of women's leaders being removed from the stand at worship services in the Bay Area.

Kate Kelly, Esq. is a zealous advocate and passionate activist. She has a JD from American University Washington College of Law, the only law school in the world founded by, and for, women.  She is a vocal women's rights champion in the U.S., and around the world.Kate believes the simple and popular adage that women's rights are human rights, and is committed to legal advocacy & education for women & other marginalized groups. She is a nationally-known advocate for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, and Host of the Gold Anthem Award-winning podcast Ordinary Equality. She has a book also called “Ordinary Equality” about the history of the women who have shaped the U.S. Constitution. In 2013 Kate founded a group called Ordain Women to advocate for gender equality in the Mormon Church. She was convicted of apostasy by 3 male Mormon leaders & excommunicated from the church in June 2014 for speaking out against the institutional oppression of women. But, Kate's work for women's equality continues unabated. You can find Kate Kelly:On her website: www.katekellyesq.comPurchase her book: Ordinary EqualityFollow on IG: kate_kelly_esqI want to hear from you!Support & Subscribe- your support helps me to keep making this podcast! Become a supporter and I will shout out a thank you on my next episode!DM me on IG @tiphanykaneCheck out my website: www.tiphanykane.comLeave Tiphany a Voice Message to have a spotlight on the podcastProduced & Edited by: KaSa Media Productions

A recent edition of On Point explored the role of patriarchal power in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the consequences of that for Mormon women in abusive relationships. Currently, only men in the Mormon Church get to ascend the religious hierarchy. Kate Kelly founded the group Ordain Women roughly a decade ago to try to change that.

Thank you for reading this sermon from Christ Fellowship. I hope and pray that thisRead More »Why We Don’t Ordain Women

The text we will read today is very offensive to contemporary Western culture. And so,Read More »Why We Don’t Ordain Women

Make sure to go listen to the full episode on Not So Peter Priesthood Podcast! Email us: notsomollymormonpodcast@gmail.com Support us: patreon.com/notsomollymormon

This week is all about women! Jake is joined with Dusti and special guest, Kadey from Not So Molly Mormon podcast to talk about women and the priesthood. Jake gives a history lesson and Kadey talks all about Ordain Women and the audacity of women trying to wear pants to church.

When I began questioning the LDS Church, I did not expect the Stake Relief Society president to join me. Nicola Petty went from orthodox and loyal member guided by the priesthood to a Stake Relief Society President who had been woken up by the Ordain Women movement. It was in this capacity that I watched her press priesthood button after priesthood button advocating intelligently and determinedly for the women in our stake. And then, when the church was no longer reconcilable, rather than spit the church out, Nicola planned her exit well, and took up the challenge to build a new life. Her's is a story of integrity, integration, and extraordinary grace for a church she once loved deeply but no longer sees as essential to her human becoming.   This is a personal story of breaking up well. 

In today's Gospel (Matthew 8:1-4), we see that the humble faith of the leper witnesses the miracle.  This is an important lesson to us all.  If we want to see the miracle in the Church, we cannot compromise the teachings of the Church.  We do not tell the Lord that we know better.  He is the one that leads the way and we follow.   PAVING THE WAY HOME: Website: http://pavingthewayhome.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pavingthewayhome Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pavingthewayhome_ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com   SUPPORT PAVING THE WAY HOME: If you would like to financially support the work of Paving The Way Home so that we can keep on top of our costs and can continue to produce regular material, there are three possible methods: 1) Please visit http://pavingthewayhome.com/support-us/ for our bank account details 2) Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pavingthewayhome 3) PayPal: https://paypal.me/pavingthewayhome?locale.x=en_US Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you.   HOLY FAMILY MISSION: Learn more about Fr. Patrick's work with Holy Family Mission at https://www.holyfamilymission.ie/   If you would like to watch Fr. Patrick celebrate Mass, visit https://www.churchservices.tv/glencomeragh

Episode 703 | Adriel Sanchez and Bill Maier answer caller questions. Show Notes CoreChristianity.com   1. Where should I go in the Bible to address alcoholism? 2. Is it a sin to be cremated? 3. Does the New Testament say that we do not need the laws of the Old Testament? 4. I recently saw that one of the biggest churches in America ordained 3 women to pastoral ministry. This is the first time the church has done this. Did the church leaders just change their mind, or do you think this is a practice that more churches should begin doing? 5. Can we donate our bodies to science when we die? 6. Augustine and Luther taught God regenerates via water baptism, and that regeneration can be lost. Is this true?  Today’s Offer Core Kit Request our latest special offers here or call 1-833-THE-CORE (833-843-2673) to request them by phone. Want to partner with us in our work here at Core Christianity? Consider becoming a member of the Inner Core. Resources HOW DO CHRISTIANS RELATE TO THE LAW? WHY YOU DON’T HAVE TO OBEY ALL THE RULES IN THE BIBLE      

Sign up for our exclusive content to go even deeper. Become a "Behind Closed Doors" subscriber here. https://truesexwildlove.supercast.tech/     Kate Kelly is a New York City-based activist and lawyer, a vocal proponent of the ERA, and a former Mormon. She was excommunicated from the Mormon Church in 2014 for apostasy after founding an organization called Ordain Women to do just that, and for critiquing institutionalized oppression of women. Kate talks to us about purity culture, feminism, her ongoing commitment to Mormon fashion (her long skirts are lit AF), and coming out as queer   Connect with Kate Kelly Website | http://www.katekellyesq.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/kate_kelly_esq/?hl=en Twitter | https://twitter.com/Kate_Kelly_Esq   Show Notes Mormon Worthiness Interview | https://bit.ly/2DCvCbj Mormonism | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormons BYU | https://bit.ly/1TZx7Qs The Mormon Worker | https://themormonworker.wordpress.com/ Soulforce | https://www.soulforce.org/ Alice Paul | https://bit.ly/2UaYwDl   Sign up for Whitney's 4 Month Mentorship Program https://4-month-mentorship.mykajabi.com/TogetherNLove     Show Sponsor: AirDoctor  Save $300 off your Purifier when you visit  bit.ly/tswlairdoc      LGC Testosterone Test www.trylgc.com/wildlove for 20% off     Connect with Wednesday Martin: Website | http://wednesdaymartin.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wednesdaymartinphd/ Twitter | https://twitter.com/WednesdayMartin Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wednesdaymartinphd/ YouTube | https://bit.ly/2zfvv1H   Check out Wednesday Martin’s new book Untrue | http://wednesdaymartin.com/books/untrue/   Connect with Whitney Miller: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/whitnlove/?hl=en Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Miss2Jits/ Twitter | https://twitter.com/whitnlove   Subscribe on Itunes https://apple.co/2XKfS0b Spotify | https://spoti.fi/2JPxuhn Stitcher | https://bit.ly/2xYNQz0   Google Play Music | bit.ly/30nJwWA IHeartRadio | https://ihr.fm/2NooEuw    

The debate about abortion is often considered a black and white issue -- but that actually isn't the case. Join co-hosts  Kate Kelly and Jamia Wilson as they discuss their own histories related to reproductive rights and kick off season 2 of Ordinary Equality. We want to hear from you! If you have an abortion story you want to share, leave us a message at: (516) 636-3012.‬Follow us on Twitter at @OrdEquality for everything you need to know about the ERA and the latest abortion laws as we watch history in the making. Kate Kelly on TwitterJamia Wilson on TwitterSpecial thanks to Faith Salie for voicing Crystal Eastman in this episode!

We're still working on a new season of Radicals & Revolutionaries Lab for your listening pleasure, but while you wait, why not revisit some old favourites? Kate Kelly was our very first interview ever, back when this podcast was barely more than the seed of an idea. We're proud to re-air this episode, uncut and remastered, as we look back on the roots of this show.In 2013, Ordain Women was founded to advocate for women’s ordination in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Within a few years, the group included thousands of activists, many of whom had never before taken action, and sparked a conversation that required church members as well as leadership to confront gender inequality within the institution. Kate Kelly is the woman behind it all. She grew up somewhat orthodox, served a mission for the church, and was later excommunicated in a fairly public way. In between it all, Kate became a human rights lawyer and is now a legal fellow at Columbia Law School’s Human Rights in the U.S. Project. She is fierce and outspoken about her commitment to women’s rights as human rights, which of course makes me love Kate even more.ResourcesFollow Kate Kelly on TwitterOrdain WomenOrdinary Equality (new podcast featuring Kate Kelly)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/rrlab. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jim Bennett is the author of "A Faithful Reply to the CES Letter."  He is also the son of the late Utah U.S. Senator Bob Bennett. In Part 4 of a multi-part series with Jim, we discuss in-depth his approach to maintaining belief in the Mormon church AFTER exposure to all of the historical and social problems currently vexing the LDS church, as highlighted in Jeremy Runnell's groundbreaking book "CES Letter: My Search for Answers to my Mormon Doubts." Today's episode covers: Women and the church and the Ordain Women movement. The Mormon church's approach to "Law of Chastity" issues including pornography, masturbation, and one-on-one "worthiness interviews." The Mormon church's handling and mishandling of sexual abuse cases. The Mormon church's treatment (including excommunication) of activists and critics. A closing discussion of the faith crisis "epidemic" within the modern LDS church, and Jim's opinions about the best way to handle the situation. To thank Jim for his participation so far in this series, please email him at: jim@canonizer.com.

Kate Kelly On this episode, I discuss the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) with passionate advocate and activist for women's rights, Kate Kelly. We discuss the role that the state of Virginia will play in finally ratifying the ERA, after it was introduced nearly a century ago. About Today's Guest: In 2013 Kate Kelly founded a group called Ordain Women to advocate for gender equality in the Mormon Church. She was convicted of apostasy by 3 male Mormon leaders & excommunicated from the church in June 2014 for speaking out against the institutional oppression of women. Throughout her legal career, she has been committed to defending human rights, the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, as well as, the rights of other marginalized groups. Support the Electorette Rate & Review on iTunes: https://apple.co/2GsfQj4 Support Electorette on Patreon for $2/month: http://bit.ly/Electorette-Patreon Also, if you enjoy the Electorette, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review on iTunes. Also, please spread the word by telling your friends, family and colleagues about The Electorette! Want to support the Electorette so that we can bring you more great episodes? You can help us produce more episodes with just $2/per month on Patreon. Every bit helps! Patreon.com/Electorette WANT MORE ELECTORETTE? Follow the Electorette on social media. Electorette Facebook Electorette Instagram Electorette Twitter The Electorette is a proud member of the DemCast Network! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valerie and Robert discuss many sensitive subjects in his new book, Royal Daughters with Priesthood Power.   Rob says there are 7 ways that women can exercise priesthood power.   We also discussed the cultural aspects of holding the priesthood and how we can do better at supporting women and their concerns. Book:https://www.cedarfort.com/products/royal-daughters-with-priesthood-power-7-ways-latter-day-saint-women-receive-and-exercise-the-priesthood  Robert:  https://rsc.byu.edu/authors/line-c-robertValerie:  Http://www.valerieloveless.info 

Kate Kelly is a New York City based activist and lawyer, vocal proponent of the ERA, and former Mormon. She was excommunicated from the Mormon Church in 2014 for apostasy after founding an organization called Ordain Women to do just that, and for critiquing institutionalized oppression of women. Kate talks to us about purity culture, feminism, her ongoing commitment to Mormon fashion (her long skirts are lit AF) and coming out as queer Connect with Kate KellyWebsite | http://www.katekellyesq.com/Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/kate_kelly_esq/?hl=enTwitter | https://twitter.com/Kate_Kelly_EsqThis episode is brought to you by Sweet VibrationsVisit https://sweetvibes.toys/ and use the code "Wild Love" to get %15 off at checkout Connect with Wednesday Martin:Website | http://wednesdaymartin.com/Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wednesdaymartinphd/Twitter | https://twitter.com/WednesdayMartinFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/wednesdaymartinphd/YouTube | https://bit.ly/2zfvv1H Check out Wednesday Martin’s new book Untrue | http://wednesdaymartin.com/books/untrue/ Connect with Whitney Miller:Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/whitnlove/?hl=enFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/Miss2Jits/Twitter | https://twitter.com/whitnlove Subscribe on Itunes https://apple.co/2XKfS0bSpotify | https://spoti.fi/2JPxuhnStitcher | https://bit.ly/2xYNQz0  Google Play Music | bit.ly/30nJwWAIHeartRadio | https://ihr.fm/2NooEuwShow NotesMormon Worthiness Interview | https://bit.ly/2DCvCbjMormonism | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MormonsBYU | https://bit.ly/1TZx7QsThe Mormon Worker | https://themormonworker.wordpress.com/Soulforce | https://www.soulforce.org/Alice Paul | https://bit.ly/2UaYwDl

Ask a Suffragist: April Young Bennett began studying the lives of suffragists to inform her own activism. She has campaigned for better state and federal laws that affect children and families; addressing the wage gap, healthcare, education and juvenile justice; and for gender equity within her modern-day patriarchal religious community. As an organizer for the activist organization Ordain Women, she led hundreds of women and men in marches and demonstrations that attracted national attention. April helps feminists of different faiths share ideas and collaborate toward common goals at the Religious Feminism Podcast. She blogs about Mormon feminism at Exponent II, an organization that began during the second-wave feminist movement, that is named after a nineteenth-century Mormon suffragist newspaper. Websites Ask a Suffragist: askasuffragist.com April Young Bennett: aprilyoungb.com Exponent II Blog: the-exponent.com/author/April Religious Feminism Podcast: the-exponent.com/category/podcast/ Social Networks Twitter: @AprilYoungB Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aprilyoungb/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/aprilyoungb/

Kate Kelly was excommunicated, and several women reported losing their temple recommends due to their association with Ordain Women.  I asked Bryndis Roberts if she felt members of the group were being targeted. https://youtu.be/a09U5zNogWk Roberts:  I don't know if I would go so far as to call it a purge.  I think, for some of us, as more and more questions were raised in our minds about things that the Church was doing, or even the Church's response to our requests that the church do things differently or consider doing things differently. I think some women left the church as a result of those actions. For me, I was released from being Relief Society president in June of 2015, and in July of 2017, my temple recommend was taken away.  Now, I'm trying to see the actions that I participated in prior to being released from being Relief Society president in 2015. My name was carried as a proxy in the second priesthood action, which would have been in, I think, that would have been in April of 2014. Then in October of 2014, we had what we called a local priesthood action, where we encouraged people to try to go and get admitted into the priesthood meeting in their local areas, and I joined two other women in Georgia. We went to one of their stakes, the stake of one of those women to try to, to the stake meeting house or wherever they were having that the priesthood meeting, to try to get admitted into that meeting. We were not allowed to join, we were turned away at the door. But other women were allowed to come in, people out in California, actually, and some places here in Utah. ... GT:  Okay, so, alright, wow. So, let me just give you kind of my perception and tell me if you think this is a legitimate perception. After Kate was excommunicated, in my eyes, it seemed like the profile of Ordain Women went down. But it sounds like you were still doing actions. Was there a purposeful lowering of the profile, if you will, so that you wouldn't be quite as confrontational? Roberts:  I don't accept that were ever confrontation.   I mean.. GT:  And I agree with you, but can you see that the brethren felt that Kate especially was confrontational? Roberts:  I can't speak to what the brethren felt, okay?  Certainly, we have not had since April of 2014, an in-person action that had the amount of participation that the first two priesthood actions had. I think there are a lot of reasons for that. Part of that is that the Mormon moment has passed. You know, the Mormon moment that sort of grew out of Mitt Romney running for president and all of that. Then I think, people were very hopeful before Kate was excommunicated. A lot of people were very hopeful, there had been signs, albeit small ones from the church, that perhaps church leaders were willing to listen, and were willing to make some changes. I mean, the Let Women Pray campaign has been held and a woman had actually prayed. I mean, we had at least somewhat of a history of seeing that our concerns had at least been listened to, and perhaps, while our leaders might not be be willing to acknowledge that there was a direct cause and effect between us raising our concerns, and the change being made, changes had been made. So, I think there was a hope, an expectation, a prayer, that there would be a very different response from the church to the two priesthood actions. When the response was to excommunicate Kate, I think a number of people did have to say, "Okay, maybe I was wrong about how the church is going to react to this." Roberts:  But I don't think it was so much fear that led people to maybe not be as much involved, maybe it was more of a recognition or a change from having a hope that the church would change to recognizing, "Oh, they're digging their heels in. they're not going to change," and deciding that energies would be better spent elsewhere. So, you know, I reject the notion that women were filled with a spirit of fear.

Kate Kelly was the founder of Ordain Women until her excommunication.  What happened next?  Bryndis Roberts discusses the aftermath, and the new structure of Ordain Women Leadership. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BK3e7GgDOg GT: Okay, and so how did you go from, "Hey, I've just got my profile on the web page,” to now you're in charge? Roberts:  Probably, because if I'm going to do something, I just believe in jumping in with both feet.  So, I put up a profile maybe in September 2014. I was invited to join the executive board in December 2014.  I helped with a number of projects, and then as time rolled on, and we needed to elect a chair-elect, I was nominated as Chair-elect and served four years chair-elect and then moved into the position of Chair of the Executive Board. Check out our conversation….

After seeing gender inequities in the Church, Bryndis Roberts decided to join Ordain Women.  But even before that, she pointed out gender problems within the Church. https://youtu.be/hzKkhX0UMu8 Roberts:  [I was] very proactive in raising questions and wondering why things were done this way. Whether it was questioning why we had to have a priesthood holder there when we had Relief Society events; whether it was raising the question as to why the little girls only met every other week; whether it was raising a question about why don't we affiliate with the Girl Scouts? Whether it was advocating for a class called Strengthening Single Mothers. So, I continued to do things in my church role that were, at least in my mind, trying to address some of the disparities and the inequities, but I did not do them from the context of being part of Ordain Women. I did them for from the context of just being a woman in the ward who sees these things. GT :  Were people receptive to your admonitions? Roberts:  I think I made some of the men in my ward probably as uncomfortable as I made my missionaries when I was raising some of the questions. Because when I raised the question, for instance, about why?  I have never been one to accept that something is a rule. If it's a rule, then it needs to be written down, and I want to see that rule because it often has been my experience that people will read words and think that words say things that words do not say. So, when I raised the question about why do we have to have a priesthood holder? Show me the rule. I felt that then people went off and had to come and look to find the rule. Of course, it was in handbook number one. GT:  The secret one. Roberts:  The handbook that I don't get to see. But then they came back and said, and I think the language said something to the effect of, "Priesthood holders should instruct members of the church, particularly women and children, not to be alone in an unlocked building." Well, I mean, I don't know, you can read that sentence backwards, you can switch the words around, you can do whatever you want to with that sentence. That sentence simply does not say that a priesthood holder has to be present, when a bunch of grown women are holding a Relief Society event at the church, it simply does not say that. So I pointed that out that this rule does not say that. Check out our conversation…. Bryndis Roberts explains how she got involved in Ordain Women. Check out our other conversations with Bryndis! 271: Addressing Gender Inequities 270: From Baptist to Mormon

Early Mormon women blessed by laying on of hands.  If the practice returned, would that be good enough for the Ordain Women movement, or do they require ordination?  Must women be ordained?  Nancy Ross and Sara Hanks answer that question. https://youtu.be/ImDlzBnipWc GT: Are you still a member of Ordain Women? Nancy: I mean, I still have a profile of a website, and I'm still supportive of the organization. GT: And you're being ordained this Sunday [July 29] anyway. Nancy:  That's right. Sara: Ordained woman. Nancy: Yes, Ordain Women! We're doing it. GT: You're going to be ordained. My question is actually two questions. Number one, what if in say October General Conference, President Nelson got up and said, "Okay, we're going to go back to the idea that women can lay hands on the sick like they used to do even into the early 20th century. Would that be good enough for Ordain Women? Or, do you think that women still need to be ordained to priesthood office? Nancy:  Do you want to comment? Sara:  I would say nothing less than full inclusion and full opportunity for every member of the church would be quote unquote sufficient. Any step in the direction of progress on any subject, in any community is great. Any step. Great. GT:  So you would welcome the laying on of hands. Sara: Oh, I would welcome that completely. I would be so excited about that. I mean I would be overjoyed. But in terms of Ordain Women as an organization, I think they chose their name very specifically. It's Ordain Women, not like give women--I mean, it would be a very long name, but it's not like Give Women More Opportunities. It's Ordain Women. LDS women out there--would you like to be ordained, or are you happy with the status quo?  Check out our conversation, as well as our previous conversations! Do LDS women want more opportunities, or must they be ordained? Nancy Ross & Sara Hanks answer that question.   209: The F-word: Feminism 208: Nancy & Sara's Spiritual Journey (Ross-Hanks) 207: Mormon Feminist Successes & Setbacks (Ross-Hanks)

Dr. Nancy Ross and Sara Hanks, co-authors of "Where We Must Stand" discuss their experiences blogging at Feminist Mormon Housewives, and putting together a book on the first 10 years of the blog.  They discusses some of the feminist successes & setbacks between 2012-2014.  What were some of the successes in pushing for change within the LDS Church? https://youtu.be/c_uF51IVmZg Nancy:But at that time the community was all about activism, or so much of the community conversation turned to activism. Really. In the middle of 2012, and this is covered in the book, there's a little activist action to try and better understand different temples' policies with regard to women and young women doing baptisms for the dead while menstruating. And so, there are a bunch of phone calls made and they try to get information about what different temples policies are with the idea that, you might show up at a temple and they might have a different policy and that might make people feel excluded or embarrassed. Sara: Embarrassed. Yeah. Nancy: And so that happens in the middle of 2012. By the end of 2012, we've got the first "Wear pants to church day," and then that's followed by, "Let Women Pray," and the advent of "Let Women Pray was it's own activist event to try and ask church leaders to let a woman pray in general conference which happened with Jean Stephens, which is super exciting. Sara: Yeah. Nancy:And then we've got the arrival of Ordain Women in the Spring of 2013. And so leading up to Kate Kelly's excommunication, like from the middle of 2012 to the middle of 2014, there was just so much momentum in the community for like, Hey, we can change things. With the temple baptisms issue after all of this information gathering, someone was able to kind of make a connection further up the chain in the church and then the church issued a clarification to say no, we need all the temples to allow women young women to participate in baptisms regardless of whether or not they're menstruating. And that was, that felt huge. Concerning Kate Kelly's excommunicationin 2014, Sara: One part of the feeling was just so much shock, because not only had we felt really hopeful for the possibilities of change, but we also kind of were under the impression as a community at large that with the advent of the Internet and so much attention being paid to the church and so much possibility for exposing problems or injustices that the church wouldn't take the sort of actions that they had taken when it came to Sonia Johnson in the 70's or the September Six in the early 90's or the, the professors at BYU who were censured. We thought, "They wouldn't because it would be too much of a risk. There would be too much backlash." Nancy: And it was also right in the middle of that Mormon moment. And the church had done the "I'm a Mormon" campaign. They had spent so much time, effort, energy and resources trying to make the church look good in the eyes of the public. Check out our conversation… Co-authors Sara Hanks, and Dr. Nancy Ross discuss their book "Where We Must Stand: Ten Years of Feminist Mormon Housewives." You might want to check out our other conversations on Women's studies. 189: Women Have Had Priesthood since 1843! (Quinn) 165:  Elder Oaks Groundbreaking Talk on Women & Priesthood(Stapley) 164:  The Mormon Priestess & Ordain Women (Stapley) 163:  Women Healers in LDS Temples (Stapley) 134: Role of Women in 4 American Religions (Bringhurst) 066: Women Will Not Hold Priesthood! (Vun Cannon) 049: Mormon Polyandry:  More Than One Husband? (Hales)

[paypal-donation] In our next conversation with Dr. Daniel Stone, we will discuss the similarities and differences between Bickertonite and Brighamite priesthood.  I was surprised to learn that they have been ordaining women since the 1860s! https://youtu.be/rUlMIBzHEjA Daniel: This is because of Joseph Smith Civil War prophecy, he's really seeing it. This is the approaching of the end times. Jesus Christ is coming back. This is the beginning of the apocalypse and eventually according to Joseph Smith's Civil War prophecy, it's going to encompass the whole earth, right? So, he has to ordain a Quorum of Twelve to kind of institute that fervent missionary effort to kind of bring people in because of the approaching calamities. And in 1863, a year after, they ordain a deaconess. And what's interesting is because you kind of see as they're ordaining deaconesses, they're also saying, well we need to have midwives in the church too. That's really important. So, you're starting to see a real emphasis on women ministering to the church because they really believe the end times are coming. It's going to get more and more serious and worse. So, midwives back then were much more trusted than doctors. So, they're kind of thinking pragmatically, okay, well if we're in destruction and there's no help for anything, we want to have midwives to help care for the wounded or people that are sick or people who are giving birth. Obviously, they were very trusted. So, they're trying to ordain deaconesses as a holy office, but calling or wanting to have midwives in the church to train them for the hopes of helping to minister to the church as well. It turns out they ordain women because of a biblical precedent! William Bickerton is very much a Christian primitivist or a Christian restorationist like Joseph Smith. He's trying to look at the scriptures literally. So, they get the idea from deaconess because of Phoebe and some of the others that are mentioned, you know, where they use that Greek word Diakonia I believe it is, where basically means deaconess. So, they are a member of the ministry. So, they're looking at the scriptures and they're really scrutinizing, and they see prophetesses in the scriptures. You know, even in the New Testament there were prophetesses. So, he's looking at this thing. Women can have this power of the Holy Ghost to move. And if they see that women were, you know, even though brief, brief mentions of it in the New Testament Check out our conversation…. William Bickerton noticed Phoebe was a deaconess in the Bible and instituted that office in the 1860s.   Don't forget to check out our other conversations with Daniel! 198: Bickerton Becomes Prophet 197: Sidney's Church Falls Apart 196: Rigdon/Spalding Manuscript Theory [paypal-donation]

[paypal-donation] In 1992, Dr. Michael Quinn published an essay stating that women have priesthood, and have held the priesthood since 1843.  It was one of the reasons church leaders cited in excommunicating him.  This will be an interesting contrast to our conversation with Dr. Jonathan Stapley, who did not endorse the idea that women held priesthood.  Both Stapley agree that women don't hold priesthood office, but Quinn is bolder in his claims than Stapley. https://youtu.be/22EWuzGrQBA Michael: Women receive priesthood when it's conferred on them in the endowment, and I think that men do too, but they've already received it. They've received it separately as young men as 12-year-olds to prepare them for the endowment. Women don't need that kind of preparation. They are already spiritually endowed. GT: At least that is the stereotypical thinking. Michael: That's the stereotypical view. And I'm willing to adopt that because it's convenient to help people understand this issue that women have a preparation that is separate for the endowment than men do. From my conversation with Stapley, Jonathan:  there's no question that men and women have equal access to the power of God. So, women are recognized healers, for example.  They participate in the healing liturgy. Women perform anointings, and they seal anointings and they heal the sick and bless for comfort from the earliest days. Joseph Smith says this is of course, entirely appropriate activity for the Relief Society sisters to participate in, any women. Every church president after that says it's fine.  So this is a manifestation of God's power. I would say that women receive liturgical authority to perform those acts, but Joseph Smith never characterizes that as priesthood. Who do you think is right? I asked Quinn what he thought about the Ordain Women movement. GT:  Ok, so what do you think about Kate Kelly's movement with Ordain Women? Michael: I understand it. I don't support it. GT: You don't support it? Michael: No, I understand it and I don't think it's necessary for women to be ordained to an appendage. GT: Why not? Michael: Women don't need an appendage to have the priesthood. GT: They've already got the priesthood. Michael: They've got the priesthood. GT: But what about the idea, why couldn't a woman become a bishop? Lead a congregation? Michael: If those who preside over the appendages of these offices, which is what the president of the church does, he's the president of the high priesthood. He could change that. This was a fantastic conversation, and I hope you check it out! Dr. Michael Quinn says women hold priesthood through the temple endowment.  Women have priesthood since 1843! Don't miss our other conversations with Dr. Quinn…. 188: Translation by Joseph Smith & James Strang (Quinn) 187: LDS Succession Crisis (Quinn) 186: Quinn on Hofmann (Quinn) 185: "The Church Makes No Distinction Between God & Mammon" (Quinn) 184: Would LDS Church Income Ever Support a Paid Ministry? (Quinn) 183: Are LDS Church Revenues really $50 Billion/Year? (Quinn) 182: Michael Quinn Discusses Deseret Hemp Company (Quinn) [paypal-donation] If you would like a transcript of this interview, Please become a monthly subscriber for just $10/month!  Just click the yellow subscribe button at Gospel  Tangents website, and I will send you a PDF of the interview (and future interviews.) For a paperback go to our Amazon Page:  https://amzn.to/2OTVCAv

In June 2014 Kate Kelly, the vocal spokesperson for Ordain Women, was excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for apostasy. Kate Kelly had led a high profile campaign including two actions on Temple Square in order to ask the President of the LDS Church to pray about whether or not women should be ordained.   This public petition that eventually included hundreds of women from around the world was met by a resounding silence and denial by the LDS leadership.  But it was Kate's excommunication that either catapulted women out of the church or aroused a new awareness in the faithful that the church they had thought of as benevolent had, in this case, acted vindictively and egregiously to support the supremacy of the patriarchy. Katie Langston, Nancy Ross and Brittany Mangleson, women who arrived at an impasse after the excommunication and chose to pursue ordination in other faith traditions join me to discuss the impact of Ordain Women on them and the Mormon feminist community.

[paypal-donation] In April 2014, Elder Oaks gave a sermon on women and priesthood.  Dr. Jonathan Stapley said this was no ordinary talk.  He called it theologically groundbreaking!  I was a bit surprised how revolutionary Stapley felt the sermon was.  It seemed to me to be a response to the Ordain Women movement which was asking for women to be allowed to attend the priesthood session of General Conference.  I saw the address under a different light than Jonathan. https://youtu.be/sznFXhm4wDA GT:  I remember just thinking, “Oh, this is just to placate the Kate Kelly people and to say, ‘Women, you've already got priesthood.  You just didn't know it yet.'”  But you're saying this is a theological change. ... Jonathan:  When Elder Oaks delivered that sermon, I was looking around like, does anyone else [recognize this?]  This is mind-blowing.  I couldn't believe it. And everyone else was just like, “Oh yeah, this is just Elder Oaks.”  Revolutions happen sometimes a very subtly apparently. ... Jonathan: It's certainly a linguistic shift and language frames our reality. So, it is certainly, for example, an interesting piece from Elder Oaks' sermon was he was quoting in many parts from a sermon that Joseph Fielding Smith gave to the Relief Society in a general Relief Society meeting.  And in this meeting Joseph Fielding was as I remember, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve at the time, discussed women's authority in the church and how they were heirs to a great heritage, but also heirs to authority and their capacity of the work in the Relief society and the temple. But he was quick to say, you have authority to do this work. You have authority in the temple, but authority is not the same thing as priesthood. Jonathan: And Elder Oaks takes this sermon he talks about, he quotes Joseph Fielding Smith, how women have this great authority in the church and this great heritage. And then he stops and says, what else can this authority be except priesthood? Right? So, it's this really wonderful kind of re-imagining of what these terms mean. At the same time, reaching to our past to grab hold of our past and make sure we're still connected, but also in very interesting and creative ways, refashioning it in a way that makes more sense for the present. Do you think Oaks talk was groundbreaking?  Let me know!  Check out our other conversations on women healers, Ordain Women, and click the video below to learn more about this conversation…. Elder Dallin Oaks gave a revolutionary sermon in April 2014 on women & priesthood. [paypal-donation]

[paypal-donation] In our next conversation with Dr. Jonathan Stapley, we'll talk about the Mormon idea of a priestess.  Of course, that inevitably leads to a discussion of the Ordain Women movement.  Would it be acceptable to Ordain Women if women could heal by laying on of hands, or do they want ecclesiastical authority? https://youtu.be/xuANpGUCKyU GT: The scriptures talk a little bit about a priestess.  Could you see an office of a priestess or if women became ordained, or would they still just be a priest? Jonathan:  Let me take a step back and frame that within the context of my book, what I would argue.  The term priestess is a function of what I call the cosmological priesthood of the temple. Look, I don't follow the theological assertions of, for example, the Ordain Women movement. So, I don't feel like I can fairly characterize what they're asserting.  But my sense is that they are asserting for an ecclesiastical parity. GT: That would be my hunch as well. Jonathan: And so I would argue that even though they might be referencing or they might point to evidence of the cosmological priesthood in the past, they would be pointing to that and making assertions about ecclesiastical priesthood bureaucracy at the present. And so, I think that it's important to carry, anytime that we're talking about the past and in the LDS tradition and the relation between women and the priesthood, we have to make those important distinctions between ecclesiastical and kind of temple cosmological priesthood dynamics.  And so, that being the case, I think there are lots of ways within the Mormon tradition that is faithful to the revelations and our historical development that can involve women more prominently in our ecclesiology and our liturgy than is currently present. I think that's a non-controversial statement to make. ... GT:  If, say in October General Conference, President Nelson got up and said, you know, we've studied a Jonathan Stapley's work. We looked back at these ritual healings that women used to do. We're bringing that back. Do you think that would be good enough for people like were the Ordain Women movement? What do you think?  Check out Jonathan's answer, as well as the rest of our conversation on the best source for Mormon history, science, and theology….  (And don't forget to check out part 1 and part 2!)  [paypal-donation] If the LDS Church ordained women, would they be priests or priestesses?

When Isabella Parker (Witchita, Kansas) was 14 years old she joined her school's Gay Straight Alliance and she submitted a profile to Ordain Women.  At the same time she was also called to be the Mia Maid Class President.  When her bishop discovered Isabella's social justice activities, things changed dramatically for her and her family.

Atlanta based attorney Bryndis Roberts is the chair-elect of Ordain Women.  In 2008 Bryndis joined the LDS church from the Black Baptist church, served for a number of years as a  Relief Society President in an inner city Atlanta Ward  soon discovering several concerns with gender inequality in Mormon leadership.  In this podcast Bryndis talks about why she is so passionate about women's ordination.  We discuss the hope that she believes gender equality will offer the church in terms of its spiritual health and survival.

Where would Margaret Toscano start if she was asked to reform the Mormon Church? Listen in as Margaret joins Bob, Chelsea, and Glenn to talk about gender roles, activism, the Ordain Women movement, faith, spirituality, LDS Temple ceremonies,  Heavenly Mother, whether or not there should be a separate priesthood for women, and a bunch of other really interesting stuff.

So often the conversation in the Mormon moment is dominated by white  men and women who are both dominant numerically in the church, but have also claimed the space at the heart of contemporary LDS cultural debates. In this episode I discuss the dilemmas facing women of colour in Mormonism with Bryndis Roberts and Jennifer Gonzalez.  Both are busy women both in the church and in their legal professions.  Bryndis is a relatively new member of the church who lives in Atlanta, Georgia and serves as a Relief Society President.  Jennifer Gonzalez works in immigration law and has served most recently in the Young Women organization.   Both women are active participants in the 'Feminist Mormon Women of Color' - FEMWOC group.  Bryndis is on the Executive Board of Ordain Women.  

Kelly, a recently excommunicated Mormon feminist, is the founder of Ordain Women. Though she has attracted significant media attention she still remains a bit of an enigma. A staunch apologist for the fundamentals of Mormon theology she holds doggedly to the doctrines of continuing revelation and open cannon. At the same time she is an unapologetic feminist, an international human rights lawyer, and remains deeply concerned about questions of justice. In this interview with Gina Colvin, Kelly talks about her feminist awakenings, the development of Ordain Women, her church discipline and her hopes for the future. An archetypal idealist Kelly's irrepressible optimism and faith shines. For Kelly the question of equal rights and ordination for women are issues that are far from settled. Kelly's thoughtful faith is reflected in her belief that her excommunication doesn't mean the end for her and others' pursuit for equity and fairness in the church. Rather, her excommunication signals that the conversation is merely at a beginning.

To conclude our series on the Ordain Women project, we bring together Kate Kelly, Heather Olson Beal, Neylan McBaine and Sara Vranes for a concluding dialogue.

Two members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were recently notified that they potentially faced disciplinary councils which could result in excommunication from the church for apostasy. Kate Kelly is a human rights lawyer who founded Ordain Women, a group seeking access to the LDS church's all-male priesthood.

Originally published October 8, 2013.Part 1 of a three-part series on the Ordain Women event of October 5, 2013, when participants sought admission to the LDS General Conference priesthood session. John Dehlin speaks with participants Heather Olson Beal, Ann Marie Whittaker, Tinesha Zandamela, and Lorie Winder Stromberg.Full episode and show notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/ordain-women-general-conference-priesthood-event-pt-1-the-participants/

Originally published September 24, 2013.A Mormon News Review episode covering the Ordain Women movement, Steve and Barb Young's public support for LGBT Latter-day Saints, and the LDS Church's religious-freedom advocacy.Full episode and show notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/ordain-women-steve-and-barb-youngs-lgbt-support-and-lds-religious-freedom/

Kate Kelly and the organizers of Ordain Women give a panel about women’s ordination in the LDS church on August 1st, 2013. [powerpress]