In recognition of the gendered nature of spiritual authority within institutional Mormonism, many Mormon women have sought increased representation by seeking female ordination and encouraging further discussion of the divine feminine. Outside of institutional channels, many have also begun to look toward alternative practices to harness the power of God in their lives. These practices …
Speaker: Doe Daughtrey
The Persistence Of Ideas About Reincarnation In Today S Mormonism
Though not officially taught as doctrine, ideas concerning the potential reincarnation of souls have held some sway in Latter-day Saint minds and hearts. Some Mormons claim that they can access past lives or experiences in a way that suggests they’ve been incarnated on earth before. This panel examines reincarnation in light of LDS theology concerning …
PANEL: HAVE WE COME A LONG WAY? REVIEWING WOMEN AND AUTHORITY AT TWENTY
Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism made a splash when it was published in 1992. On its 20th anniversary, panelists will discuss how they first encountered the book, their thoughts upon reading it, how it influenced their thinking about women’s issues in the Church, and if it has continued to be a useful volume in …
HEAVENLY MOTHER AND THE LETTER OF THE LAW
President Hinckley has told us that Jesus Christ forbids our praying to Heavenly Mother. But heavenly parents who refuse communication with their children seem unworthy of their status as gods, and a mother who will not hear or acknowledge her children is not a helpful role model for Latterday Saints. Therefore, there must be some …
HAVE WE COME A LONG WAY? REVIEWING WOMEN AND AUTHORITY ON ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism made a splash when published in 1992. On its 20th anniversary, panelists will discuss how they first encountered the book, their thoughts upon reading it, how it influenced their thinking about women’s issues in the Church, and how it has continued to be a useful volume in their personal …
THE ONCE AND FUTURE BEE PRIESTESS
This session will examine the emblem and symbol of bee/hive, noting the connections between bees and their hives as symbolic of the feminine divine and a matriarchal society, the ancient bee priestess as shaman, and the idea of contemporary Mormon woman as bee priestess. It also examines the connections between the nineteenth- century restoration movement …
TEACHING MORMON STUDIES COURSES
A panel of respected Mormon Studies professors and scholars come together to discuss insights and lessons learned from their experiences taking Mormon Studies into the classroom. Robert A. Rees, Richard Lyman Bushman, Doe Daughtrey, Patrick Mason, Warner Woodworth
The Impact Of Wonder On Religious And Intimate Life
Wonder is excited by encounters with the unexpected, when we yield to “a sudden decentering of the self” (Bulkeley). Experiences of wonder spark both intense religious experiences and profound relationship connections. in both arenas—the intimately spiritual and the intimately social—when we are stunned, dazed, breathtaken, overwhelmed, consumed, or astonished, we feel yearnings to explore, to …
Further Light And Knowledge
This paper analyzes esoteric ways of knowing in Mormonism to illuminate how particular LDS women have synthesized, supplemented, or replaced Mormonism with elements of twenty-first century New Spirituality. The New Spirituality is the current generalized spiritual milieu in the United States: dynamic, competitive, flexible, and hybrid—an inclusive category that can cover the wide range of …
Do They Still Teach That?
The song “I Believe” from the Tony award-winning musical The Book of Mormon mentions familiar, obscure, and even contested Mormon doctrines. This panel is a riff of sorts on ideas enumerated in the song, from the foundational belief that God created the universe and sent his son to die for our sins to the idea …