This session will begin with Margaret Toscano’s slide lecture of images of goddesses and women represented in pre-historic statues, contemporary paintings, and sculptures. Taken primarily from Western art, they show how our reality is shaped by the images we make and how our limited discourse about the Female God has also limited our access to …
Speaker: Margaret Toscano
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 …
PRIESTHOOD MATTERS: SHOULD MORMON WOMEN FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE CATHOLIC WOMENPRIEST MOVEMENT?
Mormon feminists sense that the current “Mormon Moment” offers a good time for activism that draws attention to LDS women’s issues on a large scale. But what kind of act could match the significance of this “Mormon Moment”? Many feminists, myself included, have long argued that priesthood is the central issue for women in the …
Mormonism, Desire, And Popular Romance: Constructions Of Gender, Relationships, And Power
Romantic fiction comprises 25% of books sold in the US; its readers represent a diverse group. Popularity notwithstanding, the genre is regularly challenged as trashy and prurient and for reinforcing the limitations of raditional gender roles. This panel will examine what the themes, trends, and traits of the genre and its readership help reveal about …
Embodying Gender: How Mormon Material Culture Reflects And Shapes Gender Perceptions
Mormonism defines both gender and embodiment as fundamental. Beliefs about gender are embodied in the physical objects, resources, spaces, and structures which Mormons create and use to carry out the work and life of the Church. Mormon material culture not only reflects gender beliefs but also influences the ways in which gender is perceived. This …
Material Improvement: Explicit Statements On The Matter Of Heavenly Mother
The Spring 2011 issue of BYU Studies includes a “survey of historical teachings about Mother in Heaven” by David L. Paulsen and Martin Pulido entitled “‘A Mother There’: A Survey of Historical Teachings about Mother in Heaven.” The article documents statements about Heavenly Mother by Mormon leaders and demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, Mormon …
SL10134: Are we moving toward wholeness? Women and the Feminine in Mormonism
Wholeness, balance, and inclusiveness characterize maturity. This panel will consider the relationship of both the masculine and the feminine and women and men in the LDS Church. Are feminine and masculine principles, values, and perspectives balanced in Church teachings and structures? Does the Church encourage and provide resources for the spiritual development of both men …
SL10175: Eternal Perdition? Bureaucratic Limbo? The Theological Ramifications of Excommunication
The Church Handbook of Instructions explains in detail the mechanics of excommunication but says little about its theological import. Our panelists, several of whom have been excommunicated, will explore the theological and spiritual ramifications of this ultimate Church sanction. Why does excommunication not require a ritual? If blessings are “restored” to an excommunicated person who …
SL10375: No More Fellow Citizens but Still Strangers: Twenty Years of “Strangers in Paradox”: Explorations in Mormon Theology
Twenty years ago, Margaret and Paul Toscano published Strangers in Paradox: Explorations in Mormon Theology. Fascinated by the richness of Mormon texts and ritual, they had been working out a complex theology for twenty years and were eager to share their insights. The book immediately became a feminist sensation and an official scandal, resulting—at least …
Mormon Motherhood: Choice or Destiny?
Mormon Motherhood: Choice or Destiny? General Relief Society president Julie Beck caused a storm of protest among some LDS women who understood her General Conference talk as a call for them to return to, remain in, or prepare for the traditional role of motherhood. In a press conference, new Young Women president Elaine Dalton was …