Resolving Feminism Within the LDS Church: A return to Heavenly Mother, Early Practices, and Joseph Smith’s Vision for Women

Some suggestions from LDS history and existing theology/doctrines.

The conversation around feminism within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has intensified over the past few decades. Many women in the Church have expressed a desire for greater recognition of their divine role, increased participation in sacred ordinances, and acknowledgment of the equal partnership between men and women within the Church structure. While the church has made strides, they are often seen as insufficient by feminists within the LDS faith, even leading to a decline in membership - particularly amongst those who are more progressively left leaning. Here I propose reforms aimed at resolving these tensions that lie in returning to early LDS practices and theological understandings—particularly regarding Heavenly Mother, the roles of women in blessing ordinances, and the original vision of the Relief Society. These reforms have roots in the earliest revelations and practices of Joseph Smith’s Restoration (particularly given that the current President of the Church has stated that the restoration is ongoing) and could bring much-needed spiritual and doctrinal fulfillment to many LDS women today.