Women and the Priesthood-- Dr. Valerie Hudson
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Dr. Valerie Hudson joined the faculty of Texas A&M University at the Bush School in 2012 as the George Bush Chair. She is considered an expert on international security and foreign policy analysis, she received her PhD in political science at The Ohio State University. Prior to going to Texas A&M she taught at Brigham Young University. In 2009, Foreign Policy named her one of the top 100 Most Influential Global Thinkers. Dr. Hudson developed a nation-by-nation database on women (womanstats.org) that triggered both academic and policy interest including use by both the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee and various agencies of the United Nations. Her research and teaching experience is also complemented by three major teaching awards and numerous research awards. She is a founding editorial board member of Foreign Policy Analysis, and also serves on the editorial boards of Politics and Gender and International Studies Review. More information can be found on her website, vmrhudson.org. She comes to us today under the nome de plume V.H. Cassler to discuss her article in the 7th Volume of the online journal SqaureTwo found at SquareTwo.org. Welcome VH! Some of the questions Valerie Hudson answers are: Valerie Hudson’s article is a sort of time capsule or cultural snapshot of the current discourse in the LDS world about the roles of women, women in the priesthood, ordain women, etc. Valerie is a self proclaimed feminist which is a designation that has become a very vague concept in some respects. There are different waves of feminism, there are different implications on what being a feminist implies. Valerie says she is a Mormon BECAUSE is a feminist. How can one define themself as a feminist and how does that dovetail with Mormonism. A brief introduction as to what that Journal is and what people can expect to find there. In her book- Women in Eternity, Women in Zion she explore the idea of separating doctrine from culturally accepted precepts. This theme is also addressed in your article in SquareTwo. The article is entitled Zion in Her Beauty Rises: Current Discourse on Women and the Priesthood by Ballard, Dew, and Oaks. To start out you address some of the previously held cultural approaches to the discourse on the role of women in Mormon Culture and doctrine. What are some of those past cultural positions that were held by some? There is a change in the discourse since the 21st century began on the issues of women in the church. General Authorities seem to be more assertive with the doctrines of gender equality. Valerie’s article focuses on recent statements from Elder M. Russell Ballard, Sheri Dew, and Elder Dallin H. Oaks. She gives a brief synopsis of each of these statements. There have been other statements on this issue, so why these three sources, why not just one? There is a temptation when it comes to issues such as gender and where there seems to be some changes in the way things are either viewed and/or operate, to make a chicken and egg kind of argument. That is to give the distinction that the change came because of the protest or pressure of men and women, vs. divine authority. What merit is there in even considering the source of the change? Does it matter? Can’t divine authority be given based on the petition of God’s children? Valerie Hudson concludes with a beautiful and intriguing statement, “I agree with [Sheri] Dew when she predicts that, “the kingdom of God will change overnight” for the better when we move to higher ground on these questions.” The questions here being those surrounding gender roles and doctrines in the LDS Church. Valerie elaborates further on how this is the case? Valerie Hudson, or V.H. Cassler, is the author of a the article Zion in Her Beauty Rises:Current Discourse on Women and the Priesthood by Ballard, Dew, and Oaks that can be found in Vol. 7 of the online Journal SqaureTwo found at SquareTwo.org
When Dr. Hudson was talking about the common notions of husbands being over their wives, I made a connection to an idea in psychology having to do with hierarchies. All sorts of hierarchies manifest themselves and they are programmed into our biology. There are innumerable competence hierarchies as well as dominance and power hierarchies. These are bound to manifest themselves in home and family. I think this is yet another example of the natural man being at odds with the principles of Godliness. To become celestial beings as a divine pair, we will need to learn to put aside the innate tendency toward dominance to become truly equal. Note that dominance isn’t always men over women. Harvey Milktoast can attest to that.
In mortality I think we are stuck with the competence hierarchies. We all have different strengths and weaknesses and part of the challenge of marriage is recognizing our respective competencies and melding them into a better whole and not letting competition with our spouse devolve into conflict. Someday when we are perfected and have attained all knowledge even the competence hierarchies will disappear.
Such an excellent comment.
Prof Hudson is amazing!
I have said that each-male and female-are given Priesthood power when they receive their individual endowment. However, when a righteous man and women are sealed together their Priesthood Power grows exponentially.
Please make a list of all the Christian churches which have ordained women and A. whose numbers are not crashing and B. who do not support same-sex marriage or C. who have not been further split and divided because of that issue.
Perhaps such will come to this church someday when enough of the old ways of thinking have died off-like the older generation had to die before the Israelites could enter the promised land, and many generations had to pass away before the priesthood ban could be lifted. Members will continue to be weeded out as the restoration continues. No doubt some will walk if/when the priesthood ban is lifted for women where it’s so needed in areas where branches can’t even be organized because there are only women. If men can’t get on board with the Savior’s Plan of Happiness He will be patient only so long and then move His work forward without them. I think Pres. Nelson is preparing the church for female ordination by all the recent talks regarding endowed women already having priesthood power via temple ordinance. Perhaps this is one of the reasons he admonished us to “buckle up” for all the changes coming. How I hope and pray that if that happens the egos of the brethren will not overpower their faith and devotion. Even some sisters will be shaken. I pray I will know by the spirit that it is the will of the Lord and stand strong, come what may.
Epic !
Wrong interview this is Valerie Hudson not Kathryn Skaggs
"I think no more of taking another wife than I do of buying a cow." - Apostle Heber C. Kimball, The Twenty Seventh Wife, Irving Wallace, p. 101.
Hello, I'm a Spanish native speaker, I couldn't translate it right. What does it means exactly?
@@lauramccann18 In short he put equal value on cows and women.
Anyone who feels women need the priesthood does not respect, value nor understand motherhood enough.
ever heard of the patriarchal order. you need to do some more learning? covenant women already have it
I disagree. All worthy men are ordained whether or not they are married or have any children. But a great many women in the church never marry and will have no children in this life. Then, there are married women who never have children, many of whom spend fortunes in fertility clinics to no avail. And there are some, like Sister Nelson, who do not marry until they are past menopause and will have no children. So the concept that motherhood is a woman’s priesthood falls 100% short for all these worthy sisters. Further, men hold priesthood office and are fathers, so mothers could also be mothers and hold priesthood office. Both women and men can successfully serve with honor in dual roles. Perhaps when Pres. Nelson admonished us to “buckle up” for the hastening of revelation in days to come he was, in part, trying to prepare us for women to be ordained. I fear it will weed out more members who can’t accept it by thinking he is caving to worldly pressures. I pray all will remain strong. But I also believe it might draw many more converts as the gathering of Israel hastens onward. Only time will tell.
@@ggrace1133 It has nothing to do with motherhood it is for all women who have been endowed.
@@icecreamladydriver1606 very true. Hopefully someday holding priesthood offices will be added to what we already have. Or at least being able to help our husbands give blessings, or give bless to our ministering sisters like they did in Joseph’s time.
Dr. Hudson was vague at best. Strange to talk about the backwards notion of hierarchy when the church is very orderly with its chain of command. Sadly, I feel a true interview would have to spend twice the amount of time to explain her definition of words. Until that happens, I am at a lost to understand exactly what she means.
Egalitarian is probably the best term to explain my views. Her point about the use of the term "feminist" is lacking some common sense to its proposal. To claim feminism is to, by nature, see things within a binary, which I don't see as a problem but one should not claim a name that contradicts one's views.
I am not against feminism per say but the interviewer said it best that feminism is a vague term. I don't blame her for not wanting to throw a term with a rich heritage but terms and labels are only as good as the common perception will allow.