Women and Mormonism - Women in Early Mormonism

Women in Early Mormonism

For its time, early Mormonism had a relatively liberating stance toward women. Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, lived in and abided by a male-centered world; most of the early founding events of Mormonism involved only men. However, a number of women had significant supporting roles; for example, Smith's wife Emma Hale Smith served as a scribe in the translation of the Book of Mormon, and later as head of the Relief Society, originally a self-governing women's organization within the church, which is one of the oldest women's organizations in the world.

In addition, early Mormon doctrine was comparatively women-friendly. Notably, early Mormonism rejected the Augustinian doctrine of original sin, which held that humanity inherits the sin of Adam and Eve in which they ate the forbidden fruit. This sin was historically blamed on Eve, and was thought to be the source of women's submissive and dependent state. Mormonism still rejects the doctrine of original sin. The second Article of Faith states "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression."

Other issues included the beginning of plural marriage, the gifts of the spirit as exercised by women, speaking in tongues, performing ordinances in the temple, and blessings of women by women (Hanks, 1992). For example, while en route to the Salt Lake Valley, the diary of a midwife named Patty Bartlett Sessions describes women giving each other blessings:

"...we had a feast in the afternoon at sister Millers...there we blessed and got blessed & I blesed sister Christeen by laying my hands upon her head and the Lord spoke through me to her great and marvelous things."

This is of particular interest because the act of giving blessings "by laying on of hands" can only be performed by men.

Women participated in the Anointed Quorum and founded the Relief Society, among other projects in the early Church.