Women as Revelators: Dialogue Gospel Study with Maxine Hanks

Maxine Hanks looks how women have of accessed the power of God through both a scriptural and historical lens in this Dialogue Gospel Study. 

In Oct. 2019, LDS Church President Nelson urged women to study D&C 25 because “accessing the power of God…requires the same things that the Lord instructed Emma.” He promised, “your understanding increases…[of] priesthood power…and your ability to draw upon this… will increase.” How does Sec. 25 relate to the power of God and priesthood power? Was Emma ordained? If so, to what authority? How do Sec. 24, 25, 26 function as an historical triptych? Do Sec 27 and 28 also relate to Sec. 25?

Maxine Hanks is an historian and theologian whose work focuses on gender in Religion and Mormonism, particularly women’s history, ministry, authority, liturgy, and feminist theology. She lectured in women’s studies at the U. of U. for ten years, 1988-98, co-teaching the first course on Mormon Women’s Studies, and developed web resources on women’s work in Mormon culture for BYU. She served in sacramental and interfaith ministry for 15 years, before returning to the LDS Church in 2012 where she serves as Gospel Doctrine teacher in her Salt Lake City ward.