200 - Priesthood & Women During the 20th Century | Church History Matters I Women & Priesthood Series

About this episode

The episode explores the changes in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the mid-20th century, focusing on the correlation movement and its impact on women in leadership roles.

In this episode, hosts Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths and Lisa Tait explore the sweeping changes that reshaped The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the mid-20th century, focusing on the rise of the correlation movement under Harold B. Lee. As the Church experienced rapid global growth, leaders sought to simplify complex programs, unify curriculum, and create a structure that could function across cultures and languages. What began as an effort to streamline administration soon evolved into a broader theological and organizational shift—placing priesthood authority at the center of all Church functions. This transition helped the Church become a truly international faith, but it also redefined leadership dynamics, particularly for women, as long-standing auxiliary organizations were integrated into a more centralized, priesthood-led framework. The discussion highlights both the gains and the losses of this transformation for women in Church leadership. While correlation made programs more adaptable and scalable worldwide, it also reduced women’s institutional autonomy, limiting their control over budgets, publications, and decision-making processes. The episode…

People in this episode

Hosts: Scott Woodward, Casey Griffiths, Lisa Tait

Topics covered

• priesthood
• women in leadership
• Church history
• correlation movement
• organizational change
• global growth
• theological shifts

Keywords

• priesthood authority
• women's autonomy
• Church leadership
• global faith
• administration
• auxiliary organizations
• male headship

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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