Course Overview

Hi, we're the Pritchetts (Kathryn & M.J.) and we developed this course on Women in the LDS Church for the U.C. Berkeley Institute in 2015. It was developed in response to a request from the U.C. Berkeley LDSSA asking for a course on Women in the Church. Because there was no CES curriculum to meet this request, we brainstormed with the students and developed this course. Lessons were divided between LDS women's history and current concerns. We've taught variations of this course in institute and ward settings. Every time, it has been well-attended and received extremely positive reviews. We found that the material engaged members of different genres, ages and faith perspectives. We attribute its success to a real hunger to hear more LDS women's stories, histories and concerns. We hope that you can use the materials on this site to further your own study and perhaps lead a similar course on Women in the LDS Church.

Here is the 15 Week Course outline that we developed for the Institute course:

1.Introduction/Brainstorming “What should a class on Mormon Women include?"

2. How Mormons View Eve and Mary

3. Founding Women - Lucy Mack Smith and Emma Smith

4. Women and Gifts of the Spirit

5. Pioneer Women - Eliza R. Snow and Zina D.H. Young

6. The Suffrage Movement - Emmeline B. Wells

7. Women’s Auxiliaries - Relief Society, YW and Primary

8. Plural Marriage - Ellis Reynolds Shipp and Annie Clark Tanner

9. Mother in Heaven (with stake member Carol Lynn Pearson as guest speaker)

10. Women in Transition - Amy Brown Lyman and Belle Stafford

11. Mormon Women and Second Wave Feminism - Barbara B. Smith and Lived Experience

12. Modern Models - Chieko Okazaki and Sheri Dew

13. Mormon Women at Work

14. Viral Voices - Mormon Women on the Internet (a panel discussion with women who have a presence online and openly identify as Mormon Women—originally titled “From Zelophehad’s Daughters to Mormon Mommy Bloggers”)

15. NEW! Sister Missionaries

16. Final Thoughts/Going Forward

And here is the outline for the subsequent 8 Week Course (+ a final Sunday night fireside) taught as an alternative Sunday School course.

1. How Mormons View the Uber Mothers - Eve, Mary and Mother in Heaven

2. Founding Women - Lucy Mack Smith and Emma Smith

3. Pioneer Women – Eliza R. Snow and Zina D. H. Young + Gifts of the Spirit

4. Mormon Women and the Suffrage Movement - Emmeline B. Wells

5. Women’s Auxiliaries – Relief Society, YW and Primary

6. Plural Marriage - Ellis Reynolds Shipp and Annie Clark Tanner

7. Women in Transition - Amy Brown Lyman and Belle Stafford + Second Wave Feminism

8. Modern Models - Chieko Okazaki and Sheri Dew + Women at Work + Sister Missionaries

9. ViralVoices - Mormon Women on the Internet (Fireside Panel Discussion)

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us.

Biographical Information

Kathryn Loosli Pritchett is a writer living in Oakland, California. A journalist for many years, she recently completed a novel inspired by her 19th century polygamous ancestors and is working on a second novel with LDS themes. She has served as a Relief Society President, Stake Relief Society Counselor and Primary Chorister. M.J. Pritchett is an attorney practicing law in San Francisco, California. He has served as a Bishop, Scoutmaster and Institute Teacher at the U.C. Berkeley Institute of Religion. They love to travel to see their three children, their spouses and the four delightful grandchildren they've brought their way.