Eliza Wells

This chapter argues that Mormon theology has distinctive internal resources for feminist philosophy. Among Christian movements, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the broader Mormon tradition have unusual views about the nature of God. Not only is God physically embodied and engaged in relationships with other Gods, but Godhood is also a status towards which each person aims. The chapter argues that taking these ideas seriously points towards a relational model of moral agency—one that is friendlier to contemporary feminism than to traditional Western thought. Using these resources, we can identify and further develop feminist commitments within Mormon epistemology and ethics. For philosophers of religion, this project demonstrates the rich possibilities of engaging some of the more unusual aspects of Mormon theology with analytic philosophy. Additionally, it sets Mormonism up as a potentially surprising ally to feminist philosophers. Finally, a relational, embodied Mormon theology has internal resources, and a mandate, to alter existing gendered practices in the LDS Church.