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Barbara Morgan Gardner is an associate professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University, and the author of The Priesthood Power of Women. Her research interests focus primarily on women in religious leadership, international education, and religious pedagogy. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and foundations and a PhD in instructional psychology, and did post-doctoral work at Harvard University.
Barbara was institute director in Boston, Massachusetts, serving more than 100 universities and colleges in the area and acting as chaplain at Harvard and MIT. She continues to serve as the chaplain-at-large in higher education for The Church, and on the BYU Interfaith Outreach Council. She and her husband, Dustin Gardner, live in Highland, Utah. 
Highlights
05:40 – Why was the book written: to help women and understand what priesthood is
09:25 – Barbara realized that many members and leaders didn’t separate the hierarchical structure of the priesthood and the patriarchal structure of the priesthood. She wanted to help women to understand the prophet has been asking us to learn more about the priesthood.
10:00 – Barbara became more frustrated with women who are not interested in learning about the priesthood than those who are and who may even be unhappy.
11:45 – Is this information on the priesthood power of women new, or would someone historical like David O.McKay be aware of it?
13:00 – Are we shoehorning this doctrine into today’s culture because more women are asking questions?
14:45 – Russell M. Nelson has been asking women to study and know this doctrine.
16:50 – What is the difference between the hierarchical and patriarchal structure of the priesthood?
19:10 – Why don’t we talk about the patriarchal structure of the priesthood?
21:05 – Elder and Sister Renlund’s notions of Big Earth and Little Earth priesthood ties in
23:40 – What are priesthood keys and who holds priesthood keys?
28:50 – How are keys different relating to the hierarchical and patriarchal priesthoods? Who is “in charge” in a family? What does presiding mean in a family vs the church structure? Who has keys in a temple? In a mission?
38:55 – What does it mean that keys will be revealed?
39:20 – General priesthood keys vs keys of presiding
41:15 – What priesthood keys do women have?
43:10 – What can a key holder do in a ward to highlight and enable the priesthood power and authority of women?
48:20 – List of questions that are found in the book
49:30 – Who outranks whom when men and women have disagreements at church?
50:35 – Someone has to preside, right?
53:00 – One way priesthood holders diminish authority of women in their homes
55:00 – How can we better understand and improve the revelatory process of submitting names for callings? 1:02:10 – Women of this time have been prophesied about
1:03:00 – It’s never a competition. Men can do more in partnership with women to save souls than they could alone.
Links
The Priesthood Power of Women: In the Temple, Church, and Family, by Barbara Morgan Gardner
I’m reading Barbara Morgan Gardner’s book, and although I don’t expect to agree with everything she (or anyone, for that matter) writes, it is excellent.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the topic of priesthood keys, and I think she nailed it, regarding how we use the term in the Church versus how we should use the term.
From Barbara Morgan Gardner’s book, chp. 2: “The keys that are typically referred to in the Church – in the most common use of the term – would be better titled priesthood keys of presidency.”
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only problem is, they are not referred to in this way. As far as I can tell, no one refers to them this way. So we’re kind of stuck in doctrinal limbo, where what is taught is not quite right. But I agree 100% with Barbara Morgan Gardner. If those-who-have-authority-to-expound-doctrine would clarify (they should just quote Barbara – she said it well), it would go far to clear up confusion surrounding the concept of priesthood keys.
Relating to what Barbara said about a man presiding over his family and that he should counsel with his wife in making decisions and not just decide by himself and “pull rank”. So what is the difference between that and a father saying that his wife and kids can’t be baptized into the church? It seems he would be using his patriarchal presiding power in this case. Any thoughts??
Jackie, I think that situation is where the Church shows respect for cultural tradition which grants men that sort of authority in their families. As Barbara says here and in her book, he does not have priesthood power outranking his wife (assuming he has been ordained). He is simply “pulling rank” and the Church nods to that cultural tradition because to do otherwise could potentially leave those family members in a precarious cultural position in their own homes. It would be fantastic if the culture evolved to the point where this policy/tradition could also change, but it has not happened yet.
Would the “Enabling Power of the Atonement” be comparable to “Priesthood Power”, or would “Priesthood Power” be more encompassing because only endowed members receive it in the Temple?