Maxine Hanks discusses mormon feminism, excommunication, and finding her way back to the LDS church
“I’m a feminist theologian who was excommunicated and I’d been a Gnostic Christian for 15 years. I didn’t know where to start. We let Christ, the living bridge be the bridge between us. We didn’t presume to come from our own perspectives. You know, I was saying things like. “Well, you know, I was excommunicated. Do we need to go back and revisit all of that?” And they said, “No, no. All we care about is your relationship with Christ. Tell us about your faith and your relationship with Christ and with God.” And so I did and we just turned it over to God and prayed and then it was beautiful. This is what’s hard for a lot of my friends and a lot of feminists to understand. Like, was I recapitulating? Was I surrendering? Was I giving up my feminism? No. They never asked me to recant or give up anything. We were exploring a new relationship between feminists and church leaders. I saw them as my brothers. They were like pillars. They were so loving and so kind, and it was just utterly healing.” 00:00 Excommunicated over Women’s Studies 04:39 Maxine’s Historical and Theological Journey 15:00 Excommunication and Its Impact 20:26 Exploring Other Faiths and Gnostic Christianity 32:10 Divine Feminine in LDS Doctrine 35:03 Returning to the Church 38:09 Feminism and Healing 46:58 Experiencing the Body of Christ Latter day MatchMaker Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% offhttps://serveclothing.com/memor jewelry – 10% Discount code: COMEBACKhttps://memorjewelry.com/ Serve Clothing code COMEBACK for 15% off https://serveclothing.com/ If you have a story to share please contact ashly.comebackpodcast@gmail.com For inquiries contact info.comebackpodcast@gmail.com Come Back Team: Director, Founder, & Host: Ashly Stone Editor: Cara Reed Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Assistant Editor: Michelle Berger Assistant Editor: Britt Smallze Art Director: Jeremy Garcia Production Director: Trent Wardwell
Aubrey’s postpartum depression was so severe she felt she was losing everything she loved, then Christ came and lifted her back up.
“I felt so confused. I would listen to something that was negative and then I’d listen to something that was positive for the church. And it felt like I couldn’t be in the right mindset to fully grasp what they were talking about. So I needed to just turn it all off and go directly to the scriptures and Heavenly Father. That is where I found absolute truth, it was in the source. Even this conversation, this can be a beautiful spiritual conversation you and I have, but if someone is actually just questioning and none of this is helpful to hear, then turn me off, turn my voice off and go directly to Heavenly Father and talk to Him. He is our truth, He knows the truth of everything. So instead of trying to seek for truth here or there, I would just turn it off and go directly to Him.” https://www.aubreygrossen.com/ Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
Maxine, a historian and theologian, was excommunicated after publishing a book about early Mormon feminism. After years of studying other religions she was rebaptized into the LDS church.
“I had been serving in a private chapel for 13 years and when I came back into the ward and sat there and felt the Spirit of the body of Christ in that ward I just started sobbing. I couldn’t stop crying. It felt like I was immersed in an ocean of love and light because the body of Christ is so alive in Mormonism and in Sacrament Meeting.” Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
Kenna grew up in the LDS church and experienced abuse from priesthood holders. This led to trauma that drew her away from the church, until she began to see God’s hand guiding her back.
“Loving people that are different from us is what it’s about. We are not here to perfect anyone else. We are here to become perfected in Christ and learn of Him, and feel His love, and one of the best ways that I have felt His love and continue to feel His love is by loving other people.” Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
How wrestling with questions helped Lindsi strengthen her relationship with her Savior, Jesus Christ.
“It was as if I was sitting in this mist of darkness and it was like He lifted me up. I saw myself lifted out of this dark cloud and I was up above in the sky and could see the light. I was given a whole new view, all the sudden He was teaching me and He was showing me how He loved me. All the things that I had struggled with I was finally seeing through God’s eyes.” – Recommended: Books: –Women in Eternity, Women in Zion, by Alma Don Sorensen and Valerie M. Hudson –Worth the Wrestle, by Sheri Dew YouTube video and article: –“The Mission and Role of Eve,” by Jodi Stoddard https://www.signsandprophecies.com/post/jodi-stoddard-the-role-mission-ofeve#:~:text=This%20is%20Sis.%20Stoddard’s%20presentation,Saints%20on%20Zoom%20presentation%20weekend! – Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
Bruce and Marie Hafen discuss overcoming faith challenges, Neal A. Maxwell, and their organization Faith is Not Blind – November Book Club
“The witness more powerful than sight applies especially to the roles of actual, demanding experience and developing a witness that one knows the Savior. It’s one thing to know about Him, or even to see Him, but quite another to know Him. And that higher degree of knowing usually comes after complexity – often it comes because of the complexity.” — Recommended: Books by the Hafens: –Faith is Not Blind -The Broken Heart -Covenant Hearts -The Contrite Spirit -A Disciple’s Life, The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell -Meek and Lowly, by Neal A. Maxwell website: faithisnotblind.org — Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia
Brooke’s family left the church when the beliefs of a fringe group appeal to their own ideas. Brooke came back and was soon faced with unresolved questions. Her enlightening story back
“The church is alive, it is a living gospel. The way to know the difference between a live houseplant and a fake houseplant is that the real one has brown spots and dead leaves. There’s going to be imperfections in anything that is alive and growing and living. It’s just a fact of life. We are all human and make mistakes. The church is a living organism.” — Recommended: Article: “I’m a Mormon Because I’m a Feminist,” by Valerie Hudson https://latterdaysaintmag.com/article-1-12563/ — Come Back Team: Director, Founder & Host: Ashly Stone Producer and Senior Editor: Lauren Rose Outreach Manager: Jenna Carlson Editor: Michelle Berger Art Director: Jeremy Garcia