Chelsea Shields
Religious Reform Advocate | Working for Progressive Change Within Traditional Faith Communities
About
Chelsea Shields advocates for progressive change within traditional religious institutions, drawing from her personal experience navigating reform efforts inside established church structures. Her TED 2015 talk "How I'm working for change inside my church" highlighted her approach to creating meaningful transformation from within faith communities rather than abandoning them entirely.
Shields brings a unique perspective to discussions about institutional change, religious reform, and the challenges faced by progressive voices within conservative organizations. Her work demonstrates how individuals can maintain their faith while pushing for more inclusive and equitable practices within their religious communities.
Through her speaking and advocacy, she addresses the complex dynamics of working as a change agent within resistant institutional frameworks, offering insights for others seeking to reform organizations from the inside.
Talks1
How I'm working for change inside my church
How do we respect someone's religious beliefs, while also holding religion accountable for the damage those beliefs may cause? Chelsea Shields has a bold answer to this question. She was raised in the orthodox Mormon tradition, and she spent the early part of her life watching women be excluded from positions of importance within the LDS Church. Now, this anthropologist, activist and TED Fellow is working to reform her church's institutionalized gender inequality. "Religions can liberate or subjugate, they can empower or exploit, they can comfort or destroy," she says. "What is taught on the Sabbath leaks into our politics, our health policy, violence around the world."
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