Priesthood
Baptist Church Problems with Race
Mormons have long had a problem with race regarding the ban that resulted in blacks being denied priesthood and temple blessings until 1978. Mormons aren’t the only ones with racial problems though. According to Wikipedia, In May 1845, the Baptist congregations in the United States split over slavery and missions. The Home Mission Society prevented slaveholders from […]
Gays & the 2nd Article of Faith
There was an interview released last week where Paul Reeve admitted being the source behind the Race & Priesthood essay at LDS.org. While I think that was a nice scoop, there was another part of that interview that I think is very important and may have gotten lost in the headline. I have been very vocal […]
Awesome Interviews for #BlackHistoryMonth
As many of you know, one of my favorite topics has been the priesthood and temple ban on black church members. There’s a new podcast called Gospel Tangents I want to HIGHLY recommend. Here are some of my favorite quotes so far in interviews with Dr. Paul Reeve, a history professor at the University of […]
Joseph Freeman: In the Lord’s Due Time
A friend asked that a read a book about the first black man ordained to the LDS Priesthood after the 1978 revelation: Joseph Freeman. (I’ve documented about 6 black men who were ordained in the 1830s and 1840s, as well as a few others who avoided the restriction despite the ban.) The book was […]
MHA 2016
I really enjoyed the Mormon History Association meetings at Snowbird, Utah this weekend. I can’t tell you how much fun these meetings are for me. The thing I hate most is when there are 2 sessions at teh same time that I want to attend. It can be difficult to choose at times, but I […]
Comparing 1978 to 1985
Continuing with the theme of Black History Month, I thought I’d reflect on changes in the past 30 or so years. In 1978, the LDS Church announced the lifting of priesthood restrictions. In 1985, the RLDS Church (now known as the Community of Christ) announced the lifting of priesthood restrictions on women. Not a single […]
Bednar: “Priesthood is not Male”
Elder and Sister Bednar recently addressed temple workers in Utah County. I received some notes from the address in which Elder Bednar talked about keys of the priesthood. I was told he spoke quickly, and often said “put your seatbelts on.” These notes are from someone trying to write as fast as possible, and some […]
White Dudes Talk about Race
I attended Black, White, and Mormon, “A CONFERENCE on the EVOLVING STATUS of BLACK SAINTS WITHIN the MORMON FOLD” at the University of Utah a few days ago. I took a lot of notes from the speakers, and had planned to give an overview. Lester Bush gave an outstanding speech Thursday evening. I should have started with his […]
MHA 2015 in Review
The Annual Mormon History Association meetings came to Provo last night. Last year it was in San Antonio, and next year it will be at Snowbird Resort in Utah. Sometimes I like it better when it’s out of town, because I can attend all the sessions. When I’m home, there’s just too much going on, […]
Mormon Heretic 