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 […]

February is Black History Month.  I recently finished Matthew Harris & Newel Bringhurst’s most recent book, The Mormon Church & Blacks:  A Documentary History.  The black priesthood ban has been a pet topic of mine; I have written nearly 60 posts on the topic over the past 8 years.

I finally finished Paul Reeve’s book Religion of a Different Color.  Paul highlights the strange evolution of Mormons, once seen as not white enough, now seen as too white. From page 270, …as late as 2012 the perception persisted in some corners that Mormons were racist and that there were few or no black Mormons.  […]

I am still appalled by the new church policy banning baptisms for children of gays and polygamists until age 18. A distant relative of mine was just released as stake president, and I told him that I feel this new church policy has set the church back 100 years.  That was an understatement; it’s more […]

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 […]

Lester Bush gave the McMurrin Lecture at the University of Utah on Oct 8, 2015.  These are my notes from his lecture.  He discussed the changes over the last 40 years since he wrote his groundbreaking article Mormonism’s Negro Doctrine.  Paul Reeve introduced Bush.  (I tried to make this as readable as possible–some parts may […]

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 […]