Navigating Racial Policies in Church Leadership

Some people see a connection between the Church’s past restrictive policy towared blacks in the Church and the Church’s current restrictive policy toward gays in the Church—specifically prohibiting gay temple marriage. In what ways are these two issues similar and in what ways are they different? How can church members reconcile (a) the teaching that the prophet / president won't ever lead the church astray with (b) the fact that church presidents for over a century taught false doctrine about blacks? How might the scriptural basis of the Lamanites being cursed with a “skin of blackness” (2 Ne 5:21) have influenced early church leaders’ thoughts on justifying the initial priesthood and temple restrictions? And what should we make of that curse anyway? Why didn't God clearly communicate earlier to his prophets that it was His will that ALL His children would receive the blessings of the priesthood and the temple?

In this episode of Church History Matters, we dive into all of these questions and more with Dr. Paul Reeve, as scholar on race in Latter-day Saint history.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/