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Mormon Stories Podcast

Church Educators Fired for Opposing Mormon Racism | Ep. 1923

Jul 31, 2024
Dive into the struggles of church educators who opposed historical racial policies in Mormonism. Discover the clash between free-thinking scholars and conservative leaders that led to firings and excommunications. Explore how figures like David O. McKay defended intellectual freedom during a time of civil rights upheaval. Delve into the tensions at BYU between faith and academic pursuits, and witness the church's grappling with evolving racial doctrines amid societal change. Uncover the legacy of race and doctrine within this transformative era.
02:42:20

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The 1950s and 60s saw the rise of dissent among church educators, leading to conflicts over the church's restrictive racial policies.
  • Figures like Sterling McMurren and Lowell Benion emerged as critical voices, advocating for a reevaluation of the priesthood ban affecting Black members.

Deep dives

Dissent Among Church Educators

During the period from the 1940s to the 1970s, many church educators within the Mormon Church began to voice dissent against the church's restrictive racial policies, particularly the priesthood ban affecting Black members. Notable figures like Sterling McMurren, Lowell Benion, and T. Edgar Lyon emerged as outspoken critics, expressing their concerns about the morality and scriptural basis of the ban. Their efforts shed light on the complex relationship between church doctrine and the evolving perspectives on race, ultimately leading to a crisis within the church's leadership about how to manage dissenting voices. This movement marked a significant moment in the struggle for racial equality within the church as educators sought to reconcile their faith with their moral standpoints.

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