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Mormonism and racial issues/Blacks and the priesthood/Ban
< Mormonism and racial issues | Blacks and the priesthood
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The priesthood ban
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- The origin of the Mormon priesthood ban
- The nature of the Mormon priesthood ban
- Understanding pre-1978 statements by members and leaders of the Church regarding the priesthood ban
- Lifting the Priesthood ban
- Social pressure and the lifting of the Mormon priesthood ban
- Statements made by Church leaders regarding the priesthood ban
The origin of the Mormon priesthood ban
Summary: The origin of the priesthood ban is one of the most difficult questions to answer. Its origins are not clear, and this affected both how members and leaders have seen the ban, and the steps necessary to rescind it.
Jump to Subtopic:
- Gospel Topics: "During the first two decades of the Church’s existence, a few black men were ordained to the priesthood"
- Question: What is the Mormon "priesthood ban" that was lifted in 1978?
- Question: What do we know about the origin of the priesthood ban on Church members of African descent?
- Question: Did Joseph Smith confer the priesthood on several black men?
- Question: Why did Brigham Young initiate the priesthood ban?
The nature of the Mormon priesthood ban
Jump to Subtopic:
- Question: Was the Mormon priesthood ban simply a policy or was it doctrine?
- Question: Did Joseph Fielding Smith make derogatory racial comments in the 22 October 1963 issue of Look magazine?
- Question: Were blacks denied access to Mormon temple open houses?
Understanding pre-1978 statements by members and leaders of the Church regarding the priesthood ban
Summary: Past General Authorities made statements regarding the priesthood ban that are considered quite racist by today's standards. The Church has "disavowed" the theories advanced in the past by these leaders, and while specific leaders' statements have not been officially individually renounced, there is no obligation for current members to accept such sentiments as the "word of the Lord" for our time: They most certainly do not reflect the Church's current position and teachings.
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- Gordon B. Hinckley: "I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ"
- Bruce R. McConkie: "Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham Young or President George Q. Cannon or whomsoever has said in days past that is contrary to the present revelation"
- Question: How have modern Church leaders reacted to the speculations of the past regarding the reason for the priesthood ban?
- Question: How is it possible for a Church leader or prophet to have been influenced by racism, yet be consistent with the Lord not allowing prophets to lead the Church astray?
- Question: What did Church leaders after Brigham Young think of the priesthood ban?
Lifting the Priesthood ban
Jump to Subtopic:
- Gospel Topics: "Church leaders pondered promises made by prophets such as Brigham Young that black members would one day receive priesthood and temple blessings"
- Question: How does the revelatory process work in the case of something like the lifting of the priesthood ban?
- Question: What social and cultural obstacles stood in the way of ending the priesthood ban?
- Question: What circumstances preceded the 1978 revelation which ended the priesthood ban?
- Question: Were there witnesses to the revelation that ended the priesthood ban?
- Question: What testimonies were offered regarding the revelation that ended the priesthood ban?
Social pressure and the lifting of the Mormon priesthood ban
Jump to Subtopic:
- Question: Was the priesthood ban lifted as the result of social or government pressure?
- Question: Did President Jimmy Carter threaten the Church's tax-exempt status because of their policy on blacks and the priesthood?
- Gospel Topics: "Church authorities encountered faithful black and mixed-ancestry Mormons who had contributed financially and in other ways to the building of the São Paulo temple, a sanctuary they realized they would not be allowed to enter"
Statements made by Church leaders regarding the priesthood ban
Summary: A compilation of statements made by Church leaders both before and after the rescinding of the priesthood ban in 1978.