My frequent visitors know that I’ve had my share of problems with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon church. But today, it’s not about that, so I will not be linking to any of those articles. Last night, the president of the church, whom the Mormons believe to be a prophet, died at 10:00 p.m. Utah time.
Russell M. Nelson died at the age of 101. The church-owned Deseret News paid a cute tribute to Nelson, who at one point was a well-respected heart surgeon. The headline screamed that he was “a man of heart.” I see what they did there.
Given the church’s line of succession, it is now being led by fourteen men. That’s twelve so-called “apostles” and the two “counselors,” or assistants to the now-deceased president.
The way it works when it’s time to form a new church government is quite simple. When Nelson drew his last breath, his two counselors in what’s called the First Presidency (the three men who govern the church) returned to their former slots as members of The Quorum of The Twelve Apostles. So where is the First Presidency now? There is no presidency, because it’s been dissolved.
The dissolution is why there are temporarily fourteen men. In the coming days or maybe a week, a new president will be chosen, though the church’s own television station, KSL, is presently calling Dallin H. Oaks‘ ascent “likely.” Oaks was one of Nelson’s counselors and he was, on paper, also the president of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles.
True, Oaks formally led the quorum, but he chose an acting president as he could not be in the First Presidency and the quorum at the same time. Thus, an acting president was installed. Jeffrey R. Holland was, until last night, that acting president. He now returns to his former position, which is determined by seniority and not age. The quorum is now led by Oaks. Once Oaks assumes the presidency, Holland will likely take over.
Prior to service to the church, Oaks was a judge for Utah’s Supreme Court. He was also president of Brigham Young University, the church’s educational institution. Just like Nelson, Oaks stupidly gave up a financially beneficial career to serve the church, a faith that offers him a measly monthly stipend that is paid for not out of tithing funds but out of dividends earned as the result of stocks and other investments.
The church’s General Conference is being held next weekend, so I’m guessing that Oaks’ presidency will become formal before then, as long as Nelson’s funeral has been held first. But make no mistake: Oaks is now in charge.
Tradition has long held that the president of the quorum, the one with the longest seniority, will always take over. Given his now former position in the First Presidency, his promotion is more than just likely.
As of the time this article was published, the church’s website has not been updated to reflect the change that sees Oaks in charge of the quorum. According to the website, Nelson is still in charge, which is impossible. How can he lead their church from the morgue? Someone’s asleep at the wheel over there.
I will admit, however, that the church did change its homepage to pay tribute to their fallen leader.
In short order, Oaks will be able to choose two counselors. Though Oaks’ counselors can come from anywhere within the church, the two men will likely come from the quorum, without regard to their seniority, bringing that quorum back to twelve men. An Oaks era will radically change the church.
Oaks is absolutely not an ally for the LGBT crowd and I look forward to seeing what he’ll do with that honorable trait. A lot of Nelson’s changes were appalling and disgusting. Oaks, I predict, will reverse most, if not all of Nelson’s edicts.
Who will Oaks select? My personal prediction is that Henry B. Eyring will come back to the new First Presidency, and perhaps the most arrogant apostle possible, David A. Bednar.
The church was never without leadership and currently has leadership as the church has a game plan, a plan that went into effect with Nelson’s death. Given Oaks’ position, again, he is now running the church. The story goes is that the fourteen men will meet in a temple and reach a unanimous decision as if actual thought goes into choosing a successor.
Not so!
Oaks may as well move into the president’s office because he is the 18th church president. Everything else is a formality that will shortly be resolved. I’m telling you now: it’s already said and done. The rest is a dog and pony show and a matter of paperwork.0
The church is set up this way to ensure that what they believe to be the “keys” of the priesthood never leaves the earth as it did for a long time when they believe Jesus Christ took the priesthood away.
Nelson accomplished a lot as president of the LDS church. Prior to his rise to the highest office in the church, he served in various capacities over the past few decades. As the president, he made unpopular changes. He withdrew the church from the Boy Scouts program after it welcomed LGBT youth. That was, of course, the correct move.
Nelson was also the driving force behind the drive to erase the word “Mormon” from the church, asking the media to refer to the church as Latter-day Saints. He guided the church through the COVID pandemic. He oversaw the change from a three-hour church to a two-hour one.
He dissolved the home teaching and visiting teaching programs and re-configured that into a ministering program. He announced new temples at a very fast clip. The list goes on and on. Suffice it to say that Nelson, the 17th president, had the most impactful tenure in the church’s history.
Look, I have my problems with the church, which is why I became a Catholic and withdrew my LDS membership over a year ago. But today, it isn’t about that. I no longer believe what the Mormons believe, but Nelson was a decent, caring and, quite frankly, loving man. He led their church with strength and compassion. He gave up a lucrative career as one of the most respected heart surgeons to join the quorum in 1984. He took over the presidency in 2018 with the death of Thomas S. Monson.
Members can rest easy knowing that Oaks is now the de facto president. As I said, he’s already in charge so everything else from this point will be pomp and circumstance.
Regardless of what you may believe, Oaks has earned respect, whether you’re a member or not. I did not know about his death until minutes ago when my wife asked me to confirm his death following a text message from a person who goes to her ward (parish).
There were signs of this death in the months prior, so this is no surprise. And, really now, he was 101, making him the oldest church presidency in its history.
As for social media, if I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t have thought that he died. As of the time this article was published, he is not trending on X, though he may have been last night when the news broke.
Today is not a sad day for members as they believe that he is now back with his first wife. How? They teach that once married in the temple, you’re married not just for man’s time, but for God’s time as well. When his second wife turned widow dies, the three of them will live in a spiritually polygamous manner.
Yes, that’s truly what they believe. Crazy, right? But again, right now, it’s not about that. It’s about Nelson, a decent man who ran a false but well-meaning religion. He will be missed.