{"id":179465,"date":"2025-09-30T06:22:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T06:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/179465\/"},"modified":"2025-09-30T06:22:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T06:22:09","slug":"dallin-oaks-is-poised-to-lead-the-mormon-church-in-turbulent-and-increasingly-violent-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/179465\/","title":{"rendered":"Dallin Oaks is poised to lead the Mormon Church in turbulent and increasingly violent times"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 28 September, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints \u2014 more commonly known as the Mormon Church \u2014 announced the death<\/a> of its president or \u201cprophet\u201d, Russell M. Nelson (1924\u20132025). Unlike many other religious organisations, the church\u2019s hierarchical structure<\/a> ensures that a prophet will always have a successor: there is no voting and there are no debates over who will lead the organisation. Consequently, the new president will almost certainly be the senior apostle, Dallin H. Oaks.<\/p>\n

Oaks is 93 years old and has been an Apostle for the Church<\/a> since 1984. Prior to his call<\/a>, Oaks was educated as a lawyer. He worked as a legal academic, served as President of Brigham Young University<\/a> (BYU) and finally was a Utah Supreme Court judge. According to the Salt Lake Tribune<\/a>, Oaks\u2019s professional and religious career was underpinned by \u201chis relentless focus on the twin issues of freedom of religion and opposition to same-sex marriage\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

President Russell M. Nelson (centre), First Counselor Dallin H. Oaks (left) and Second Counselor Henry B. Eyring (right), of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, answer question from the press after Nelson was announced as the seventeenth president of the Mormon Church on 16 January 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

It was during his tenure as president of BYU that the university engaged with so-called \u201caversion therapy\u201d in order to \u201ccure\u201d homosexuality<\/a>. This was where electro-shocks were delivered on various places on the person\u2019s body, including genitals \u2014 though Oaks reportedly denies<\/a> that this practice was ever used.<\/p>\n

Even so, the Mormon Church\u2019s strict stance against homosexuality, transgender and non-binary individuals has been articulated by Oaks himself at various times. In a 1995 article published in The Ensign<\/a>, the church\u2019s official magazine, Oaks makes a distinction between homosexual thought and homosexual behaviour, declaring that it is the latter in which serious sin exists. With respect to how to deal with LGBTQI+ Mormons, he writes<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Persons cannot continue to engage in serious sin and remain members of the Church. And discipline can be given for encouraging sin by others. There is no Church discipline for improper thoughts or feelings (though there is encouragement to improve them), but there are consequences for behavior \u2026<\/p>\n

Consequently, if transgressors do not respond to calls to repentance, the shepherds of the Church flock must take disciplinary action in fulfillment of their God-given responsibilities.<\/p>\n

At the same time, we should always distinguish between sinful acts and inappropriate feelings or potentially dangerous susceptibilities. We should reach out lovingly to those who are struggling to resist temptation.<\/p>\n

This distinction has continued to dictate official Mormon doctrine towards the LGBTQI+ community, especially those who also identify as Latter-day Saints. Similar pronouncements by Oaks have been made throughout his time as an apostle, including in 2006 when he postulated<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Over past years we have seen unrelenting pressure from advocates of that lifestyle to accept as normal what is not normal, and to characterize those who disagree as narrow-minded, bigoted and unreasonable. Such advocates are quick to demand freedom of speech and thought for themselves, but equally quick to criticize those with a different view and, if possible, to silence them by applying labels like \u201chomophobic\u201d \u2026<\/p>\n

Given these trends, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must take a stand on doctrine and principle. This is more than a social issue \u2014 ultimately it may be a test of our most basic religious freedoms to teach what we know our Father in Heaven wants us to teach.<\/p>\n

The church\u2019s strong stance against homosexuality accelerated in the 2010s, when it announced that Mormons in same-sex relationships were \u201capostates\u201d<\/a> and that it would not baptise the children of homosexual couples. Though this was supposedly under the guise of protecting these people from having to choose between their faith and their family, it came under intense scrutiny from LGBTQI+ advocates and communities. This policy was done away with in 2019 under President Russell Nelson<\/a>, and the church has since made concessions to be more inclusive towards its LGBTQI+ members.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is therefore noteworthy that, moments before the shooting of Charlie Kirk, while he was speaking to a largely Mormon crowd at the Utah Valley University, the conservative political activist told those in attendance<\/a> \u201cyou\u2019ve got to get your mojo back \u2026 No more of this LGBT stuff\u201d. The crowd reportedly<\/a> \u201croared in response\u201d.<\/p>\n

It is unclear whether under Oaks\u2019s leadership, with his well-documented pronouncements against same-sex attraction, the church could again lurch towards increased hostility.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A truck rammed through the front doors of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan. (Photograph by Lukas Katilius \/ AP \/ The Flint Journal)<\/p>\n

Before his passing, President Nelson called for increased tolerance in the face of political, religious and cultural difference. On 5 September 2025, he published an article in Time magazine<\/a> in which he emphasised that \u201cwe all deserve dignity and respect\u201d. Following the revelation that Charlie Kirk\u2019s accused killer had been raised as a Mormon<\/a>, church leaders have amplified Nelson\u2019s calls to be \u201cpeacemakers\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It is chilling, then, that on the same day Nelson\u2019s death was announced, an ex-Marine reportedly rammed his car into a Mormon church<\/a> in Grand Blanc, Michigan, where hundreds of men, women and children were worshipping. Sanford then reportedly set the church on fire and shot at the congregation, killing at least four and injuring many others. The motive of the attack remains still unclear, but the church has released a statement that included a condemnation of violence, particularly directed at sacred sites<\/a>:<\/p>\n

In moments of sorrow and uncertainty, we find strength and comfort through our faith in Jesus Christ. Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.<\/p>\n

Unless he passes away before his official confirmation in November at the church\u2019s biannual conference, Dallin Oaks will lead the Mormon Church through into treacherous terrain scarred by political violence, polarising rhetoric and deep cultural divisions. It is unsure whether Oaks\u2019s past strident advocacy against homosexuality will occasion yet another shift in the church\u2019s rhetoric on same-sex attraction and non-binary individuals. It is also unclear whether his predecessor\u2019s call to be \u201cpeacemakers\u201d will continue to be amplified following violence both committed against and by Mormons.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This uncertain ground will become important for Latter-day Saints, both within the United States and globally, as their religion becomes the focus of tragic violent events. As a religious minority, the Mormon Church has faced particular scrutiny during the past decade over wealth<\/a>, property development<\/a>, its management of child sexual abuse<\/a>, rhetoric related to sexual and gender minorities and its connections with violence.<\/p>\n

Dallin Oaks\u2019s actions as expected \u201cprophet, seer, and revelator\u201d<\/a> will be paramount in how the church reacts and responds to these new challenges as a global faith community.<\/p>\n

Brenton Griffin<\/a> completed his PhD on the representations and reception of Mormonism in Australia and New Zealand, from the 1840s to the present. He was raised as a Mormon but is no longer connected to the church.\u202fHe is a casual lecturer and tutor at Flinders University in Australian history, Indigenous studies and politics.<\/p>\n

Posted\u00a04h ago4 hours agoTue 30 Sep 2025 at 1:29am, updated\u00a04h ago4 hours agoTue 30 Sep 2025 at 1:47am<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On 28 September, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints \u2014 more commonly known as the Mormon…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":179466,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[49,48,361,75],"class_list":{"0":"post-179465","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-celebrities","11":"tag-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179465\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}