Mormon Plan to Disavow Racist Teachings Jeopardized by Publicity
Larry Stammer
Los Angeles Times
May 24, 1998
The president of the Mormon History Assn. said Saturday that it is
less likely that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will
disavow 19th century teachings that linked African American skin color
to Biblical curses because of publicity about that possibility.
Armand L. Mauss said he believes the top leader****p of the 10-million
member church may worry that they would be seen as bowing to public
pressure if they made such a disavowal in the wake of news stories
about secret deliberations on the issue. Mauss, who is among those who
for several years have been privately seeking such a disavowal, said
an article in The Times last week that re****ted on the efforts may
thwart them.
Mauss said the church's Committee on Public Affairs, which is
considering the issue, was going to make a recommendation to top
church officials, known as the Frist Presidency.
Sources close to the sensitive deliberations told The Times that a
statement would be issued as early as next month, the 20th anniversary
of the landmark 1978 decision by the church to admit all worthy men to
the priesthood, regardless of their race or color.
Mauss, who has written papers for church officials outlining the
history of the teachings and offering a rationale for repudiating them
while still upholding basic Mormon doctrine, said he would not have
done so unless he was encouraged by church leaders.
A source told The Times that although the publicity had momentarily
put discussions on hold, it was possible they would resume.
Keith Atkinson, a spokesman for the church in Los Angeles, said
Saturday he could not comment on what the church may or may not do.
But he said he believed the church had already disavowed the teachings
when it admitted men with black African ancestry to the priesthood in
1978.
Also Saturday, two more Mormon historians joined Mauss in calling on
the church to disavow its legacy of racism.
They noted that although blacks are now admitted to the priesthood,
the underlying theology--particularly discourses and statements by
past Mormon leaders on the curses that helped justify the former ban--
continues to be widely circulated within the church.
The latest to issue such a call were Mormon historians Lester E. Bush
Jr. and Newell G. Bringhurst, who on Friday was elected president of
the association.
"Church leaders simply were mistaken in accepting and teaching the
notion that blacks had any known relation****p to Cain, Ham, Egyptus or
any other biblical figure," Bush wrote in a paper delivered here
Saturday before the historical association.
Credit: TIMES RELIGION WRITER
http://www.truthandgrace.com/racism.html
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