SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Wednesday that Russell M. Nelson has be named the new president of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Nelson was set apart, which is the church’s method of official appointment, by church President Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday.
Nelson succeeds President Boyd K. Packer, former president of the Twelve, who died July 3 at the age of 90.
As the president of the Twelve, Nelson will be referred to as “President Russell M. Nelson,” according to a press release from the church.
“It is the Church’s practice that the senior member by date of assignment to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes quorum president,” the press release said.
Nelson was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on April 7, 1984.
In his professional life, prior to commencing full-time church service, Nelson was an internationally renowned surgeon and medical researcher. His professional resume includes serving as research professor of surgery and director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency at the University of Utah. He was also chairman of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. Nelson has additionally served as president of the Society of Vascular Surgery, a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association, and president of the Utah State Medical Association.
The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is the second-highest presiding body in the government of the LDS Church, according to the press release. The quorum’s members serve under the direction of the church’s First Presidency, which is a governing unit of three men comprised of the president and two counselors.
“In addition to their primary responsibility to be special witnesses of the name of Christ throughout the world,” the press release said, “the apostles have heavy administrative responsibilities as they oversee the orderly progress and development of the global Church.”
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Couldn’t they have found an 85 yr old for the job to bring some fresh new ideas and young blood to the position.
Lol! And isn’t it amazing how God chooses so many old white guys from Idaho or Utah?
Well, well what do ya know… The Fuhrer promoted another old white guy. Total surprise there. ♥
Racism and ageism here. Bigotry and intolerance.
CITIZEN, it is amazing how you don’t see the racism, bigotry, and intolerance of Mormonism. From 1830 Joseph Smith and Brigham Young’s teachings about the “negroes” (you most likely have never studied it to begin with. This is typical of Mormons) AND – worst of all – the racism found in the LDS scripture, The Book of Mormon and doctrines which are now “rejected”. Do your research, my friend. See the truth. Be objective. Be truthful. Be honest.
Speaking of bigotry and intolerance, how many women, blacks, or gays are on the Quorum of 12? Your comment is a farce.
Exactly. I was raised in the church for over 30 years, served in callings, and was very active, and SADLY there are still a few ( more than Mormons care to admit) of the “old timers” who were raised on the racism and misogyny who still make racist and sexist jokes and believe the old doctrines taught by the early “prophets”. CITIZEN, You can’t deny that!
RadioViking, the only contempt and racism I see today is yours for old white men who are Mormon.
Who is always the last one to see their own bigotry? A bigot. Think about that Citizen.
I wish I had the contract to supply Depends for the “12”, I’d make a fortune.
You know citizen you are absolutely right. The Fuhrer is a definite racist. Think about it, has there ever been a black guy in that position? What about a Spaniard or a Mexican? What about a woman of any color? Actually, you can trace the entire history of Mormonism and you would find that there has never been a non white, non American person in any position of any real power (that’s anyone above one of the 8 Quorums of 70)in that “church”. Personally, I don’t know of any and a quick google search for “Have there ever been any black people in the Quorum of 12” backed me up. Although it does not appear to be an official Mormon church site Blacklds.org had this to say
“He is the first Black African General Authority of the church. Other church leaders of Black African descent have served in the Seventy quoroms. The others were Elder Helvecio Martins from Brazil who served as a General Authority from April 1990 – September 1995 in the Second Quorum of the Seventy, and Elder Elijah Abel, an African American, who was ordained in 1839 to the Third Quorum of the Seventy”.
The lds.org article I posted below fails to state whether or not a black man has ever held a position above the Quorum of 70. Now lets talk about Bigotry and intolerance, since you brought it up. According to the church itself Brigham Young forbid black men from holding the priesthood for no clear reason. To quote an article entitled Race and the Priesthood from LDS.org:
“In 1852, President Brigham Young publicly announced that men of black African descent could no longer be ordained to the priesthood, though thereafter blacks continued to join the Church through baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Following the death of Brigham Young, subsequent Church presidents restricted blacks from receiving the temple endowment or being married in the temple. Over time, Church leaders and members advanced many theories to explain the priesthood and temple restrictions. None of these explanations is accepted today as the official doctrine of the Church”.
This wasn’t fully reversed until 1978 when the church released “Official Declaration 2” I’ll be nice now and spare you the truth about the history of bigotry and intolerance towards women, gays and others in the church because I think Ive made my point.
Is this really newsworthy? Seriously. ….who cares?
This is a huge improvement compared to even 5 years ago every time the fuhrer cut a loud fart we were treated to a weeks worth of articles critiquing everything from the smell to what the fuhrer was trying to say when he let it fly from his holy anus.
The open hatred you display, Simone, drips off the page. You don’t even try to be respectful or fair and yet I am sure you demand absolute respect for your point of view and life style. You have absolutely no credibility on account of that. You are living proof of how wrong your views are because you can’t express them without using just pure meanness.
Native, you don’t know me at all. I neither ask for, require or demand anything from anyone for any reason. I’m not Mormonisms biggest fan, so what? It is my OPINION that ONE MAN or a very small group of men use their position in the “church” and fear of the unknown to control the majority of people in this state and I don’t think that is right. Again that is my OPINION. My opinion is my opinion, you can take it or leave it. You think my views are wrong and lacking in credibility, so what? That is your opinion of my opinion. The way I see it, the only difference between me and Mormons when it comes to religion is that I dared to question the authorities.
Good for you Simone, Woe is Me (Native born) is a nuisance.
Still insisting on living on a one way street I see. Because it doesn’t interest you it shouldn’t be published. Selfish, Spoiled and on and on I could go. No one has any rights in the world but you. Tolerance is a lie when it comes out of your mouth. You don’t even know the meaning of it.
Woe is Me, you are the true meaning of tolerance because putting up with your inane comments requires a lot of tolerance.
And it’s no coincidence that all these old white men were either bankers or executives or business managers of some sort. After all, LDS inc. is just another business…
Lol!! Great comments guys, keep ’em coming!!