R. Lanier Britsch

R. Lanier Britsch (born 1937) was a history professor at Brigham Young University who specialized in the history of missionary work by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), particularly in the Pacific Islands and Asia.

Biography

Britsch was the son of Ralph A. Britsch who joined the faculty of BYU in 1938, a year after Lanier was born. He served as a missionary for the LDS Church in Hawaii. Britsch received his bachelor's degree from BYU.

Among the books Britsch has written or edited are "Proclamation to the People: Nineteenth Century Mormonism and the Pacific Basin Frontier"; "Nothing More Heroic: The Compelling Story of the First Latter-day Saint missionaries in India"; "From the East: The History of the Latter-day Saints in Asia, 1851-1996"; "Moramona: The Mormons in Hawai'i" and "Unto the Isles of the Sea: A History of the Latter-day Saints in the Pacific". Britsch also wrote "Counseling: A Guide to Helping Others".

For a time, Britsch was the director of BYU's David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies. ["Church News", August 8, 1992] Britsch also taught for a time at Brigham Young University Hawaii.

He and his wife JoAnn Murphy Britsch are the parents of four children.

Britsch's younger brother Todd Britsch was a humanities professor and latter Academic Vice President at BYU.

Britsch has served in many positions in the LDS Church, including numerous assignments in bishoprics of BYU student wards and in the leadership of BYU student stakes. He has served both as a bishop and as a counselor in a stake presidency. He also served in the presidency of the Orem Utah Sharon Stake.

Notes

References

* [http://www.allbookstores.com/author/R_Lanier_Britsch.html listing of Books by Britsch]
* [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=07e9d2b9ae76b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 "Ensign", June 1973, p. 12]
* [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=fc48fc3157a6b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 "Ensign", June 1980, p. 7]
* [http://mormonlit.lib.byu.edu/lit_author.php?a_id=1211 Mormon Literature Database listing for Britsch]
* http://www.ldsinternationalsociety.org/isdb/organization.php
* [http://magazine.byu.edu/g/?act=view&a=555 "BYU Magazine" article on Britsch and his younger brother Todd.]