- Merrill J. Bateman
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Merrill J. Bateman Second Quorum of the Seventy June 6, 1992 – April 2, 1994Called by Ezra Taft Benson End reason Called as Presiding Bishop Presiding Bishop April 2, 1994 – December 27, 1995Called by Ezra Taft Benson End reason Released to become president of BYU First Quorum of the Seventy December 27, 1995 – October 6, 2007Called by Gordon B. Hinckley End reason Granted general authority emeritus status Presidency of the Seventy August 15, 2003 – August 15, 2007Called by Gordon B. Hinckley End reason Honorably released Emeritus General Authority October 6, 2007 – incumbentCalled by Gordon B. Hinckley Personal details Born Merrill Joseph Bateman
June 19, 1936
Lehi, UtahMerrill Joseph Bateman (born June 19, 1936) is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). From 2003 to 2007, Bateman was a member of the Presidency of the Quorums of the Seventy of the church.[1] He was president of Brigham Young University (BYU) from January 1, 1996 until May 1, 2003 and was the twelfth presiding bishop of the LDS Church in 1994 and 1995. He has been a general authority of the church since 1992, when he was made a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. In 2003 and 2004, Bateman was the general president of the church's Sunday School organization. In 2007, Bateman became the president of the church's Provo Utah Temple.[2]
Contents
Early life and education
Bateman was born in Lehi, Utah. As he was starting the third grade his family moved to American Fork.[3] He served as a missionary in Great Britain in the mid-1950s.[4] After returning from his mission he married Marilyn Scholes. Bateman earned a bachelor's degree in economics at the University of Utah in 1960 and went on to receive his doctorate in that subject from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1965.
Academic background
Bateman's academic assignments included lecturer in economics at the University of Ghana, 1963; assistant professor of economics at the United States Air Force Academy, 1964–1967; associate professor of economics at BYU, 1967–1969; professor of economics at BYU, 1969–1971; and former dean of the BYU business school, now the Marriott School of Management, 1975–1979.
Bateman wrote or co-wrote at least three scholarly papers on the cocoa industry and Ghana.[5]
BYU presidency
During Bateman's administration at BYU, the school's endowment was significantly increased through the Lighting the Way Campaign. Emphasis on the school's Honor Code was a hallmark of his administration. The Mentored Learning program, involving undergraduates more directly in research, was inaugurated as well.
Work and family
Bateman also headed his own consulting and capital management companies and was an executive with Mars, Inc. in England and the United States.
Bateman and his wife, the former Marilyn Scholes, are the parents of seven children.
Religious assignments
In the early 1980s Bateman served as president of the Provo Utah Sharon East Stake.[3]
Due to his work in the cocoa business, Bateman made many trips to Africa. In 1977, James E. Faust—then president of the International Mission of the LDS Church—asked Bateman to contact church members and people who had asked for church material on his next visit to Ghana, Bateman did this in early 1978.[6] Later in 1978, shortly after the church decided to allow blacks to receive the priesthood, Bateman was sent on a special assignment by the First Presidency with International Mission counselor Edwin Q. Cannon to Africa to lay the groundwork for the opening of missionary work there.[3] They visited people who desired to join the church in both Ghana and Nigeria, including Billy Johnson.[7]
After his time as president of BYU, Bateman was made a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. While in this capacity he went on a tour of Africa in November 2005 with Richard G. Scott. They visited Ghana, Tanzania and other countries.[8]
References
- ^ LDS Church News, 2007-06-09.
- ^ Provo Utah LDS (Mormon) Temple Presidents.
- ^ a b c Merrill J. Bateman: Breadth and Depth
- ^ Wilkins, Alan L. "Merrill J. Bateman" in Garr, Arnold K., Donald Q. Cannon and Richard O. Cowan ed. Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2000) p. 78
- ^ Dell Search Results
- ^ Lloyd, R. Scott. "A Pioneer in Building the Kingdom" in LDS Church News July 4th, 1992
- ^ Deseret Morning News | Knight & Co. put zip in LDS hymns
- ^ "Look Forward with an Eye of Faith" - Merrill J. Bateman
External links
Academic offices Preceded by
Rex E. LeePresident of BYU
1996–2003Succeeded by
Cecil O. SamuelsonReligious titles Preceded by
Robert D. HalesPresiding Bishop
1994–1995Succeeded by
H. David BurtonDeans of the Marriott School of Management Presidents of Brigham Young University Presiding Bishops of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints General presidents of the Sunday School of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Cannon (1867–1901) • Snow (1901) • Smith (1901–1918) • D.O. McKay (1918–1934) • Pyper (1934–1943) • Bennion (1943–1949) • Hill (1949–1966) • D.L. McKay (1966–1971) • Nelson (1971–1979) • Pinnock (1979–1986) • Simpson (1986–1989) • Pinnock (1989–1992) • Lybbert (1992–1994) • Didier (1994–1995) • Hillam (1995–2000) • Jensen (2000–2001) • Samuelson (2001–2003) • Bateman (2003–2004) • Merrill (2004–2009) • Osguthorpe (2009–)Emeritus general authorities1 of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Abrea • Backman • Banks • Bateman • Bradford • Brewerton • Busche • Carmack • Child • Christensen • Clarke • Cook • Condie • Dellenbach • Didier • Featherstone • Groberg • Hafen • Hammond • Hansen • Hillam • Howard • Johnson • Kendrick • Kerr • Kofford • Larsen • Madsen • Mickelsen • Morrison • Neuenschwander • Pace •Paramore • Peterson • Pinegar • Poelman • Porter • Rector • Smith2 • Sorensen • Tingey • Wells • Wickman1. Emeritus general authorities are individuals who have been released from active duties as general authorities. However, they remain general authorities of the church until their death. Most living emeritus general authorities are former members of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
2. Patriarch emeritus and former Patriarch to the Church; Smith is the oldest living general authority and the only emeritus general authority who was not a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.Categories:- 1936 births
- 20th-century Mormon missionaries
- American educators
- American Mormon missionaries
- Brigham Young University faculty
- General Presidents of the Sunday School (LDS Church)
- Living people
- Mormon missionaries in the United Kingdom
- People from Lehi, Utah
- Presidents of Brigham Young University
- Presidents of the seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Presiding Bishops of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Temple presidents and matrons in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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