Bruce R. McConkie

LDSApostleshipinfo
English name = Bruce R. McConkie


birth_name=Bruce Redd McConkie
birth_date=birth date|1915|07|29
birthplace=Ann Arbor, Michigan
death_date=death date and age|1985|04|19|1915|07|29
deathplace=Salt Lake City, Utah
president_who_called=Harold B. Lee
apostledate=death date and age|1972|10|12|1915|07|29
ordination_reason=Death of Joseph Fielding Smith and reorganization of First Presidency
end_date=death date and age|1985|04|19|1915|07|29
end_reason=Death
reorganization=M. Russell Ballard ordained

Bruce Redd McConkie (July 29 1915 – April 19 1985) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

McConkie served in the First Council of the Seventy of the LDS Church from 1946 until his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1972, where he served until his death in 1985.

During his service as a general authority, he published several doctrinal books and articles and wrote the chapter headings of the LDS standard works. cite journal |title=From Father to Son: Joseph F. McConkie on Gospel Teaching |journal=Meridian Magazine |date=2003-05-05 |url=http://www.ldsmag.com/articles/050503father.html |accessdate=2006-11-03]

McConkie received a Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of Utah. He spent his childhood between Monticello, Utah; Salt Lake City; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. He married Amelia Smith (1916 - 2005), daughter of Joseph Fielding Smith.

Early years

McConkie was born on July 29 1915 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Oscar Walter McConkie and Margarat Vivian Redd. Before he was a year old, his family moved to Monticello, Utah. From 1920-1923 Oscar McConkie served as the bishop of the Monticello Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [Jenson, Andrew. "Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". (Salt Lake City: Deseret news Press, 1941) p. 528] In 1925 his family moved back to Ann Arbor where his father continued studying law, then in 1926 they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. McConkie attended Bryant Junior High School and LDS High School, where he graduated at age 15. He attended three years of college at the University of Utah before serving a Church mission. He grew to stand 6'5" tall.

Eastern States Mission

On September 6 1934, McConkie received a call to serve in the Eastern States Mission under President Don B. Colton. His first assignment was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From May 1 to July 24 1935, he served in the Cumorah District in Palmyra, New York as part of an intensive missionary campaign tied to the dedication of a monument to Moroni on the Hill Cumorah. McConkie then served in the Seneca District and later presided over that same district.

In 1936 McConkie participated in the first Hill Cumorah Pageant which was attended by his future father-in-law, Joseph Fielding Smith. At the end of his second year of missionary service, McConkie "extended his mission for six weeks to travel, without a companion, from town to town throughout the mission, teaching investigators and missionaries" at the request of his mission president.cite book |last=McConkie |first=Joseph Fielding |authorlink=Joseph Fielding McConkie |others= |title=The Bruce R. McConkie Story: Reflections of a Son |year=2003 |publisher=Deseret Book |id=ISBN 1-59038-205-6]

Education, marriage, and family

McConkie met Amelia Smith, daughter of apostle Joseph Fielding Smith, before his mission while attending the University of Utah. He and Amelia graduated from that institution in June 1937, he with a Bachelor of Arts degree and she with a bachelor's degree in bacteriology and pathology. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple by Amelia's father on October 13 1937. Together they had nine children: Bruce (1938), Vivian (1940), Joseph (1941), Stanford (1944), Mary (1946), Mark (1948), Rebecca (1950), Stephen (1951), and Sara (1957). Their oldest child, Bruce, lived less than two months.

McConkie graduated with his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1939 and ranked third out of seventy-five on the bar exam. His degree was automatically upgraded to Juris Doctor in June 1967.

Military service

McConkie enrolled in Army ROTC while at the University of Utah. With the advent of World War II, he was called to active duty service on March 5, 1942. He served in military intelligence at Fort Douglas for the duration of the war and received the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. He held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at his discharge on February 26 1946, one of the youngest in Army Intelligence to hold that rank.

Call to the Seventy

McConkie worked for a time as a reporter for the "Deseret News". While covering the proceedings of General Conference on October 6 1946, McConkie was interviewed by Apostle David O. McKay to fill a vacancy in the First Council of the Seventy created by the death of John H. Taylor. McConkie's name was presented for a sustaining vote by the membership of the church that same day and on October 10, he was ordained and set apart by Church President George Albert Smith. He served as a member of the First Council of the Seventy for twenty-six years.

On June 11 1961, McConkie was ordained a high priest by First Presidency member Henry D. Moyle. This was in accordance with a new policy requiring the First Seven Presidents of Seventy to assist the Twelve in setting apart stake presidents, stake high councilors, and bishops.

"Mormon Doctrine"

In 1958 McConkie published a book entitled "Mormon Doctrine: A Compendium of the Gospel", which he described as "the first major attempt to digest, explain, and analyze all of the important doctrines of the kingdom" and "the first extensive compendium of the whole gospel—the first attempt to publish an encyclopedic commentary covering the whole field of revealed religion." He included a disclaimer that he alone was responsible for the doctrinal and scriptural interpretations, a practice unusual at the time.cite book |last=Horne |first=Dennis B. |title=Bruce R. McConkie: Highlights From His Life & Teachings |year=2000 |publisher=Eborn Books |id=ISBN 1-890718-01-7]

In writing the book, McConkie relied heavily upon the scriptures and recognized doctrinal authorities. Church leaders were surprised by its publication (since he had not asked permission and was not asked to develop such a work) and responded that while they applauded the attempt of the book to fill a gap, it used a harsh tone and presented as fact several issues that were doctrinally vague. They were disappointed that it sold so well, since it contained numerous errors (which members then took to be as fact). They asked him not to reprint it, which he did not. However, they finally allowed a reprinting in 1966 after several changes were made, especially its tone.

Much of the Bible Dictionary included with the Church's publication of the Bible in 1979 borrows from "Mormon Doctrine".

Mission to Australia

McConkie received a call from the First Presidency to preside over the Southern Australian Mission of the Church, which encompassed all of western and southern Australia, on February 9 1961. He disclosed the call to his wife, Amelia, only after a hike up Ensign Peak that same day. Their daughter, Vivian, was married and Joseph was serving a mission to Scotland, so six of their children accompanied them to Australia.

In October 1962, McConkie reported "an all-time high mark in mission converts and willingness of members to build new chapels. ... There has been no difficulty getting six building missionaries to work on each chapel under the supervision of supervisors called from the states."

The mission decided upon a motto of "Seek the Spirit" and President McConkie taught the missionaries what it is to be humble and hear the whisperings of the Spirit.

McConkie resumed his duties as a Seventy after returning in 1964.

Call to the Twelve

President Joseph Fielding Smith passed away on July 2, 1972. The First Presidency was subsequently reorganized with Harold B. Lee as President, leaving a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles . In October 1972, McConkie was invited to Lee's office "where President Lee put his arms around him by way of greeting and said, 'The Lord and the Brethren have just called you to fill the vacancy in the Council of the Twelve.' Bruce responded, 'I know. This is no surprise to me. I have known it for some time.'"

McConkie served in the capacity of an Apostle until his death in 1985, aged 69.

Poetry

McConkie wrote several poems, a few of which he read in various general conference addresses. One for which he is especially remembered is the poem "I Believe in Christ", delivered in a 1972 General Conference address, [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1972.htm/ensign%20july%201972.htm/the%20testimony%20of%20jesus%20.htm "The Testimony of Jesus"] . It was later set to music and published in the LDS Hymnal, as Hymn #134, [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Curriculum/music.htm/hymns.htm/prayer%20and%20supplication.htm/134%20i%20believe%20in%20christ.htm "I Believe in Christ"] and has since gained popularity among members of the church.

McConkie also penned the fourth verse to Hymn #21, [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Curriculum/music.htm/hymns.htm/restoration.htm/21%20come%20listen%20to%20a%20prophets%20voice.htm "Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice"] .

Final testimony

McConkie gave several influential general conference addresses. Prominent among them was his last conference talk in 1985, " [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1985.htm/ensign%20may%201985%20.htm/the%20purifying%20power%20of%20gethsemane.htm The Purifying Power of Gethsemane] ." He concluded this talk with a poignant testimony of Jesus Christ:

cquote|And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.

I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.

McConkie died less than two weeks later.

Criticisms

McConkie's works in general are characterized by their authoritative tone. McConkie once wrote to a Mormon scholar in 1980, "It is my province to teach to the Church what the doctrine is. It is your province to echo what I say or to remain silent."cite book |last=Barlow |first=Philip L. |title=Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion |date=1997-02-27 |publisher=Oxford University Press |id=ISBN 0-19-510971-6] In his best selling "Doctrinal New Testament Commentaries" and "Messiah" series, the sources that are most frequently cited as authority for his interpretational positions are other works authored by himself.cite journal |last=Buerger |first=David John |title=Speaking with Authority: The Theological Influence of Elder Bruce R. McConkie |journal=Sunstone Magazine |issue=47 |pages=8–13 |publisher=Sunstone Education Foundation |year=1985 |month=March |url=http://www.sunstoneonline.com/magazine/searchable/Issue47.asp |accessdate=2006-05-24] He explained, "I would never quote another man unless I could first square what he said with the scriptures and unless he said what was involved better than I could."

One of the most controversial topics that McConkie defended in his writings was the church's policy of limiting the priesthood to men of non-African descent until 1978. This policy was known informally as the "Negro doctrine". In 1958, McConkie wrote:

In the pre-existent eternity various degrees of valiance and devotion to the truth were exhibited by different groups of our Father's spirit offspring. One-third of the spirit hosts of heaven came out in open rebellion and were cast out without bodies, becoming the devil and his angels. The other two-thirds stood affirmatively for Christ: there were no neutrals. To stand neutral in the midst of war is a philosophical impossibility.

Of the two-thirds who followed Christ, however, some were more valiant than others. Those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the negroes.

Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty.

The present status of the negro rests purely and simply on the foundation of pre-existence. Along with all races and peoples he is receiving here what he merits as a result of the long pre-mortal probation in the presence of the Lord. The principle is the same as will apply when all men are judged according to their mortal works and are awarded varying statuses in the life hereafter.

On January 10 1970 the First Presidency affirmed the priesthood restriction, though not McConkie's reasoning for it, in the following statement:

From the beginning of this dispensation, Joseph Smith and all succeeding presidents of the Church have taught that Negroes, while spirit children of a common Father, and the progeny of our earthly parents Adam and Eve, were not yet to receive the priesthood, for reasons we believe are known to God, but which He has not made fully known to man.

On June 1 1978, McConkie was present in the Salt Lake Temple when a [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/od/2 revelation] was received by the First Presidency and the Twelve "that the time had now come to extend the gospel and all its blessings and all its obligations, including the priesthood and the blessings of the house of the Lord, to those of every nation, culture and race, including the black race." This revelation was announced to the world on June 8 1978.

Some of McConkie's earlier statements had echoed those of other church leaders, which implied that the priesthood restriction might never be lifted in mortality. To this, Elder McConkie explained:

There are statements in our literature by the early Brethren that we have interpreted to mean that the Negroes would not receive the priesthood in mortality. I have said the same things, and people write me letters and say, "You said such and such, and how is it now that we do such and such?" All I can say is that it is time disbelieving people repented and got in line and believed in a living, modern prophet. Forget everything that I have said, or what President Brigham Young or George Q. Cannon or whoever has said in days past that is contrary to the present revelation. We spoke with a limited understanding and without the light and knowledge that now has come into the world.

It doesn't make a particle of difference what anybody ever said about the Negro matter before the first day of June 1978. It is a new day and a new arrangement, and the Lord has now given the revelation that sheds light out into the world on this subject. As to any slivers of light or any particles of darkness of the past, we forget about them. We now do what meridian Israel did when the Lord said the gospel should go to the Gentiles. We forget all the statements that limited the gospel to the house of Israel, and we start going to the Gentiles.

Published works

*"Doctrines of Salvation", by President Joseph Fielding Smith, compiled by Bruce R McConkie: "Volume 1", 1954; "Volume 2", 1955; "Volume 3", 1956.
*"Mormon Doctrine, A Compendium of the Gospel", 1958.
*"Mormon Doctrine", Second Edition, 1966.
*"Doctrinal New Testament Commentary: Volume 1, The Gospels", 1965. "Volume 2, Acts–Philippians", 1970. "Volume 3, Colossians–Revelation", 1972.
*"The Messiah Series", six-volume set that includes the following three "Messiah" titles
**"The Promised Messiah", 1978.
**"The Mortal Messiah", four volumes, 1979-1981.
**"The Millennial Messiah", 1982.
*"A New Witness for the Articles of Faith", 1985

McConkie also wrote numerous articles for the "Church News" and church magazines, handbooks, pamphlets, and manuals. He wrote the chapter headings for all chapters in the church-published standard works and contributed to the "Bible Dictionary".

References

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External links

* [http://www.gapages.com/mcconbr1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Bruce R. McConkie]
* [http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6770&x=50&y=6 The Seven Deadly Heresies] (This fireside address was given at Brigham Young University on 1 June 1980) ( [http://speeches.byu.edu/download.php/McConkie_Bruce_1980.mp3?item=8270&download=true MP3] )
* [http://www.meridianmagazine.com/books/040512mcconkie2.html Excerpt from "The Bruce R. McConkie Story: Reflections of a Son"] , by Joseph Fielding McConkie
* [http://emp.byui.edu/marrottr/GenlAuthorities/Bible-SealedBook.pdf The Bible, a Sealed Book] , by Bruce R. McConkie - BYU, 1984