Bruce C. Hafen

Bruce Clark Hafen (born October 30, 1940, St. George, Utah) is an American attorney, academic and religious leader currently serving as a general authority in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church since 1996. During this time he has served in several assignments. He has served as Area President in Australia/New Zealand. He currently serves as president of the Europe Central Area of the church. He is a strong advocate of the continued presence of religious thought in higher education.

Biography

Hafen served as president of Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho from 1978-1985. From 1985-1989 he served as the dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University (BYU). From 1989-1996, he served as Provost of Brigham Young University. While in this position he was noted as an advocate of religion in higher education, and specifically for his strong belief that it was the duty of Brigham Young University to have faculty who strongly supported its religious principles.

Hafen has written a biography of Neal A. Maxwell, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has also written insightful pieces on Latter-day Saint doctrine.fact|date=June 2007

Hafen was raised in southern Utah. He served a mission in the West German Mission. In 1964 Hafen married Marie Kartchner. They now have seven children.

Hafen received a bachelors degree in Political Science and humanities from BYU and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah. ["LDS Church Almanac", 2008 Edition, p. 45]

Hafen then worked at Strong, Poelman and Fox. In 1971-1976 Hafen worked as an assistant to the president of BYU. He also was a professor at the J. Reuben Clark Law School starting in 1973. From 1976-1978 Hafen worked for the Church's correlation department.

On June 4th, 2006 Hafen organized an LDS Stake in Hungary, the first stake in that nation. It was the second stake organized in a formerly communist country in Europe, although there had also been two stakes organized in East Germany when it was a communist country. ["LDS Church News", June 10th, 2006]

Published works

*cite book
first = Bruce C.
last = Hafen
title = The Believing Heart: Four Essays on Faith
publisher = Bookcraft
date = 1986
location = Salt Lake City, Utah
*cite book
author = ——
title = The Broken Heart: Applying the Atonement to Life's Experiences
publisher = Deseret Book
date = 1989
location = Salt Lake City, Utah
*cite book
author = ——
coauthors = Hafen, Marie
title = The Belonging Heart: The Atonement and Relationships with God and Family
publisher = Deseret Book
date = 1994
location = Salt Lake City, Utah
*cite book
author = ——
title = A Disciple's Life: The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell
publisher = Deseret Book
date = 2002
location = Salt Lake City, Utah
*cite book
author = ——
title = Covenant Hearts: Marriage and the Joy of Human Love
publisher = Deseret Book
date = 2005
location = Salt Lake City, Utah

ources

*"LDS Church News", April 20th, 1996

External links

* [http://www.lib.byui.edu/exhibits/Presidents/hafen.html The Presidents and First Ladies of Ricks College]
* [http://maxwellinstitute.byu.edu/viewauthor.php?authorID=380 Bruce C. Hafen on Neal A Maxwell Institute] .
* [http://gapages.com/hafenbc1.htm Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Bruce C. Hafen]