206. Newell Bringhurst on President Harold B. Lee

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Newell G. Bringhurst to discuss his book Harold B. Lee: Life and Thought, 1899-1973. Master administrator and one who helped shape a new generation of orthodox LDS thought and leadership, Harold B. Lee served as the 11th President of the LDS Church. Though only serving as President officially from July 1972-December 1973, the influence of President Lee far outweighs his official tenure. From founding the church-wide Church Welfare Program, serving as an LDS apostle from 1941-1972, to centralizing all church programs under the Priesthood leadership in Correlation (sometimes called “the Lee Revolution”) – Dr. Bringhurst calls Harold B. Lee “the major architect of modern Mormonism”. Given his origins in rural Idaho riding on horseback, one may not have expected President Lee to be the key figure in streamlining and orchestrating the administrative framework that helped facilitate the LDS church in becoming a global institution. Having been President J. Reuben Clark’s protege, Dr. Bringhurst takes us into how this helped shape Lee into one who would himself run the LDS church - as a kind of de facto church president behind the scenes - even long before he became the public head of the institution. With an emphasis on worthiness and obedience in the theology he taught, Harold B. Lee also had a significant impact on maintaining and handing on the LDS church’s longstanding temple and priesthood ban on black people. Listen in as Dr. Bringhurst takes us through some highlights and big picture analysis of the legacy of President Harold B. Lee, including his battle between personalities like Elder Hugh B. Brown and future church President Ezra Taft Benson. From his administrative changes, to those whom he mentored and tutored – one can truly say that the legacy of Lee is has not yet ended, as we continue to see his influence throughout the LDS church today.Book: Harold B. Lee: Life and Thought, 1899-1973Other resources by Dr. Bringhurst:- Saints, Slaves, and Blacks: The Changing Place of Blacks People within Mormonism- Brigham Young and the Expanding American Frontier- Fawn McKay Brodie: A Biographer’s Life- The Persistence of Polygamy: Joseph Smith and the Origins of Mormon Polygamy- The Mormon Church and Blacks: A Documentary History - Thunder from the Right: Ezra Taft Benson in Mormonism and Politics- Reconsidering No Man Knows My HistoryAlso, some important resources by Dr. Matthew Harris:- Watchman on the Tower: Ezra Taft Benson and the Making of the Mormon Right(also check out our interview about the book here and here)- Second-Class Saints: Black Mormons and the Struggle for Racial EqualityPresident Harold B. Lee resources:Official ManualYouth and the Church (1945)Decisions for Successful Living (1973)Stand Ye in Holy Places (1974)Ye are the Light of the World (1974)"The Iron Rod” (April 1971)“’Watch That Ye May Be Ready’” (October 1971)“Responsibilities of the Priesthood” (October 1971)“The Strength of the Priesthood” (April 1972)“A Time of Decision” (April 1972)“’May the Kingdom of God Go Forth’” (October 1972)“Teach the Gospel of Salvation” (October 1972)“Admonitions for the Priesthood of God” (October 1972)“A Blessing for the Saints” (October 1972)“Strengthen the Stakes of Zion” (April 1973)“Follow the Leadership of the Church” (April 1973)“’Stand Ye in Holy Places’” (April 1973)“Understanding Who We Are Brings Self-Respect” (October 1973)“General Priesthood Address” (October 1973)“Closing Remarks” (October 1973)BYU Devotionals