![]() Paul Reeve, head of Mormon studies at the University of Utah and author of the acclaimed 2015 book “ Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness.” Wilcox’s comments “ignore” this part of the faith’s history, said historian W. In the church’s early days, under founder Joseph Smith, who openly opposed slavery, a few Black men were ordained to the priesthood. The Utah-based faith addressed the question of historic racism and the now-discarded ban in its landmark essay, “ Race and the Priesthood,” which placed much of the blame for the policy on societal racism during the 19th century when Young, as the church’s second prophet, formalized the exclusion. Latter-day Saint students “are not edified,” said Byrd, who served a full-time mission to Houston for the church, “by talks like that.” ![]() He is a professor of religion, and we are required to take classes from people like him.” “What he said was doctrinally incorrect and not based on scripture. “It will be an opportunity to let Brother Wilcox know the impact of his words,” Byrd said. ![]() Nate Byrd, a senior from Michigan and president of BYU’s Black Student Union, said students plan to protest Wilcox’s speech. (Photo courtesy of Mama Rine Clark) Zandra Vranes. “I don’t know why,” she said, “we are more comfortable calling God racist than a man racist.” In a live Facebook stream, Zandra Vranes, co-author of a book about Black Latter-day Saints, also expressed concern with the apology, which she said fails to walk back the belief that God was responsible for the ban in the first place. In the meantime, she said, “my heart aches, and I have faith that God aches as well.” “Apologizing for one night put on display when the same message has been shared numerous times, with private feedback provided and disregarded, does not feel like repentance to me.” “Apologies are great, and repentance is awesome,” said Kimberly Teitter, a Black Latter-day Saint and Utah psychologist. Though grateful for Wilcox’s apology, some still question his suggesting the ban was part of “God’s timing,” and not human error. BYU remains committed to upholding President Nelson’s charge to root out racism in our institutions. We appreciate his sincere apology & believe he is committed to learn from this experience. We are deeply concerned with the words recently used by Dr.
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