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PrevPrevious EpisodeWhat is a Literal Reading of Genesis? (Part 6 of 8)
Next ExpisodeMust Religion & Science Conflict? (Part 8 of 8)Next

Did Pres. McKay Support Evolution?

Table of Contents: Did Pres. McKay Support Evolution?

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President McKay was an educator before he was called to be an apostle and future church president.  Was he more open to evolution than other LDS leaders?  Ben Spackman will answer that question.

Ben:  When people bring up Mormon Doctrine, or Man, His Origin and Destiny, I tend to point to President McKay because President McKay on several occasions was very friendly to evolution….Then in 1965, in general conference, David O. McKay quotes him on that point. Now he doesn’t read him at all, but he says, “Here’s a scientist I’ve been reading who talks about a man’s conscience.” So, if you follow that thread, if you get below the tip of that iceberg, that’s a very pro-evolution interpretation of Genesis. David O. McKay clearly doesn’t think that Genesis in any way prohibits evolution. … There was an article that was published in the official Church magazine by a BYU (I think) botany professor, someone who dealt with DNA and other things….This article as it was printed in the Church magazine, has a little black box at the front that says, “This article was read and approved by the editor of the magazine.” If you flip back to the front, the editor is President David O. McKay. Now we have data from his son who was on one of the church committees or something. This article got taken to President McKay by his son to say, “We’re going to run this. Do you want to read it first?” He read the whole thing word for word and said, “This is fantastic work. Run it. I want this box in front.” The box also said, “It is not presented as a position of church doctrine.” So, David O. McKay was very comfortable saying, “Here’s evolution. We’re going to put this in the Church magazine. We’re going to respond to these questions. We’re going to address Genesis. I don’t want to impose it on people as some kind of official doctrine, because it’s not.” But, he was certainly enthusiastic about it.

Check out our conversation….

 

Pres. McKay may have been the prophet most supportive of evolution.
Pres. McKay may have been the prophet most supportive of evolution.

Check out our previous conversations with Ben!

246: Misreading Genesis

245: Does the Bible Supports a Flat Earth?

244: Did Man Evolve From Apes?

243: Did Joseph Fielding Smith Win the Evolution Battle?

242: Evolution & Bible: Irreconcilable Differences?

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More Podcasts with these Guests:

  • Must Religion & Science Conflict? (Part 8 of 8)
  • What is a Literal Reading of Genesis? (Part 6 of 8)
  • Misreading Genesis (Part 5 of 8)
  • Does the Bible Support a Flat Earth? (part 4 of 8)
  • Did Man Evolve from Apes? (Part 3 of 8)

Get more information on the people and things discussed in this episode:

  • Guest: Ben Spackman
  • Theology: Mormon Scripture
  • LDS Leaders
  • Science Topics Covered: Evolution, Evolution & Creationism, Mormon Science, Science & Religion
  • Historical Mentions David O. McKay, Mormon History, President McKay
  • Tags: Ben Spackman, bible, biblical creation, concordism, Creation, creationism, David O. McKay, evolution, Genesis, GT Podcast, How was man created, intelligent design, iTunes, McKay on evolution, President McKay, religion and science

Tell me when the next episode drops!

PrevPrevious EpisodeWhat is a Literal Reading of Genesis? (Part 6 of 8)
Next ExpisodeMust Religion & Science Conflict? (Part 8 of 8)Next
  • Date: February 16, 2019
  • Guest: Ben Spackman
  • Theology: Mormon Scripture
  • LDS Leaders
  • Science Topics Covered: Evolution, Evolution & Creationism, Mormon Science, Science & Religion
  • Historical Mentions David O. McKay, Mormon History, President McKay
  • Tags: Ben Spackman, bible, biblical creation, concordism, Creation, creationism, David O. McKay, evolution, Genesis, GT Podcast, How was man created, intelligent design, iTunes, McKay on evolution, President McKay, religion and science
  • Posted By: RickB

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Rick Bennett, Host of Gospel Tangents

Rick Bennett is the friendly, independent historian at the heart of Gospel Tangents LDS Podcast: The Best Source for Mormon History, Science, and Theology. When he isn't interviewing Mormon scholars, prophets, and others, he is teaching math and statistics at Utah Valley University. He also freelances as a research biostatistician in the fields of Dermatology and Traumatic Brian Injuries, as well as in the network television/cable T.V. industries as a sports statistician. Rick holds a Master of Statistics Degree from the University of Utah.

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