Dallin Oaks in 2007 PBS Interview

[Ann]

I know this is out of the blue and seven years old, but I can’t get this out of my mind, so maybe sharing is in order. I am really touched by Dallin Oaks’ account of hearing about the priesthood revelation. Maybe it’s partly because he was of my father’s generation and they were acquaintances in those years. I love the picture of him receiving the unexpected but welcome news, and I like to think that there is more to come. (Where will I be when I hear that….?) I’m also reminded that “going along in faith” seems to be easy for some, and nearly impossible for others. I don’t know what I’d have done as an adult in the church with the ban. By the time I was old enough to really wrestle with it, it was gone.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/elder-oaks-interview-transcript-from-pbs-documentary

Quote:

HW: Another subject. Take me back to the time just before the ban on the priesthood was lifted.

DHO: I can’t remember any time in my life when I felt greater joy and relief than when I learned that the priesthood was going to be available to all worthy males, whatever their ancestry. I had been troubled by this subject through college and my graduate school, at the University of Chicago where I went to law school. I had many black acquaintances when I lived in Chicago, the years ’54 through ’71. I had many times that my heart ached for that, and it ached for my Church, which I knew to be true and yet blessings of that Church were not available to a significant segment of our Heavenly Father’s children. And I didn’t understand why; I couldn’t identify with any of the explanations that were given. Yet I sustained the action; I was confident that in the time of the Lord I would know more about it, so I went along on faith.

Nobody was more relieved or more pleased when the word came. I remember where I was when I learned that the priesthood would be available to all worthy males, whatever their ancestry. I was at a mountain home that our family had purchased to have a place of refuge. I had my sons up there, and we were digging something. We had a big pile of dirt there. I’ve forgotten what it was now, but the phone rang in the house. I went inside, and it was Elder Boyd K. Packer. He said: “I have been appointed to advise you as a representative of the academic people, many of whom have been troubled by the ban on the priesthood, professors, and students, and so on. As president of Brigham Young University and as their representative [Elder Oaks was president of BYU at this time], I’ve been appointed to advise you that the revelation has been received that all worthy male members will be eligible to receive the priesthood, whatever their ancestry.” I thanked him, and I went outside and I told my boys, and I sat down [voice cracks with emotion] on that pile of dirt and cried. And I still feel emotion for that moment. I cried for joy and relief that the Lord had spoken through His prophet, that His blessings were now available to all: the blessings of the priesthood, the blessings of the temple, the blessings of eternity. That’s what we desired. I praise God for it.

[Anonymous]

I’ve read this before, Ann, and I agree it is touching and shows Elder Oaks really is human and really does have a heart. No disrespect intended here, but what might his reaction be were Pres. Monson to indicate in the near future that he had received a revelation that the church should recognize same sex marriages or that women should receive the priesthood? You see, I can understand his reaction to the Blacks and the priesthood because it’s obviously something he wanted to happen and thought should happen. What about these things he speaks so vehemently against?

(Disclaimer: I know we can’t actually know how any of us would react in circumstances mentioned above – but most of us are not so public about our true beliefs on these matters, either.)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing this, Ann. I’d never read it before. My memory of the lifting of the ban (when I was a teenager) was of a collective sigh of relief in the Church. I was old enough to know it didn’t seem right, not just from a human rights perspective, but also from a theological perspective, and was glad that it was lifted.

I have said before that I think the same ‘collective sigh of relief’ would be felt if the Church ever disavowed polygamy.

[Anonymous]

I think this is a great example of why it is important not to assume that church leaders aren’t asking about / hoping for further changes to how we handle the Priesthood – and it is instructive, I think, that this is the exact same person whose recent talk took a dramatic step toward a major reconstruction in how we can have that discussion with regard to women. Of course, it didn’t change the ordination issue – but, seriously, it went just about as far as it is possible to go without doing so.

I believe strongly that there are apostles who would rejoice and not fight one bit if they felt revelation had been received concerning quite a few possible changes to our current practices and “doctrine” – and, as much as Elder Oaks can speak like a “hardliner” (given his legalistic orientation, as much as anything), I believe he is one who would not fight such changes if he believed they were revelatory.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for sharing, Ann. That was a wonderful interview!

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