Latter-day Saints hold first general conference without a president in at least a century

Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City (AP) – The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter -day saints is suitable on Saturday for its general conference twice annual at a pivotal moment in its history: just days after the death of its oldest president and a deadly attack against a Congregation of Michigan.

The death of President Russell Mr. Nelson leaves a void, but the church has a well -defined leadership hierarchy which contributes to ensuring a smooth transition. Dallin H. OAKS, the man who had started to succeed Nelson, has already played a leading role in the leadership of the Church as one of the two best advisers in Nelson. The expected ascent of OAKS to the presidency is expected to be announced after Nelson’s funeral, scheduled for Tuesday, a few days after the conference, when around 100,000 members meet at the church headquarters in UTAH.

The 200 -year -old name widely known as the Mormone church did not hold a general conference without president for at least a century, but there is no vacuum of leadership, said Patrick Mason, professor of religious studies and history at the UTA State University.

A director of director called the quorum of the twelve apostles, led by Oaks, leads the Church and its more than 17 million members in the world in the absence of a president, as well as the role of Brigham Young for more than two years after the death of the founder of the Joseph Smith church in 1844.

In the 19th century, it was common for a few years to pass before a new president was appointed. The quorum again led the church for long periods after the death of Young in 1877 and the death of John Taylor in 1887.

The last time a church president died just before a general conference in April 1951, with the death of George Albert Smith. His funeral was integrated into the conference and a new president was officially announced during the rally.

Today, it is not uncommon for a president to live a conference for health reasons, in particular given their age. At 93, Oaks will be among the oldest presidents. Seven of the last nine served in their 90s, including five beyond the current age of oaks. Nelson lived at 101.

The absence of Nelson should feel felt while thousands of people meet in person this weekend and much more have connected remotely from the world. The two -day conference features sermons and serves as a unifying time for world membership. Church officials often approach the major problems of the moment while leaving a place to members to interpret religious doctrine by themselves.

“I think that the shadow of Nelson will suspect the conference,” said Matthew Bowman, an expert in American religious history at the Claremont Graduate University.

The President – considered as a prophet by members – traditionally speaks at the General Conference, and he is considered a culmination of an event during which new initiatives and policies have been announced. Nelson has often used time to announce the construction of new temples, one of its main companies as president. He was charismatic, sentimental and frequently quoted by other speakers of the conference, that Bowman expects the weekend to continue this weekend while they honor his heritage.

In addition to the death of Nelson, the faithful were in shock from the attack on one of their congregations in Michigan last weekend. Four people were killed in a church in the canton of Grand White after a shooter struck his van at the worshiper, pulled on the faithful and set a fire that destroyed a lot of building. The shooter, who was killed by the police, was described by friends as having a grudge against the church.

Experts do not expect this conference to look so different, but they will look closely at what Oaks says. In previous conferences, he was most likely to solve political problems, said Bowman.

Oaks, a former judge of the Supreme Court of Utah, is known for his sensitivities of lawyers and traditionalist condemnations on marriage and religious freedom. It was an engine of the church against homosexual marriage and in maintaining teaching that homosexuality is a sin, creating anxiety among LGBTQ + members and their allies.

Oaks was also frank on the maintenance of civil speech and the denunciation of violence, which could again be an objective this weekend.

“Even before the recent shooting, I would not have been surprised to see him solve the problems of religious freedom or civility,” said Bowman. “But now, given the new responsibilities that approach him, I could expect him to take a longer opinion and speak to broader questions of Christianity, eternity and so on.”

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The writers of the Associated Press Holly Meyer in Nashville, Tennessee and Mead Gruver in Fort Collins, Colorado, contributed.