SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is convening Saturday for its twice-annual general conference at a pivotal moment in its history: just days after the death of its oldest-ever president and a deadly attack on a congregation in Michigan.
The death of President Russell M. Nelson leaves a void, but the church has a well-defined leadership hierarchy that helps ensure a smooth transition. Dallin H. Oaks, the man set to succeed Nelson, has already played a prominent role in church leadership as one of Nelson’s two top counselors. Oaks’ expected ascension to the presidency is likely to be announced after Nelson’s funeral, scheduled for Tuesday, a couple of days after the conference when about 100,000 members gather at the church’s headquarters in Utah.
The 200-year-old denomination known widely as the Mormon church has not held a general conference without a president for at least a century, but there’s no leadership vacuum, said Patrick Mason, a professor of religious studies and history at Utah State University.
A governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, headed by Oaks, is leading the church and its more than 17 million members worldwide in the absence of a president, much like Brigham Young’s role for more than two years following church founder Joseph Smith’s death in 1844.
In the 19th century, it was common for a couple years to pass before a new president was named. The Quorum again led the church for lengthy periods after Young’s death in 1877 and John Taylor’s death in 1887.
The last time a church president died just before a general conference was in April 1951, with the death of George Albert Smith. His funeral was folded into the conference and a new president was formally announced during the gathering.
Today, it is not uncommon for a living president to miss a conference for health reasons, especially given their ages. At 93, Oaks will be among the oldest presidents. Seven of the past nine have served into their nineties, including five beyond Oaks’ current age. Nelson lived to be 101.
Nelson’s absence is expected to be felt as thousands gather in person this weekend and many more tune in remotely from around the world. The two-day conference features sermons and serves as a unifying time for the faith’s global membership. Church officials often address major issues of the moment while leaving some room for members to interpret religious doctrine for themselves.
“I think Nelson’s shadow will hang heavy over the conference,” said Matthew Bowman, an expert on U.S. religious history at Claremont Graduate University.
The president — considered a prophet by members — traditionally speaks at general conference, and it is considered an event highlight during which new initiatives and policies have been announced. Nelson often used the time to announce the construction of new temples, one of his main enterprises as president. He was charismatic, sentimental and frequently quoted by other conference speakers, which Bowman expects will continue this weekend as they honor his legacy.
In addition to Nelson’s death, the faithful have been reeling from the attack on one of their congregations in Michigan last weekend. Four people were killed inside a church in Grand Blanc Township after a gunman rammed his pickup truck into the house of worship, shot at congregants and set a fire that destroyed a lot of the building. The gunman, who was killed by police, was described by friends as having a grudge against the church.
Experts do not expect this conference to look all that different, but they will be watching closely to see what Oaks says. At past conferences, he has been the most likely to address political issues, Bowman said.
Oaks, a former Utah Supreme Court justice, is known for his jurist sensibilities and traditionalist convictions on marriage and religious freedom. He has been a driving force in the church against same-sex marriage and in upholding a teaching that homosexuality is a sin, creating anxiety among LGBTQ+ members and their allies.
Oaks also has been outspoken about maintaining civil discourse and denouncing violence, which could again be a focus this weekend.
“Even before the recent shooting, I would not have been surprised to see him address either issues of religious freedom or of civility,” Bowman said. “But now, given the new responsibilities approaching him, I might expect him to take a longer view and speak to more broad issues of Christianity, eternity and so on.”
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Associated Press writers Holly Meyer in Nashville, Tennessee, and Mead Gruver in Fort Collins, Colorado, contributed.
