Washington, D.C. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to the National Press Club about how The Church of Jesus Christ of If you're aware of any talks available online that aren't listed here, please let me know. The following examples highlight some of the things we may now see and hear more distinctly because of the demands and constraints imposed upon us by COVID-19. Elder Gerrit W. Gong spoke last year at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Chiba, Japan. David Allan Bednar (born June 15, 1952) is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). And the list goes on. In the question-and-answer session, he was quizzed about an array of issues: On declining membership in a number of places, Bednar said, If you look at the church in the aggregate, it is growing, which, in the climate we find today [when most churches are shrinking], is rather newsworthy.. I know coming into camp that its my job to lose. Governments and policy experts can win allies in a common struggle against health or other serious risks by acknowledging the essential place of religion in peoples lives, he said. He was shaken awake from the customary patterns of his lifestyle by an increasing realization of his inability to fulfill his most basic needs. Are you suggesting that Nor should we prioritize secular interests above religious ones. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products. Bednar and Dieter F. Uchtdorf were called to fill the vacancies created by the July 2004 deaths of quorum members David B. Haight and Neal A. He knows how quickly circumstances can change, how quickly he could return to a nomadic life. For Elder Hales, the limitations that were the natural consequence of advancing age, in fact, had become remarkable sources of spiritual learning and insight. Our friends in the Buddhist, Sikh, and other faith traditions likewise have sacred places to gather and worship together. My beloved friend shared with me a lesson of a lifetimea lesson learned through the crucible of physical suffering and spiritual searching. Elder Bednar shared what he called two key principles: Religion should not be treated less favorably than analogous secular activities and policymakers, even in a crisis, should limit the exercise of religion only when it truly is necessary to preserve public health and safety. Elder Bednar was born in Oakland, California on June 15, 1952. It often seemed to forget that securing religious freedom is as vital as physical health. You are about to access Constant Contacts (http://visitor.constantcontact.com). He expects strict obedience to his model of Mormonism and communicates this in very cold black and white terms. Gathering, in short, is at the core of faith and religion. In the same state, my Church could not perform baptisms even under the safest of conditions. When the needs of society are great, officials should still ask whether there is some way of addressing those needs other than by burdening or banning the exercise of religion. But that is not the end of the matter, he added. You can read in the Old Testament about seven years of famine and seven years of plenty. Elder Bednar suggested governments and officials would benefit from an appreciation for the totality of the human being in healing. These decisions and regulations were unprecedented. Because of this, Bednar pours cold water on the ideas of change and reform. Thus, despite the obvious need for a proper response to COVID-19, we must not become accustomed to sweeping assertions of governmental power. It safeguards the right to think for oneself, to believe what one feels to be true, and to exercise moral agency accordingly. There are 2 court records for "David Bednar" in "Durham County". Our Muslim friends gather in their mosques. Our Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and Evangelical friends gather for mass, baptisms, confirmations, sermons, and myriad other religious purposes. These executive orders are unlike laws enacted through the ordinary give-and-take of the democratic process. All rights reserved. I was struck by the simplicity and comprehensiveness of his answer. The very factors that may have appeared to limit his effectiveness became some of his greatest strengths. Hes pitched for seven different organizations -- one being the Sugar Land Skeeters, who at the time were an expansion team of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league. Those fundamental boundaries and protections must be healed, renewed, and fortified. February 2020. Religious liberty is one of the just and holy principles[xv] underlying the Constitution of the United States. Elder David A. Bednar speaks about the importance of social media during the annual Campus Education Week at the Marriott Center at BYU, Tuesday, August 19, 2014. Elder Bednar said religion is a defining core identity for billions who rely on faith for strength, consolation and hope. Bednar has served in the LDS Church as a bishop (Fayetteville Ward, 1987), twice as stake president (Fort Smith Arkansas Stake, 198791 and Rogers Arkansas Stake, 199195), regional representative (199495), and area seventy (19972004). He said everyone has an interest in protecting religious freedom because it is fundamental to societal well-being, a subject he returned to earlier this month in an international Latter-day Saints general conference. See this page for a summary and photos from the event. Two of Elder Bednars colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at the previous two interfaith forums. at the J. Reuben Clark School of Law at Brigham Young University. Twitter is an internet service where users can update the world in real-time as to their current activities, thoughts and location in 140 characters or less. He served as a full-time missionary in Southern Germany and then attended Brigham Young University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication in 1976 and a Master of Arts degree in organizational communication in 1977. Latter-day Saint apostle David A. Bednar answers questions from National Press Club President Jen Judson during a luncheon in Washington on Thursday, May 26, 2022. Far from it. We have been mischaracterized since 1830, when the church was established. And this vision continues to inspire Latter-day Saints to gather together in their local congregations to worship God and His Son Jesus Christ, partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and strengthen, serve, and fellowship each other. Of course, liberty has limits. Blanket bans on religious gatherings risk strong connections to family, religious beliefs and faith communities that are associated with better mental, emotional and physical health, he said, adding that experts have documented rises in depression, physical and emotional abuse and suicide during social lockdowns and isolation. WebBy Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. For example, the orders of one state barred Catholic priests from anointing a parishioner with holy oil in the performance of last riteseven if the person was not sick with COVID-19, even if the priest and parishioner were protected with masks and gloves, and even if the oil was applied with a swab. As most of us now recognize, a variety of methods can be used to mitigate the risk of the virus that do not require outright prohibitions on religious worship or gatherings. Invoking emergency powers, government executives summarily imposed numerous orders and directives that in many ways are analogous to martial law. A presentation slide used when Elder David A. Bednar announced an intermission during his Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, devotional at the University of Utah [xii] And I believe public officials have most often sought to do the right things to protect the public from the virus. And, COVID-19 CrisisA Wake-Up Call for Religious Freedom, When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. He was ordained an apostle on October 7, 2004, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley. One key realization is that for most faith communities, gathering for worship, ritual, and fellowship is essential; it is not merely an enjoyable social activity. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online. ". COVID-19 and Unprecedented Restrictions on Religious Exercise. I dont think it will ever go away. Heres why, Faith leaders, human rights activists seek solutions to religious freedoms image crisis, Churchs COVID-19 relief now the largest humanitarian aid project in its history, Even before the pandemic was declared, the global church response was underway, Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke in 2018, How Orrin Hatch protected people of faith, KSL Newsradio is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Through that gathering, we believe God will establish a people who are of one heart and one mind, who dwell together in righteousness and peace, and who love and care for each other so completely that no poor, spiritually or physically, are found among them. [13][14][15], Bednar married Susan Kae Robinson in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1975. In our understandable desire to combat COVID-19, we, too, as a society may have forgotten something about who we are and what is most precious. From natural disasters to a deadly pandemic sweeping the globe to a most pernicious social plague of racism, we are daily reminded that we need to awaken to the perilous times that surround us, come to ourselves, and arise and turn to our Divine Father, who desires to instruct and edify us through our trials. The home, which De Jong and his wife, Christina, bought this winter, resides in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., about 20 minutes from LECOM Park. Elder Bednar gave four reflections he has had on religious freedom. 1. Government power can never be unlimited. Elder Bednar said checks and balances such as the Constitution and the rule of law were created to help constrain government from absolute power. While liberty has limits, so does government authority. We have witnessed the governments swift, well-intentioned, but often dangerous breaching of the boundaries that protect the free exercise of religion. As we have just experienced, religious freedom can quickly be swept aside in the name of protecting other societal interests. De Jong plays the role of the bullpens pied piper, a practitioner of self-deprecating humor with ability to gauge and read people. He pointed to out-migration from parts of the western United States and in-migration from Mexico and Central America. Inability to do many things directed his focus to a few things of greatest importance. Doing so in the midst of COVID-19 sharpens our focus. Physical restrictions expanded his vision. Now is the time for us to heed the wake-up call, to remember, and to act. Reddit is a social news website where the registered users submit content, in the form of either a link or a text post. Do we hear the buzzer on the alarm clock? Ive always appreciated Chase for that.. We are confident that the best answers will not be found without listening to religious voices, and to sensitive experts often well placed to help translate religious insight into practical policy initiatives, said Cole Durham, president of the G20 Interfaith Forum Association, in a welcome letter to this weeks forum. The freedom of religion properly has been called our first freedom. With goodwill and a little creativity, ways can almost always be found to fulfill both societys needs and the imperative to protect religious freedom. He referred to empirical evidence dispelling the myth that religion inherently leads to violence, saying religion instead provides inspiration, discipline, transcendence, faith, hope and goodwill. I have confidence in the growth, Bednar said, but if you break it down state by state, that is a rapidly moving target., When asked about whether he could ever envision the church allowing LGBTQ couples to wed or be sealed within the church, the 69-year-old apostle did not directly respond but simply restated the faiths position on marriage that it is between a man and a woman, which is ordained of God., In answer to a query about his view of Banner, he alluded to all the works he cited in his formal presentation and then quipped, Given all the stuff I just described, who has time to watch programs on TV?. [x] He taught, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.[xi]. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax No other event in our lifetimeand perhaps no other event since the founding of this nationhas caused quite this kind of widespread disruption of religious gatherings and worship. Second reflection: Religious freedom is paramount among our fundamental rights. To a question about whether there will ever be a female president of the church, Bednar said, We follow the pattern of the ancient church. No one has a right to spread a dangerous virus, he said. Religious leaders can be helpful in the fight against the coronavirus.. We found 8 phone numbers and email addresses. Latest on Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher David Bednar including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN In Christianity, the God of the Old Testament came to His people in the flesh. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Policymakers who didnt account for the pivotal role of faith in peoples lives contributed to the crisis of legitimacy He believes in accountability, but he prides himself on being an advocate for mental health and is willing to lend an ear if needed. The first issue date is April 27, 2021. This is a most opportune time to consider together the importance of religious freedom. [vii] We believe that such a gathering is essential before the Messiah returns again.[viii]. This is a most opportune time to consider together the importance of religious freedom. In our political system, the government derives its just powers from the consent of the governed, to quote the Declaration of Independence. The Importance of Small and Simple and Ordinary Things, Exceedingly Valiant For Courage (Alma 53:20), Brigham Young University-Idaho: A Disciple Preparation Center (DPC), Ricks Building & Gardens Dedication Remarks, Whos on the Lords Side? The COVID-19 restrictions affected The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a unique way. He was ordained an apostle on October 7, 2004, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley. Bednar and Dieter F. Uchtdorf were called to fill the vacancies created by the July 2004 deaths of quorum members David B. Haight and Neal A. Maxwell. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Bednar is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Despite COVID-19 risks, North American jurisdictions declared as essential numerous services related to alcohol, animals, marijuana, and other concerns. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Elder David A. Bednar was born on June 15, 1952, in Oakland, California. June 17, 2020 at BYU Law School Annual Review of Religious Liberty. We can and must do better. The bullpen is such a tight-knit group, and we all look out for each other, said Bednar. [8][9], From 1980 to 1984, Bednar was an assistant professor of management at the University of Arkansas College of Business Administration (now Sam M. Walton College of Business). He told the G20 that religious freedom both protects other fundamental rights and promotes civic virtue and nurtures strong families. He goes, Dang, if you were staying in Tacoma, we were going to ask you to throw to [Daniel Vogelbach] in the Home Run Derby and try to get both of you guys some work, De Jong said. In his prepared remarks, he noted that women comprise the majority and lead the female Relief Society in 31,000 local congregations. WebDr. Donate to the newsroom now. It secures the space necessary to live with faith, integrity, and devotion. In his opening remarks to nearly 100 reporters at the prestigious venue and others watching online, Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gave an overview of the faiths beliefs and actions across the globe. Fourth reflection: In a time of crisis, sensitive tools are necessary to balance the demands of religious liberty with the just interests of society. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. The expiration date is February 6, 2022. 13 fun facts about Elder David A. Bednar.