Richard G. Hinckley

Richard G. Hinckley
First Quorum of the Seventy
April 2, 2005 (2005-04-02) – October 1, 2011 (2011-10-01)
Called by Gordon B. Hinckley
End reason Granted general authority emeritus status
Emeritus General Authority
October 1, 2011 (2011-10-01) – incumbent
Called by Thomas S. Monson
Personal details
Born Richard Gordon Hinckley
May 2, 1941 (1941-05-02) (age 70)
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Richard Gordon Hinckley (born May 2, 1941) has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 2005. In 2011, he became an emeritus general authority. He is the son of Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the fifteenth President of the Church.

Contents

Early life, mission, education

Hinckley was born in Salt Lake City and was raised in East Millcreek, Utah. When Richard was 16 years old, his father was called as a general authority of the church. From 1961 to 1963, Hinckley served as a missionary of the church in the Central German Mission. While serving in Germany, his father was ordained an apostle and became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Following his missionary service, Hinckley obtained a degree in economics from the University of Utah and an MBA from Stanford University.

Church service

Prior to his call as a general authority, Hinckley was a bishop (twice), a stake president and was a member of two other stake presidencies. Hinckley's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were also stake presidents in the church. Hinckley also served as a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple. From 2001 to 2004, Hinckley was the president of the Utah Salt Lake City Mission of the church.

General authority

At the April 2005 general conference of the church, Hinckley was accepted by the church as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. His father, who was President of the Church at the time, preemptively disavowed any involvement his son's calling in a sermon given later that day:

I make it clear that I did not advance his name. That was done by others whose right it was to do so. I feel extremely sensitive about the matter of nepotism. As the lawyers say, I recused myself from participating. However, I believe he is worthy and qualified in every respect. In the first place, he had a great and wonderful mother. I wish I could recommend his father.
I mention this only because of my sensitivity concerning the matter of nepotism. Please do not hold it against him for his relationship to me. He’s powerless to help it.[1]

When Richard Hinckley delivered his first general conference sermon a year later, he joked that he "was likely the only General Authority in the history of the Church to be sustained by the members in spite of a disclaimer by the prophet!"[2]

On October 1, 2011, Hinckley was released from the First Quorum of the Seventy and given general authority emeritus status at the LDS Church's semi-annual general conference.[3]

Family

Hinckley married Jane Freed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1967; the couple have four children.

Notes

  1. ^ Gordon B. Hinckley, “Gambling,” Ensign, May 2005, 58.
  2. ^ Richard G. Hinckley, “Repentance, a Blessing of Membership,” Ensign, May 2006, 48.
  3. ^ "Honorable releases given to 12 brethren". Church News (Deseret News Publishing Company). 1 October 2011. http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/61514/Honorable-releases-given-to-12-brethren.html. Retrieved 1 October 2011. 

References

External links

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1. Emeritus general authorities are individuals who have been released from active duties as general authorities. However, they remain general authorities of the church until their death. Most living emeritus general authorities are former members of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
2. Patriarch emeritus and former Patriarch to the Church; Smith is the oldest living general authority and the only emeritus general authority who was not a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.