College to study LDS Church

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will become the subject of intensive scholarly study at one Southern California university, where officials hope to create a chair of religious studies as the focal point for examining the faith's history, people and traditions.

Karen Torjesen, dean of religious studies at Claremont Graduate University's School of Religion, confirmed to the Deseret Morning News that efforts are under way to create a chair of Mormon studies at the secular university — the first such attempt in the nation outside the Beehive State.

Utah State University announced several months ago that it had secured funding for an endowed chair as an integral part of a new religious studies emphasis there. The scholarly study of LDS history has been a staple there since the late LDS historian Leonard Arrington donated his papers to the school.

Torjesen declined to provide specifics regarding the Claremont chair or the direct involvement of top LDS leaders. But one source told the News there was widespread support for the effort and the chair likely would be named in honor of late church President Howard W. Hunter, immediate predecessor to current President Gordon B. Hinckley.

The school has formed several councils to help scholars accurately explore various faiths, including Islam, Judaism, Orthodox Christianity, Protestantism, Catholicism, some Eastern faiths and Mormonism. The chair in LDS studies would be one of five new chairs in religious studies the school is seeking to establish.

Torjesen said although there is no specific timetable for the fund raising and subsequent creation of LDS-focused coursework to accompany the chair, she hopes feasibility studies will be finished next year.

She said the school's Council for the Study of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of LDS leaders, including academics, lay leaders and interested community members, as well as faculty from the School of Religion.

The council advises the school on the needs of the LDS community, consults regarding development of courses and programs and will assist in sponsoring lectures and conferences.

Past attempts to establish venues for the academic study of the LDS Church in Utah have met with mixed reaction among residents of Utah County, where Utah Valley State College has been working for at least five years to explore the topic in a scholarly way. The school has dealt with concern from some residents that a scholarly examination of the faith could potentially evolve into Mormon-bashing and an attempt to undermine the religious faith of UVSC students, the majority of whom are LDS.