Jason's review

David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism
by Gregory A Prince

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/373460.David_O_McKay_and_the_Rise_of_Modern_Mormonism?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174258306m/373460.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/373460.David_O_McKay_and_the_Rise_of_Modern_Mormonism?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/212963.Gregory_A_Prince">Gregory A Prince</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8295765?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 5 of 5 stars I would say this is a must read for all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but some may have a hard time with it. The book does not present the the caricature version of a prophet that you may have been taught in Primary. For President McKay's testimony and teachings, see the priesthood-Relief Society manual. This book is less a biography of the man and more a history of the Church in the middle of the 20th century.
 
 The book sheds light on topics as titillating as the priesthood ban, evolution, Fawn Brodie, the missionary "baseball baptism" scandals, Ezra Taft Benson's liason with the John Birch Society, and on and on and on.
 
 What you see in this history is how God can do remarkable works through imperfect mortals. The book also helped me to see that the views of the "brethren" are not as homogoneous as I had once supposed. If there is room for such divergent opinions within the Council of the Twelve, perhaps we should tolerate a bit more divergence among ourselves. The core is always unwavering, but there are many principles on the periphery that the Lord has not yet answered for us.
 
 Before you rely on Bruce R. McKonkie's "Mormon Doctrine" or political conservatism as gospel, read this book. You might find that the brethren have some opinions themselves.
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/580941?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Jason's review
rating:

bookshelves: churchy-stuff
recommended for: the Moderate Mormon
status: Read in June, 2007

I would say this is a must read for all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but some may have a hard time with it. The book does not present the the caricature version of a prophet that you may have been taught in Primary. For President McKay's testimony and teachings, see the priesthood-Relief Society manual. This book is less a biography of the man and more a history of the Church in the middle of the 20th century.

The book sheds light on topics as titillating as the priesthood ban, evolution, Fawn Brodie, the missionary "baseball baptism" scandals, Ezra Taft Benson's liason with the John Birch Society, and on and on and on.

What you see in this history is how God can do remarkable works through imperfect mortals. The book also helped me to see that the views of the "brethren" are not as homogoneous as I had once supposed. If there is room for such divergent opinions within the Council of the Twelve, perhaps we should tolerate a ...more

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