Mormon podcaster, known for airing dissent and doubt, faces church discipline

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) John Dehlin, known to support same-sex marriage and the Ordain Women movement, said he expects "either disfellowshipment (i.e., official censure) or excommunication."

John Dehlin, creator of MormonStories.org, is facing possible excommunication for his stance on LGBT Mormons.
John Dehlin, creator of MormonStories.org, is facing possible excommunication for his stance on LGBT Mormons.

John Dehlin, creator of MormonStories.org, is facing possible excommunication for his stance on LGBT Mormons.

SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) John Dehlin, founder of a popular podcast for Mormon doubters and dissenters, has spent the past six months chronicling his critiques of the LDS Church and waiting to hear if those might cost him his membership.

Now, he’s a step close to knowing. Leaders from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Logan, Utah, summoned the host of “Mormon Stories” to a Jan. 25 disciplinary hearing to answer allegations of apostasy.


“I have been informed that the likely outcome of the disciplinary council will be either disfellowshipment (i.e., official censure) or excommunication (i.e., termination of my membership),” Dehlin said in a news release Thursday (Jan. 15).

Dehlin said his LDS stake president, Bryan King, who oversees a number of Mormon congregations in the Cache Valley, outlined reasons for the charges. They included: the podcast, which explores “difficult historical and cultural issues” within the religion; Dehlin’s public support for same-sex marriage and the Ordain Women movement; his “publicly expressed doubts regarding key elements of orthodox LDS history and theology;” and his criticism of the Utah-based faith’s approach to gays, feminists and intellectuals.

In the LDS Church, discipline typically is handled by local lay clergy, not directed from church headquarters in Salt Lake City. It is considered a matter between members and their immediate ecclesiastical leaders.

When asked to comment on Dehlin’s impending hearing, LDS Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said, “We respect the privacy of individuals, and don’t publicly discuss the reasons why a member faces church discipline. Those reasons are provided to a member by their local church leaders.”

Hawkins added that it was his “understanding” that the reasons for the charge had been “clearly spelled out in letters to John Dehlin.”

“In the interest of honesty and transparency,” Hawkins said, “he may choose to make those letters public.”


Dehlin did, in fact, release three of King’s letters, including one from Aug. 7, explaining that, to remain in the fold, he would have to:

  • “Publicly renounce and apologize for the false concepts you have widely expressed regarding God, Jesus Christ, the Atonement, the restoration of the gospel and the Book of Mormon.
  • “Cease providing a public forum for any person who is critical of church doctrine.
  • “Stop promoting groups or organizations that espouse doctrines contrary to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • “Resign your status as an ordained minister of another faith.”

Dehlin had signed up to be a minister with the Universal Life Church, a website that allowed him to perform marriages; he has since resigned from it.

Dehlin has faced possible church sanctions on and off for 10 years.

Kate Kelly, founder of the Ordain Women movement, is facing possible excommunication for her views on gender inequality in the Mormon Church.

Kate Kelly, founder of the Ordain Women movement, is facing possible excommunication for her views on gender inequality in the Mormon Church.

Last June, LDS leaders in Virginia excommunicated Kate Kelly, who founded Ordain Women to push for female inclusion in Mormonism’s all-male priesthood, for “conduct contrary to the laws and order of the church.”

At that time, Dehlin’s Utah leader threatened him with church discipline, too, but delayed any action to continue talks with the podcaster.

“Ordain Women stands in solidarity with John Dehlin while he faces excommunication,” Kelly wrote on the group’s website Thursday, “as he has long been a staunch ally to and supporter of women seeking priesthood ordination.”


(Peggy Fletcher Stack writes for The Salt Lake Tribune.)

KRE END STACK

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!