Keynote 101: Richard P. Howard Lecture (7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 12)
Title: Making Peace with the Past: Community of Christ’s Response to New Mormon History by Lachlan E. Mackay
Abstract: Community of Christ members and leaders have had a complicated history with their history, sometimes embracing it, sometimes denying it, and sometimes doing both at the same time. The arrival of New Mormon History in the second half of the 20th century challenged many foundational myths, making the relationship even more complex. It has been a long, slow, and at times painful process, but the first decades of the 21st century have seen significant progress made as the church makes peace with its past.
Biographical Sketch: Lachlan E. Mackay is a past president of the John Whitmer Historical Association and now serves in Community of Christ’s Council of Twelve Apostles where he oversees the Northeast USA Mission Field. Additional assignments include serving as the Director of Historic Sites and lead for the Church History and Sacred Story Team.
A native of Independence, Missouri, Lach received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Russian Area Studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His past publications have focused on Kirtland Temple, the Smith family properties in Nauvoo, and the visual image of Joseph Smith, including most recently extensive work on the Smith Larsen daguerreotype
