William Dean Russell (born 1938) is an American historian focusing on the history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Russell taught at Graceland University for forty-one years, retiring as a professor of history in 2007. He has been a civil rights activist since the 1960s, championing the causes of equality for all regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.William D. Russell, ed., ''Homosexual Saints: The Community of Christ Experience'' (John Whitmer Books, Independence, Missouri: 2008), 264. A member of the

Community of Christ The Community of Christ, known from 1872 to 2001 as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS), is an American-based international church, and is the second-largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement. The churc ...

, Russell is one of the activists and leaders credited with the church's progressive transformation in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Academic career

Russell graduated from Graceland in 1960. He later received a masters of divinity (M.Div.) from the Saint Paul School of Theology and a J.D. from the University of Iowa. Russell served as editor of ''Courage: A Journal of History, Thought, and Action'' throughout its entire run from 1970 to 1973. He was a founding member of the John Whitmer Historical Association and has served as the organization's president (1977) and executive secretary (1979–81). He also served as editor of the ''John Whitmer Historical Association Journal'' (1984–85). Russell was one of the original three Community of Christ historians to join the Mormon History Association and he later served as president of that organization. Russell's first book ''Treasure in Earthen Vessels an Introduction to the New Testament'' was published in 1966 by

Herald Publishing House Herald House or Herald Publishing House is the publishing division of Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri. It publishes books, periodicals and other materials at the direction of the First Presidency. Its history dates to the publication ...

. Since that time his research on the Latter Day Saint movement has been published widely in journals, but the only book-length study that has appeared is his 2008 edited volume, ''Homosexual Saints: The Community of Christ Experience''.

Social activism

Russell became active in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and was co-founder of the Independence, Missouri, chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE). As editor of ''Courage,'' in the early 1970s, Russell advocated women's ordination to the priesthood of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now

). This policy change became a reality when women began to be ordained in 1985. Also as editor of ''Courage,'' Russell advocated that the RLDS Church abandon lineal succession in the office of Prophet-President.William D. Russell, "Needed: A New Method of Succession," ''Courage: A Journal of History, Thought, and Action'' Vol. 2, No. 1 (September 1971): 326. This policy change became a reality with the ordination of

W. Grant McMurray W. Grant McMurray (born July 12, 1947) was Prophet-President of Community of Christ from 1996 until 2004. He was the first non-descendant of Joseph Smith to head the church, and under his administration, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of ...

in 1996. In recent years Russell has advocated for full participation of gay, lesbian, transsexual, and transgender members in the Community of Christ. In recognition of his work,

Affirmation Affirmation or affirm may refer to: Logic * Affirmation, a declaration that something is true * In logic, the union of the subject and predicate of a proposition Law * Affirmation (law), a declaration made by and allowed to those who conscienti ...

awarded its 2011 Affirmation Allies Award to Russell and his wife Lois.

Published scholarship

* William D. Russell, "A Further Inquiry into the Historicity of the Book of Mormon," ''Sunstone'' (September–October 1982): 20. * William D. Russell, "History and the Mormon Scriptures," ''Journal of Mormon History'' Vol. 10 (1983): 53. * William D. Russell, "Beyond Literalism," ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,'' Vol. 19, No. 1 (Spring 1986): 57. * William D. Russell, "The RLDS Church and Biblical Criticism: The Early Response," ''John Whitmer Historical Association Journal'' Vol. 7 (1987): 62. * William D. Russell, "'It Just Wasn't Working': The Fragmentation of the Reorganized Church" ''John Whitmer Historical Association Journal'' Nauvoo Conference Special Edition (2002): 7. * William D. Russell, "A Brief History of the John Whitmer Historical Association" ''John Whitmer Historical Association Journal'' Nauvoo Conference Special Edition (2002): 147. * William D. Russell, "Ordaining Women and the Transformation from Sect to Denomination," ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'' Vol. 36, No. 3 (Fall 2003): 61. * William D. Russell, "Grant McMurray and the Succession Crisis in the Community of Christ," ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,'' Vol. 39, No. 4 (Winter 2006): 27. * William D. Russell, "Blaming the Victim: The Miscarriage of Justice in the Case of Alice Lundgren," ''John Whitmer Historical Association Journal'' Vol. 27 (2007): 139.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, William D. 1938 births 21st-century American historians 21st-century American male writers Historians of the Latter Day Saint movement LGBTQ and Mormonism Living people American LGBTQ rights activists American members of the Community of Christ Graceland University alumni Graceland University faculty Saint Paul School of Theology alumni University of Iowa alumni American male non-fiction writers