Bradley R. Wilcox Explained

Brad Wilcox
Alma Mater:Brigham Young University, B.S., M.Ed.
University of Wyoming, PhD
Occupation:Professor
Employer:Brigham Young University
Spouse:Deborah G. Gunnell
Children:4

Bradley Ray Wilcox (born December 25, 1959) is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University (BYU) and has been a counselor in the Young Men general presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since April 2020.

He is the author of several books, most notably The Continuous Atonement. He often speaks at various events of the LDS Church and served on its Sunday School General Board.[1]

Early life and career

Wilcox was raised in Provo, Utah and, for a time, lived in Ethiopia. He served as a missionary for the LDS Church in the Chile Viña del Mar Mission, where he wrote the mission song.[2] [3] He attended BYU, graduating with a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1985.[4] Wilcox then worked as a sixth-grade teacher in Provo. He later earned a master's degree in teaching and learning, also from BYU. Wilcox received a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wyoming in "curriculum and instruction with a focus in literacy." He then became a professor at BYU, first in the Teacher Education Department, and later in the Department of Ancient Scripture.[5]

LDS Church service

He has served in multiple capacities within the LDS Church, including scout leader, bishop, member of the Sunday School General Board, and as president of the Chile Santiago East Mission from 2003 to 2006. In 2007, he was called as a counselor in the presidency of the BYU 4th Stake.[6] Wilcox has often been a speaker at such Church Educational System programs as Especially for Youth, BYU Education Week, and the BYU Women's Conference.[7] His speech given at BYU, His Grace is Sufficient,[8] is "the most viewed speech of all time among BYU speeches,[9] and has more than 400,000 views on YouTube," according to Deseret News.[10] On April 4, 2020, Wilcox was called as second counselor to Steven J. Lund in the LDS Church's Young Men general presidency.[11] In April 2023, Wilcox was called as first counselor to Lund.[12]

Controversial speech

On February 6, 2022, Wilcox delivered a devotional speech for the youth in Alpine, Utah (which was recorded on Zoom and widely shared on social media) and was subsequently criticized for its racial implications in his efforts to describe a point on faith in God's timing.[13] He issued an apology the next day.[14] After subsequent discussions with several African-American friends, including Ahmad S. Corbitt, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Wilcox issued a second apology during a youth devotional the following Sunday.[15] Reporter Jana Riess stated that Wilcox's speech and scornful tone revealed that he "felt disdainful toward women" and believed that "God is a racist", and that his subsequent "not-quite-apologies" did not go far enough.[16] Videos have surfaced of at least two other instances of Wilcox making similar speeches downplaying the concerns of latter-day saints over the priesthood and temple ban against Black members of the church.[17]

Personal life

Wilcox married Deborah G. Gunnell and they are the parents of four children. She is a registered nurse and served a mission in Guatemala.

Works

Books written by Wilcox include The Continuous Atonement, The Best Kept Secrets of Parenting, and Raising Ourselves to the Bar. He has also written articles on how to encourage children to read.[18]

Articles

Books

Children's books

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brad Wilcox Archives . 2020-03-12 . BYU Speeches . en-US.
  2. Shill, Aaron. "23 years later, speaker remains young at heart", Deseret News, 28 February 2008. Retrieved on 12 April 2021.
  3. http://www.thebairs.net/media/BG_HYMN.pdf "La Viña Del Señor"
  4. Web site: Brad Wilcox . live . 2020-03-12 . religion.byu.edu. https://web.archive.org/web/20160708183737/https://religion.byu.edu/brad_wilcox . 2016-07-08 .
  5. Galieti, Nick. "What is Grace?", Latter-day Saint Perspective, 28 September 2016. Retrieved on 14 April 2021.
  6. https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2007-04-14/new-stake-presidents-30275 "New stake presidents"
  7. https://magazine.byu.edu/article/a-rabbi-priest-or-teacher/ "A Rabbi, Priest, or Teacher"
  8. Web site: His Grace is Sufficient - Brad Wilcox - BYU Speeches . BYU Speeches.
  9. Web site: Devotionals, Forums, Commencement Addresses.
  10. Web site: Toone . Trent . 2017-03-22 . What started out as a BYU devotional talk has become a new book on 'grace' for author Brad Wilcox (+video) . 2020-03-12 . Deseret News . en.
  11. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "Former Utah Valley University president joins LDS Church’s general authority ranks", The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 April 2020. Retrieved on 14 April 2021.
  12. Web site: New Young Women general presidency sustained, along with a change in Young Men presidency counselors . Church News . 11 April 2023 . en . 1 April 2023.
  13. Web site: KUTV . Victoria Hill & Daniel Woodruff . 2022-02-07 . Latter-day Saint leader Brad Wilcox apologizes for comments about race . 2022-02-08 . KUTV.
  14. Web site: 2022-02-08 . LDS Church leader apologizes after making controversial statement in youth meeting . 2022-02-09 . ABC4 Utah . en-US.
  15. Web site: Jensen . Jon Ryan . 2022-02-14 . Brother Wilcox offers a 2nd apology for 'insensitive and hurtful' comments . 2022-02-15 . The Church News.
  16. News: Riess . Jana . Jana Riess: LDS leader Brad Wilcox's apology for racist remarks does not go far enough . The Salt Lake Tribune . 16 Feb 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220219185128/https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/02/16/jana-riess-lds-leader/. 19 Feb 2022. live.
  17. News: Chow . Vivian . More videos released of a LDS Church leader making controversial race statements . ABC4 . Nexstar Media Inc..
  18. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27542311 Alisa Morgan; Bradley R. Wilcox; J. Lloyd Eldredge, "Effect of Difficulty Levels on Second-Grade Delayed Readers Using Dyad Reading" in The Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 94, no. 2, DNov-Dec 2000, p. 113-119
  19. Toone, Trent. "Author Brad Wilcox writes about becoming a more faithful Christian", Deseret News, 12 April 2014. Retrieved on 14 April 2021.

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