Three months after the initial questioning, "60 Minutes" will air Mike Wallace's interview with LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley on Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS/Ch. 2.
"Mike asks some tough questions, but essentially it tells people who don't know much about the Mormon Church more about it," said a CBS spokesman.Wallace's interview with President Hinckley is part of a larger story about the church. Others interviewed include businessman Bill Marriott, NFL quarterback Steve Young, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Steve Benson, an outspoken critic of the LDS Church.
In the interview, President Hinckley agrees that his is a "demanding" religion. "And that's one of the things that attracts people to this church" he says. "It stands as an anchor in a world of shifting values."
The church president and the reporter discuss those demands, including the Word of Wisdom and tithing. Other topics include missions, temple garments, the church's international outlook and the church's past, present and future.
There's also discussion of the church's finances, including the "billions" Wallace says the church is "said" to take in every year and the extensive building program for chapels around the world.
And while Benson is allowed to criticize the church, Wallace allows President Hinckley to refute that criticism.
The segment also spends time with Hatch, who talks about the LDS affinity for Jews. And Young discusses his search for a wife and his desire to serve a mission.
"By and large, it's an in-depth look at the church as told by its most promiment members," said the spokesman.