History professor Paul Reeve has been appointed as the first Simmons Mormon Studies professor at the Utah of University, reported UNews.

As a Mormon Studies professor, Reeve will continue building “a digital database that names all identifiable black Mormons baptized into the faith between 1830 and 1930 and document their existence through primary source research,” the article stated.

“Because of the LDS church’s racial policy, from the 1850s to 1978, which restricted black male priesthood ordination and black male and female temple admission, public perception, both among Mormons and outsiders, sometimes suggests that there were no black Mormons until after 1978,” said Reeve.

But in the early days of the church, Mormons were often criticized for being too inclusive of blacks, wrote Reeve in a Huffington Post article.

“Black Saints were among the first to arrive in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and have been a part of the Mormon experience from its beginnings,” said Reeve. “The first documented black person to join this American-born faith was Black Pete, a former slave who was baptized in 1830, when the fledgling movement was less than a year old. Other blacks trickled in over the course of the 19th century and are woven into the Mormon story. At least two black men were ordained to the faith’s highest priesthood in its first two decades.

“Mormons were so inclusive in the 19th century that accusations from the outside tended to focus on the perception that they welcomed everyone. In an American culture that favored the segregation and exclusion of marginalized groups, the Mormons stood out.”

According to the Deseret News, the church's First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles received revelation in 1978 that extended “the blessings of the temple” to all worthy members of the church, in addition to priesthood ordination to all worthy males. However, church history on the subject can sometimes polarize its members, said Reeve in a fairmormon.org post.

View Comments

“For some, a messy historical record overpowers belief and convinces them to abandon their faith,” wrote Reeve. “Some even suggest that knowing the 'truth' about Mormon history undermines the very foundations of Mormonism and will inevitably lead any rational person with a devotion to empirical evidence outside the fold, never to return. Those who stay, according to this version of things, either ignore the evidence or are ignorant of it and ‘just believe.’”

But in studying these issues, Reeve, a member of the LDS Church, stated that his faith is strengthened.

“There are guiding principles that I employ to keep the intersections between my faith and my profession in check. In some circumstances, the tools of my profession provide intellectually satisfying answers, even to religious questions. In other instances, my faith offers compelling and spiritually fulfilling solutions to some of life’s most challenging problems," he said.

"Both have limitations as systems of comprehending the world. A healthy understanding of the limits of my profession helps to keep me grounded in my faith. A healthy understanding of the limits of faith helps to keep me grounded in my profession.”

Join the Conversation
Looking for comments?
Find comments in their new home! Click the buttons at the top or within the article to view them — or use the button below for quick access.