Russell M. Nelson, the 17th president of the Mormon church, died Saturday at 101. Ask his congregants what they’ll remember most about him, and they’ll likely say something about his emphasis on peacemaking in contentious times. For the extra-fallen souls who work in journalism, however, he leaves behind a peculiar legacy.
Shortly after he became head of the church in 2018, Nelson, a former cardiac surgeon, insisted on a “correction”: Neither the moniker “Mormon” nor the initials “LDS” were to be used to refer to the church or its members. He said that using the institution’s full name, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “is not negotiable.” Nelson expected everyone, especially the media, to follow suit.
Read Full Article »