The winner of the play in game was Sterling McMurrin who beat Clarissa Williams 61-39, obviously indicating that the church in the next century will devote less money to helping the helpless and more to pursuing a systematic understanding of Mormon Doctrine and belief.
On to today’s combatants!
1. Gordon B. Hinckley vs. 16. Anthon Lund
[poll=97]
Gordon B. Hinckley was the 15th president of the LDS church. He established the Perpetual Education Fund. He spread temple worship to new places. He even made 60 Minutes and Larry King Live seem relevant! He was dynamo.
Anthon Lund was a member of the First Presidency from 1901 to 1921. He was a Danish Apostle and his diaries make up a great resource for studying an important transitional period in the church. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, he kept the remains of a murderer in his barn for many years.
2. James Talmage vs. 15. Marlin K. Jensen
[poll=98]
James Talmage was a prolific author and an apostle. He wrote (or influenced) several important theological works for Mormonism. His efforts to systematize and rationalize Mormon Doctrine is the groundwork for almost all modern Mormon theological investigation. Take that, Bro. Pratt!
Marlin K. Jensen is a current member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is the current Church Historian. He is a Democrat and, for some reason, an occasional spokesperson for the Church. Finally, he appears to be a really good interview.
3. Stephen Robinson vs. 14. Elaine Jack
[poll=99]
I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike! Bro. Robinson is one of a group of LDS scholars who brought the notion of grace into prominence with Mormon theological circles after a period of some regret. He is also partially responsible for whatever form of rapprochement we currently enjoy with the evangelicals out there.
Sis. Elaine Jack was the 12th president of the Relief Society, from 1990 to 1997. She also began a church wide literacy project. However, she is best remembered for her decision to call Sis. Okazaki to the presidency, introducing her to a wide church audience.
4. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich vs. 13. D. Michael Quinn
[poll=100]
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is the James Duncan Phillips Professor of Early American History at Harvard. She has one a Pulitzer Prize in History and has been a MacArthur Fellow. Also, she seems to have things to say about women and history. Don’t be a hater!
D. Michael Quinn is the among the most famous and the least successful of the practioners of New Mormon History. He writes interesting books that place Mormon history in a local and interesting context. This means, of course, that he cannot get hired anywhere. Will someone please give this man a job? This is just embarassing.
5. Heber J. Grant vs. 12. Hugh B Brown
[poll=101]
Heber J. Grant is the longest sitting President of the Church in the 20th century. He was the first to use the radio to address members of the church. He strengthened modern prohibitions regarding plural marriage and the word of wisdom. He instituted the welfare programs of the church. He was an awful, awful singer.
Hugh B. Brown continues the unfortunate association of the church with Canadians (Hi Steve!). He was a counselor for President David O McKay and, interestingly, not for President Joseph Fielding Smith. He called repeatedly for the repeal of the prohibition on blacks holding the priesthood in his lifetime. It is often argued that his politics were a tad to the left of his contemporaries in the Quorum of the Twelve.
6. Helvecio Martins vs. 11. Neal A. Maxwell
[poll=102]
Helvecio Martins was a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy from 1990 to 1995. He was a self-made man in Brazil. He worked to help the completion of the Sao Paulo temple before the 1978 revelation. I’m going to stop now before Margaret shows up and points out all the things I should have pointed out.
Neal A. Maxwell was an awesome apostle who anchored an apostolic aggregate of amazing…um…alliteration. People liked his metaphors, his personal aura, and his explanation of the nature and sacrifice of discipleship. Also, I blame the church’s CS Lewis fetish entirely on him. Finally, I firmly believe that James Bond’s friend Felix Unger was based entirely on Elder Maxwell.
7. Naomi Randall vs. 10. Lowell Bennion
[poll=103]
Without Naomi Randall, what would your (and probably everyone else’s) default family home evening hymn be? Or more importantly, would be all be tempted to choose the left?
Lowell Bennion was an academic and humanitarian. He was a director of the Institute at the University of Utah. He was instrumental in the foundation of various humanitarian organizations in SLC.
8. Minerva Teichert vs. 9. Fawn Brodie
[poll=104]
Minerva Teichert was one of those early twentieth century artists sent to the east to learn art. I love it, personally, especially her work in the Manti Temple (should you ever go). Of her, President Hinckley has said, “You could tell a Minerva Teichert painting if you bumped into it in China.” I am not sure if that is a compliment.
Fawn Brodie was the niece of President David O McKay and the author of the most famous biography of Joseph Smith (recent efforts to replace it notwithstanding). She also had something to say about Thomas Jefferson’s sleeping habits. Will someone please just tell her to lay off our beloved and mythologized American legends? Please? Stop her before she writes a biography exposing Gramma Moses as a gun-running transexual of something!
Please vote above and comment below.
March 21, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I voted for all the favorites. That said, I was surprised at how my five minutes of internet research skills failed me here. President Grant’s excommunication of the polygamists at Short Creek is only mentioned in the wikipedia article (in any sort of condensible version). I found very little at all to confirm President Brown’s political leanings. Also, sadly, no pictures of Bro. Robinson riding a bike.
March 21, 2008 at 2:16 pm
It would be more interesting to use the rankings for matchups but not publish them…
March 21, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I voted for Marlin Jensen over Talmage, even though I’ve never read anything by Jensen, other than the occasional newpaper interview.
However, I see him in a position as church historian of being able to impact the 21st century church more than the theological works of Talmage, who was so influential in the 20th century. Plus, I just love the man. And in direct contradiction of church policy about telling stories about GA’s, I have to tell on one Elder Jensen. He served as a regional representative prior to his calling as a 70, and was assigned to our area in Davis County, so we got to hear him frequently.
However, shortly after his call to the 70, he and Pres. (then Elder) Packer came to our Kaysville stake conference. In an odd sequencing, Pres. Packer spoke first in the Saturday evening session, and ripped on us for being late to the meeting (arriving after 6:45 for a meeting that started at 7 PM), and generally called us to repentance for many things. Elder Jensen followed him as the concluding speaker, and spent the majority of his talk building us back up again, telling us how much our work in the church was appreciated, and making us feel good again. I’ll always love him for that.
March 21, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Some of them were a draw on the question as to which one would exert more influence on the church in the 21st century, so, in those cases, I simply voted for my favorite.
You are joking about Brodie, right? She has been dead since I was a little kid, right?
March 21, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Some tough calls here.
March 21, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Ditto on Kevinf’s reasoning on Talmage v Jensen. Talmage has had an immense impact, but Jensen has more potential as far as timing going into the 21st century.
March 21, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Fools. Talmage should win this thing.
March 21, 2008 at 3:07 pm
As much as I love Jensen, I have a hard time thinking that he is more influential than Talmage until he writes a book which is read by almost every single missionary.
March 21, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Someone explain for me the Brown over Grant vote.
March 21, 2008 at 3:18 pm
GBH vs. Anthon Lund? That’s not a very fair fight. Are there the equivalents of weight classes in this competition?
March 21, 2008 at 3:19 pm
“Will have more influence” – I voted for Jensen, since I believe his influence has only just begun.
I also voted for Martins. As much as I loved Maxwell, I don’t see nearly as much 21st Century influence in what he did as in what Martins did.
March 21, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I think, Ben, Jensen will probably be more influential because he controls so much of the archives which will affect how history is written which will, in part, determine our narrative and theology. Having said that though I think most of the history is now getting written and it’s Hinkley more than anyone who is affecting the 21st century. I’d argue that the only three people more influential in the 20th century to Hinkley are Grant, Joseph F. Smith, and McConkie. (Yes, I know McKay would get a vote by some, but I’d put him in 4th place simply because so much was already set in motion)
March 21, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Stapley, “Fools mock, but they shall mourn”. No, I actually just think that Talmage’s prime impact was the 20th century, whereas Jensen’s will be the 21st, as he is more likely to be an agent of change in his current position. Overall, as to ultimate and total impact on Mormonism, Talmage would win, at least now. But I took the title at it’s word, who would have more impact on 21st century Mormonism.
But if feels kinda creepy to disagree with you, even when sincerely convinced of my rightness!
March 21, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Clark, I do agree that there is massive potential for Jensens influence. But, as you point out, that influence can also be spread elsewhere. I guess the same could be said for Talmage, but it seems his work helped champion the common view of Christ for the Church.
However, you do have a point that his influence was mostly the 20th century. I guess I have a hard time getting out of the past.
March 21, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Kevinf, but Jensen is primarily a 21st century figure. What did he do in the 20th Century that effected the 21st?
The top three in this competition are JFS, Talmage and Grant. Period.
March 21, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I thought Laurel Thatcher Ulrich was a great inclusion, even though I couldn’t vote for her because I’m not sure what her effect on Mormonism is/will be. I think she’s a great model of a Mormon academic (and just a plain great historian). If we could churn out thousands of her, she would have had my vote. But I just don’t see people discussing her views on the church the way they do those of Michael Quinn. Bummer, and sorry, LTU.
March 21, 2008 at 4:02 pm
J., aren’t you mis-stating the question?
March 21, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Stapley, Jensen was born in the 20th century, and became a GA then. Still, the creepiness persists.
March 21, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I had to vote for Martins, too. His son was a missionary in my ward in FL when I was a teenager. (This was the early 90’s.) His son was kind of an arrogant jerk, but as the first black missionary the mission ever had he really reached out to blacks in the community and showed them that the church wasn’t just for “white” people. And the son wouldn’t have been there if not for the father.
March 21, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I hope Jensen’s influence is only just beginning.
March 21, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I’m not sure about most influential, but Jensen hands-down wins my favorite recent conference talk: “Friendship: A Gospel Principle”
March 21, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Amen to Tracy M. It’s very hard to vote between a dead guy and a living one. I have a strong sense (I didn’t say “an impression”) that Elder Jensen is on the cusp of remarkable things. I had to vote for Talmage TODAY because of _Jesus the Christ_, but I hope that in twenty years, when this poll is resurrected, I will vote for Elder Jensen.
March 21, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I think Heber J. Grants influence is more closely tied to the 20th Century.
March 24, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Margaret Young (hello): I hope that in twenty years when this poll is resurrected… I will be, too, and will vote for Elder Talmage, …..or for Elder Jensen. I love them both.