Primary sources regarding Church leaders' statements about organic evolution/David O McKay 1957

FAIR Answers—back to home page

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

47 East South Temple Street
Salt Lake City, Utah

DAVID O. McKAY, PRESIDENT
February 15, 1957

Professor William Lee Stokes
2970 South 15th East
Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Brother Stokes:

Your letter of February 11, 1957, has been received.

On the subject of organic evolution the Church has officially taken no position. The book "Man, His Origin and Destiny" [by Joseph Fielding Smith] was not published by the Church, and is not approved by the Church

The book contains expressions of the author's views for which he alone is responsible.

Sincerely your brother,
[signed] David O. McKay
(President)

On 18 October 1968, President McKay gave permission for the publication of this letter. It was published by William Lee Stokes, "An Official Position," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 12 no. 4 (Winter 1979), 90–92 , with commentary..