SCRIPTURE: “During Joseph Smith’s lifetime, a few black male members of the Church were ordained to the priesthood. Early in its history, Church leaders stopped conferring the priesthood on black males of African descent. Church records offer no clear insights into the origins of this practice.” -Doctrine and Covenants, Official Declaration 2. [source]
COMMENTARY: I’m not sure if they are saying that none of Brigham Young’s many discourses detailing exactly why blacks weren’t given the priesthood are “clear” enough or that none of his excuses are particularly insightful or just that the exact nature and timing of “the origins of this practice” are murky. It sounds like they are just hesitant to say that a prophet of God was just flat-out wrong. But what do I know? I’m just another apostate.
