Paul Toscano
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The September Six were six members of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
(LDS Church) who were
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...
or disfellowshipped by the church in September 1993, allegedly for publishing scholarly work against or criticizing church doctrine or leadership. The term "September Six" was coined by ''
The Salt Lake Tribune ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." History ...
'' and was used in the
media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...
and subsequent discussion. The church's action was referred to by some as evidence of an
anti-intellectual Anti-intellectualism is hostility to and mistrust of intellect, intellectuals, and intellectualism, commonly expressed as deprecation of education and philosophy and the dismissal of art, literature, history, and science as impractical, politica ...
posture on the part of church leadership.


Six Individuals


Lynne Kanavel Whitesides

Lynne Kanavel Whitesides is a Mormon feminist and is noted for speaking on the Mother in Heaven. Whitesides was the first of the group to experience church discipline and was disfellowshipped September 14, 1993. Though technically still a member, Whitesides claims that she "exploded" out of the church and her marriage in 1993, and she now considers herself a practitioner of Native American philosophies.


Avraham Gileadi

Avraham Gileadi Avraham Gileadi (; born October 24, 1940) is a Dutch-born American scholar specializing in the Hebrew language and analysis of the ''Book of Isaiah''. A longtime professor at Brigham Young University, he was one of the "September Six" of promine ...
is a Hebrew scholar and literary analyst, who is considered theologically conservative. Following his 1981 Ph.D. in ancient studies from
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...
, he published a new interpretive translation of the
Book of Isaiah The Book of Isaiah ( ) is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and the first of the Major Prophets in the Christian Old Testament. It is identified by a superscription as the words of the 8th-century BC prophet Isaiah ben Amo ...
in 1988 and a study of its eschatological prophecies in 1991. Mormon scholars, including
Hugh Nibley Hugh Winder Nibley (March 27, 1910 – February 24, 2005) was an American scholar and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who was a professor at Brigham Young University (BYU) for nearly 50 years. He was a prolif ...
,
Truman G. Madsen Truman Grant Madsen (December 13, 1926 – May 28, 2009) was an American professor of religion and philosophy at Brigham Young University (BYU) and director of the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. He was a pro ...
and
Ellis Rasmussen Ellis Theo Rasmussen (September 21, 1915 – June 6, 2011) was an American professor and dean of Religious Instruction at Brigham Young University (BYU). He helped produce the edition of the Bible published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter ...
, praised his work, but his argument that the Isaiah prophecies pointed to a human "Davidic king" who would emerge in the
Last Days Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of Contemporary era, present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic and non-Abrah ...
, apart from Jesus Christ, was controversial, and his second book was pulled from the shelves by its publisher, church-owned
Deseret Book Deseret Book () is an American publishing company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation (DMC), th ...
. The reasons for his excommunication on September 15 are unclear. According to Margaret Toscano (whose husband was among the September Six and who would also later be excommunicated), Gileadi's "books interpreting Mormon scripture challenged the exclusive right of leaders to define doctrine," but Gileadi himself disputes that characterization. In 1996, Gileadi was rebaptized into the church after a second
membership council In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a church membership council (formerly called a disciplinary council) is an ecclesiastical event during which a church member's status is considered, typically for alleged violations ...
, conducted by his
stake president A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in certain denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The name "stake" derives from the Book of Isaiah: "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine ha ...
. As with all LDS Church rebaptisms, the original disciplinary action was expunged from the church's records, and is now treated as if it never happened. Gileadi is currently an active member of the church.


Paul Toscano

Paul Toscano is a Salt Lake City attorney who co-authored, with Margaret Merrill Toscano, a controversial book, ''Strangers in Paradox: Explorations in Mormon Theology'' (1990), and in 1992, he co-founded The Mormon Alliance. He later wrote the book'' The Sanctity of Dissent'' (1994) and its sequel, ''The Sacrament of Doubt'' (2007). He was excommunicated from the LDS Church on September 19, 1993. The reasons for his excommunication, as reportedly given by church leaders, were apostasy and false teaching. According to Toscano, the actual reason was insubordination in refusing to curb his sharp criticism of Church leaders' preference for legalism, ecclesiastical tyranny, white-washed Mormon history, and hierarchical authoritarianism, which privilege the image of the corporate church above its commitment to its members, to the teachings and the revelations of founder
Joseph Smith Joseph Smith Jr. (December 23, 1805June 27, 1844) was an American religious and political leader and the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Publishing the Book of Mormon at the age of 24, Smith attracted tens of thou ...
, and to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In 2007, Toscano wrote that he lost his faith "like losing your eyesight after an accident." He regrets that church leaders have disregarded his criticisms of what he considers the church's growing anti-intellectualism, homophobia, misogyny, and elitism. Toscano's wife, Margaret, faced her own disciplinary council for her doctrinal and feminist views and was excommunicated on November 30, 2000. Some view her excommunication as constituting a "seventh" member of the September Six, as she was summoned in 1993, but ecclesiastical focus shifted to her husband. Margaret's discipline was delayed until 2000. Margaret later wrote "The Missing Rib: The Forgotten Place of Queens and Priestesses in the Establishment of Zion" as well as the tenth chapter of ''Transforming the Faiths of our Fathers: Women who Changed American Religion'' (2004), edited by Ann Braude.


Maxine Hanks

Maxine Hanks is a Mormon feminist theologian, who compiled and edited the anthology ''Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism'' (1992). She was excommunicated on September 19, along with fellow contributor D. Michael Quinn. In February 2012, Hanks was rebaptized as a member of the church.


Lavina Fielding Anderson

Lavina Fielding Anderson Lavina Fielding Anderson (13 April 1944 – 29 October 2023) was a Latter-day Saint scholar, writer, editor, and feminist. Anderson held a PhD in English from the University of Washington. Anderson was one of the original trustees of the Mormo ...
was a Mormon feminist writer who edited the books ''Sisters in Spirit: Mormon Women in Historical and Cultural Perspective'' (1992) and ''
Lucy's Book ''History of Joseph Smith by His Mother'' is a biography of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, according to his mother, Lucy Mack Smith. It was originally titled ''Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, and His P ...
'', an edition of the
Lucy Mack Smith Lucy Mack Smith (July 8, 1775 – May 14, 1856) was the mother of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. She is noted for writing the memoir, ''History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith, the Pr ...
narrative. She was a former editor for the ''
Ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...
'' and served as editor for the ''
Journal of Mormon History The Mormon History Association (MHA) is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the study and understanding of all aspects of Mormon history to promote understanding, scholarly research, and publication in the field. MHA was founded in ...
'' from 1991 to May 2009. She was excommunicated September 23 for apostasy, allegedly because of her article "The LDS Intellectual Community and Church Leadership: A Contemporary Chronology" in ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought''. She also wrote chapter 9, "The Grammar of Inequity" in the book ''Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism'' (1992). Anderson continued to attend LDS Church services as a non-member. She wrote on Mormon issues, including editing the multi-volume ''Case Reports of the Mormon Alliance'', an ongoing collection of interviews with Mormons who believe they were unfairly disciplined by the church. After her husband's death in 2018, Anderson's bishop approached her about reinstatement, the first ecclesiastical leader in the twenty-four years since she was excommunicated to do so. In 2019, her local stake leaders reconvened her disciplinary council, in which she affirmed her faith but also expressed multiple views contrary to church teachings. The council recommended her rebaptism to the First Presidency; this was rejected without explanation, and without reiterating her conditions for reinstatement. Anderson continued to attend weekly church services and published in 2020 a collection of essays regarding inclusiveness and gender inequality in her book ''Mercy Without End: Toward a More Inclusive Church''. She died on October 29, 2023.


D. Michael Quinn

D. Michael Quinn was a Mormon historian. Among other studies, he documented LDS Church-sanctioned
polygamy Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more tha ...
from 1890 until 1904, after the
1890 Manifesto The 1890 Manifesto (also known as the Woodruff Manifesto, the Anti-polygamy Manifesto, or simply "the Manifesto") is a statement which officially advised against any future plural marriage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LD ...
that officially abandoned the practice. He wrote chapter 17, "Mormon Women Have Had the Priesthood Since 1843" in the book ''Women and Authority: Re-emerging Mormon Feminism'' (1992). He was excommunicated September 26. Quinn was summoned to a
disciplinary council In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a church membership council (formerly called a disciplinary council) is an ecclesiastical event during which a church member's status is considered, typically for alleged violations ...
to answer charges of "conduct unbecoming a member of the Church and apostasy," including very sensitive and highly confidential' matters that were not related to Michael's historical writings." Anderson has suggested that the "allusion to Michael's sexual orientation, which Michael had not yet made public, was unmistakable." Quinn afterwards published several critical studies of Mormon hierarchy, including his three-volume work of ''The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power'', ''The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power'', and ''The Mormon Hierarchy: Wealth and Corporate Power.'' He also authored the 1996 book ''Same-Sex Dynamics Among Nineteenth-Century Americans: A Mormon Example'', which argues that homosexuality was common among early Mormons and was not seen as a serious sin or transgression. He also authored the 1987 book, ''Early Mormonism and the Magic World View'', which argues that early Mormon leaders were greatly influenced by folk magic and superstitious beliefs including stone looking, charms, and divining rods. Despite his excommunication and critical writings, Quinn, who was after his excommunication
openly gay Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBTQ people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. This is often framed and debated as a privacy issue, ...
, still considered himself to be a Latter-day Saint,Lavina Fielding Anderson. "DNA Mormon: D. Michael Quinn," in ''Mormon Mavericks: Essays on Dissenters'', edited by John Sillitoe and Susan Staker, Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002, pp. 329-363, a stance he maintained until his death in 2021.


Church measures taken

Except for Whitesides, all of the September Six were
excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...
. Whitesides was
disfellowshipped Jehovah's Witnesses employ various levels of congregational discipline as formal controls administered by congregation elders. Members who engage in conduct that is considered inappropriate may be counseled privately by elders, and congregationa ...
, a lesser sanction that does not formally expel one from church membership. To date, three of the September Six have retained or regained church membership: Avraham Gileadi and Maxine Hanks, who were rebaptized, and Lynne Whitesides, who remains a disfellowshipped member. While the LDS Church sometimes announces that a prominent member has been excommunicated, the default policy is to refuse to publicly discuss details about the reasons for any excommunication, even if details of the proceedings are made public by that person. Other than the summons sent to each of the six (specifying that their behavior was "contrary to the laws and order of the church"), the church is silent on why a member was disciplined. Such disciplinary proceedings are typically undertaken locally, initiated by leaders at the
ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
or
stake A stake is a large wooden or metal implement designed to be driven into the ground and may refer to: Tools * Archer's stake, a defensive stake carried by medieval longbowmen * Survey stakes, markers used by surveyors * Sudis (stake) (Latin for ...
level, although at least one of the September Six suggested his excommunication was orchestrated by higher-ranking church leaders. Procedures pertaining to the organization of these disciplinary councils are found in the church's scriptural ''
Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes abbreviated and cited as D&C or D. and C.) is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Originally published in 1835 as Doctrine and Covenants of the Chur ...
'
section 102
as well as in its administrative handbook. During the time of the September Six, '' Handbook 1,'' which was only available to ecclesiastical leaders, was in use. In 2020, the church publicly published a revised handbook,
General Handbook: Serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
'' The 2020 Handbook changes some language and procedures regarding church discipline. The LDS Church later excommunicated Janice Merrill Allred in 1995 and Margaret Merrill Toscano in 2000, both of whom had collaborated with several of the September Six and were also involved in disciplinary actions during 1993.


See also

*
Criticism of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has been subject to scholarly and religious criticism and public debate since its inception in the early 1800s. The discussion encompasses a wide range of issues from the church’s l ...
* Jeremy Runnells *
John Dehlin John Parkinson Dehlin () is an American podcast host. He holds a PhD in psychology. Dehlin founded the ''Mormon Stories Podcast'', as well as several other podcasts, blogs, and websites. He was an influential early participant in the "Mormon blo ...
*
Kate Kelly (feminist) Kathleen Marie Kelly (born ) is an American activist, human rights lawyer, and Mormon feminism, Mormon feminist who founded Ordain Women, an organization advocating for the ordination of women to Priesthood (LDS Church), priesthood offices in the ...
*
Sonia Johnson Sonia Ann Johnson, (''née'' Harris; born February 27, 1936) is an American feminist activist and writer. She was an outspoken supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and in the late 1970s was publicly critical of the position of the Chur ...
*
Mormonism and history The Mormon religion is predicated on what are said to be historical events such as the First Vision of Joseph Smith and the historicity of the Book of Mormon, which describes a detailed pre-Columbian history of the Americas. Joseph Fielding Smit ...
* Ordain Women * Strengthening Church Members Committee


Notes


References

* Anderson, Lavina Fielding.
The LDS intellectual community and church leadership: A contemporary chronology.
'' Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,'' 26(1) pring 1993 7-64. * Anderson, Lavina Fielding. "Freedom of Conscience: A Personal Statement." '' Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought,'' 26(4)
inter 1993 Inter may refer to: Association football clubs * Inter Milan, an Italian club * SC Internacional, a Brazilian club * Inter Miami CF, an American club * Inter Playa del Carmen, a Mexican club * FC Inter Sibiu, a Romanian club * FC Inter Turku, a Fi ...
196–202. * Anderson, Lavina Fielding. "The Church and Its Scholars: Ten Years After." ''
Sunstone Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a aventurescence, spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along ...
,'' 128 (July 2003), 13–19. * * * Whitesides, Lynne Kanavel, Toscano, Paul James, Hanks, Maxine, Quinn, D. Michael, and Anderson, Lavina Fielding. "Spiritual Paths after September 1993," ''
Sunstone Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a aventurescence, spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along ...
'', December 2003, 13–31. * Waterman, Bryan and Kagel, Brian. ''The Lord's University: Freedom and Authority at BYU'' Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1998, pp. 258–301. * "Six intellectuals disciplined for apostasy." ''
Sunstone Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a aventurescence, spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along ...
,'' November 1993, 65–73.


Further reading

* {{Latter-day Saints, hide, hide, hide, hide, hide, show 1993 in Christianity 1993 in the United States Criticism of Mormonism Historians of the Latter Day Saint movement Latter Day Saint terms Mormonism-related controversies People excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints People rebaptized after excommunication by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1993 controversies 20th-century Mormonism Mormon feminists Sextets