Church Historian and Recorder


Church Historian and Recorder is a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The role of the Church Historian and Recorder is to keep an accurate and comprehensive record of the church and its activities. His office gathers history sources and preserves records, ordinances, minutes, revelations, procedures, and other documents. The Church Historian and Recorder also chairs the Historic Sites Committee and Records Management Committee, and may act as an authoritative voice of the church in historical matters.

History

This office is based on revelations to Joseph Smith calling for keeping records and preparing a church history. Oliver Cowdery, the first in this position, originally recorded meeting minutes, patriarchal blessings, membership information, priesthood ordinations, and a kind of narrative church history. For a time, the callings of Church Historian and Church Recorder were separate, but in 1842 these callings were merged and now the Church Historian also acts as the Church Recorder.
In 1972, the Church Historian's Office was renamed to become the Historical Department. In 2000, this department was merged with the Family History Department to become the Family and Church History Department. On March 12, 2008, the Church Historian separated again from the Family History Department to become the Church History Department.
While the majority of Church Historians and Recorders have been general authorities of the church, there have been some exceptions to the practice.

Assistants

Church Historians and Recorders have often been assisted by individuals called to the position of Assistant Church Historian. Research assistants and other personnel are also usually employed within the Church Historian's Office, but the Church Historian and Assistant Church Historian are the only ones to hold priesthood callings.

Chronology of Church Historians and Recorders

In the following tables, general authorities are listed in bold. The date ranges span from the sustaining date to the release date unless otherwise indicated.

Church Historian and Church Recorder

Church Historian and Recorder

Church Historical Department

In 1972, the Church Historian's Office was renamed to become the Historical Department. In 2000, this department was merged with the Family History Department to become the Family and Church History Department. On March 12, 2008, the Church Historian separated again from the Family History Department to become the Church History Department.

Executive Director of the Historical Department

Larsen was also the first Executive Director of the Historical Department, in which he was replaced by John K. Carmack in 1989. Larsen then moved on to other assignments, such as serving in the Temple Department and Area Presidencies and was not active in any historical role, though he was still technically the Church Historian until his release from the Seventy in 1997.
While holding the office of Church Historian, and afterward, others succeeded Larsen as Executive Directors of the Historical Department. During this time, these men stood in for the Church Historian and were sometimes referred to with that title.
No.DatesExecutive Directors of the Historical DepartmentNotes
12b1989–91John K. CarmackCarmack was given the position of the department's Executive Director, but he was not called as the Church Historian.
12c1991–93Loren C. Dunn
12c1993–96Stephen D. Nadauld
12d1996–98Marlin K. JensenDuring this time, Larsen was finally officially released as Church Historian, and the office was left unfilled.
12e1998–99John K. Carmack
12f1999–2000Loren C. Dunn
12g2000–04D. Todd ChristoffersonOrganizational changes during this time changed Christofferson's title to the Executive Director of the Family and Church History Department.
12h2004–05Marlin K. JensenJensen retained his position as Executive Director when he was called to be Church Historian in 2005. Since the office of Church Historian had been revived, after this time the Executive Director was no longer standing in as a substitute.

No.DatesChurch Historian and RecorderAssistantNotes
132 April 2005 – 6 October 2012Marlin K. JensenRichard E. Turley, Jr. In 2005, Jensen became the first Church Historian since 1997. He had been made Executive Director of the Historical Department the previous year, a position he also held in 1997 when Dean L. Larsen was released. Jensen later said he "really know why the office went unfilled for a few years." Some of his accomplishments in this position are chronicled at Marlin K. Jensen: Church Historian.
146 October 2012-1 August 2019Steven E. SnowRichard E. Turley, Jr.
Reid L. Neilson 		On January 10, 2012, the church announced that Snow, who was serving in the Presidency of the Seventy, would succeed Jensen as Church Historian and Recorder later in the year. On August 1, 2012, Snow assumed the new role and was released from the Presidency of the Seventy, while Jensen was then designated as an emeritus general authority in October 2012. On April 10, 2019, the church announced that Snow would be released, effective August 1, 2019, and would be designated as an emeritus general authority in October 2019.
151 August 2019-LeGrand R. Curtis Jr.On April 10, 2019, the church announced that Curtis, who had been serving as an Assistant Executive Director of the Church History Department, would replace Steven E. Snow as Church Historian and Recorder, effective August 1, 2019. Snow will be released from full-time service and designated an emeritus general authority in October 2019. Also, Reid L. Nielson, who currently serves as an Assistant Church Historian and Recorder, has been called to serve as a mission president beginning in the summer of 2019. As a result, he will likely be released as Assistant Church Historian.