Bruce R. McConkie
A doctrinal architect whose comprehensive writings shaped modern Mormon theological thought and discourse.
1915–1985 (age 70)·American religious leader·Birthday: July 29·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bruce R. McConkie was a figure of formidable influence within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known for his doctrinal certainty and encyclopedic knowledge of scripture. Born in 1915, the son of a lawyer and a local political figure, he served a mission early in life and later worked as a law clerk and city attorney. His ecclesiastical rise was swift; he was called to the First Council of the Seventy at age 31. For over a quarter-century, his voice reached members through his role as a general authority and, after 1972, as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. McConkie's impact, however, was most deeply felt through his writing. His magnum opus, 'Mormon Doctrine,' first published in 1958, became a controversial but ubiquitous reference work in Latter-day Saint homes, offering bold, alphabetical entries on hundreds of theological topics. His later multi-volume work, 'The Mortal Messiah,' and his final testimony, 'The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,' cemented his reputation as a definitive, if sometimes polarizing, voice of orthodox Mormonism.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bruce was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bruce Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Bruce's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
Key Achievements
- Authored 'Mormon Doctrine,' a widely referenced and influential encyclopedia of LDS beliefs.
- Served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1972 until his death in 1985.
- Wrote the seven-volume scriptural commentary series 'The Mortal Messiah' and 'Doctrinal New Testament Commentary.'
- Was called as a general authority at age 31, joining the First Council of the Seventy in 1946.
Did You Know?
He was the father of nine children.
His father-in-law was Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth president of the LDS Church.
He served as a mission president in Australia from 1961 to 1964.
He delivered a famous final sermon titled 'The Purifying Power of Gethsemane' just weeks before his death from cancer.
“I am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth.”
