Origins of the Family Proclamation

Was the proclamation on the family written by attorneys to support the fight against gay marriage in Hawaii?

Sort of, but sort of not. As far back as 1831, the Church had articulated key principles found in the proclamation,[1] before gay marriage became a legal question. However, the legal issue may have prompted the need to articulate these principles in one place.[2]

In 1993, the Hawaii Supreme Court began hearing a case on gay marriage, known as Baehr v. Lewin (later Miike).[3] In 1994 the brethren begin writing the proclamation in a "revelatory process" with members of the Quorum of the Twelve.[4]

But wasn't the proclamation on the family written by a BYU law professor?

No, probably not. Initial drafts of the family proclamation were reportedly written by members of the Twelve[5] after the initial suggestion of Boyd K. Packer.[BIO] Lynn Wardle,[BIO] a BYU law professor known for his opposition to gay marriage, consulted[6] on the Church filing in Hawaii's Baehr v. Miike case.[7] Wardle may have also consulted with drafting the family proclamation, but there is no known evidence to support this.

Did any women general authorities participate in writing the proclamation?

No. In an 2005 interview, Sister Chieko Okazaki said it was written without any input from the women in Church leadership and asked "How come we weren't consulted?"[8]

A capture of a video broadcast showing President Gordon B Hinckley at the pulpit in front of a black background reading the Family Proclamation for the first time as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah. — President Gordon B Hinckley reading the Family Proclamation for the first time on September 23, 1995 at the General Relief Society Meeting.

Was it used directly in the Hawaii gay marriage case?

Yes. The family proclamation was included as an appendix to the amicus curiae brief filed in Baehr v. Miike in 1997.[9]

Was the proclamation on the family really inspired if it was written up to fight gay marriage in court?

Yes, probably. Revelation is often catalyzed by pressing questions or issues.[10] Elder Dallin H. Oaks[BIO] specifically described the process of developing the family proclamation as revelatory and inspired.[11] Boyd K. Packer[BIO] once referred to the proclamation as "a revelation," though the written version of that same talk refers to it as "a guide."[12]

Does the proclamation have any new ideas or doctrines in it?

Not really. It's more of a compilation of teachings that have been taught for many years within the Church.[13]

Is the proclamation on the family official doctrine?

Yes, probably. Since its publication, it has been widely cited, widely taught, and consistently emphasized.[14] It's also a formal statement signed by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency.[15] However, the proclamation on the family has not been submitted for the sustaining vote of the Church as canon.

Is the proclamation on the family sexist?

Arguably. It defines men's and women's roles within the family, with men "presiding, providing, and protecting" while women are "primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."[16]

However, Church leaders have consistently maintained that men and women are "equal partners" in raising families.[17] Additionally, the family proclamation allows for "individual adaptations" as circumstances require.[18]

Is the proclamation on the family only about same-sex marriage and gender roles?

No, it is intended to address a broad range of issues related to the family. When introducing the proclamation, President Hinckley also addressed various social issues related to families, including out-of-wedlock births, welfare dependency, violence in the media, adherence to civil laws, and marital fidelity.[19]

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Footnotes

BIOBoyd K. Packer
Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) was born in Brigham City, Utah. He enlisted in the army during World War II and trained as a bomber pilot in the Pacific. He attended Weber College and Utah State University. He earned an EdD from BYU. He worked in the Church Education System until he was called to serve in the Quorum of the Twelves Apostles in 1970. He served as an Apostle until his death in 2015. He served as acting president of that quorum from 1994–2008 and as president from 2008 until his death.
BIOLynn D. Wardle
Lynn G. Wardle (1947-) is a former professor of law at the Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark School of Law. Wardle played an instrumental role in the Church's advocacy against the legalization of same-sex marriage.
BIODallin H. Oaks
Dallin H. Oaks (1932–present) was born in Provo, Utah, and became an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1984. After the death of his first wife, June Dixon Oaks, in 1998, he married Kristen M. McMain in 2000. He graduated from Brigham Young University (1954) and the University of Chicago Law School (1957). After practicing and teaching law in Chicago, he became the president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980. He was then a justice of the Utah Supreme Court (1980–1984) before resigning to become an apostle. He was made the first counselor in the First Presidency and president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2018.
[1]↩︎
Since the Church's origins, the basic definition of marriage between a man and a woman has remained constant.
For instance, Joseph Smith received a revelation in 1831 declaring that "marriage is ordained of God unto man."
In 1899, apostle James E. Talmage wrote that Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother both existed as discrete personalities.
In 1903, the Latter-day Saint Millennial Star called marriage a "sacred ordinance between a man and a woman."
In 1912, the First Presidency declared that spirits had a premortal existence as "sons and daughters of the Eternal Father."
[2]↩︎
Nearly 10 years before the Hawaii Supreme Court began hearing the case on gay marriage, Dallin H. Oaks, a newly-called apostle, wrote in an internal memo:
In my opinion, the interests at stake in the proposed legalization of so-called homosexual marriages are sufficient to justify a formal Church position and significant efforts in opposition.
- Oaks argues that gay marriage is a primary target for LGBTQ lobby.
[3]↩︎
Baehr v. Lewin (1993) was a case where three same-sex couples petitioned the Hawaii Supreme Court to recognize their unions.
[4]↩︎
The Family Proclamation was published in 1995. Dallin H. Oaks explained that it was developed over the course of a year:
Subjects were identified and discussed by members of the Quorum of the Twelve for nearly a year. Language was proposed, reviewed, and revised. Prayerfully we continually pleaded with the Lord for His inspiration on what we should say and how we should say it.
- Oaks offers an account of the Proclamation.
[5]↩︎
Church historian, Richard E. Turley wrote ". . .at the urging of its Acting President, Boyd K. Packer" a committee of Elders James Faust, Russel M. Nelson, and Dallin H. Oaks began writing in the fall of 1994 and presented their initial draft on January 9, 1995.
- Richard E. Turley indicates that the Family Proclamation was being drafted beginning in the fall of 1994.
[6]↩︎
In a memo leaked to the press in 2008, Loren C. Dunn reported that Elder Dallin H. Oaks held a consultation with Wardle on the Church's legal strategy in Hawaii.
- Dunn says Oaks met with Wardle over gay marriage issues.
[7]↩︎
The Church filed an amicus curiae (Latin for "friend of the court") with the courts, which is something that can be filed by people or entities that aren't directly involved in the lawsuit, but that have an interest in the outcome. Amicus curiae briefs usually offer insight or information relevant to the case.
The Church introduced the proclamation on the family in the amicus curiae brief to the courts, stating:
Central to the teachings and beliefs of the Church is the family, which the Church teaches is the foundation of society and the crucial relationship through which children are taught basic values and public virtue.
- Church includes Proclamation in Amicus brief.
[8]↩︎
In a 2005 interview with Gregory Prince (published in Dialogue in 2011), Sister Okazaki said:
in 1995 when “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” was written, the Relief Society presidency was asked to come to a meeting. We did, and they read this proclamation. It was all finished. The only question was whether they should present it at the priesthood meeting or at the Relief Society meeting. It didn’t matter to me where it was presented. What I wanted to know was, “How come we weren’t consulted?”
- Chieko Okazaki says the General Relief Society Presidency wasn't consulted on the writing of the Family Proclamation.
[9]↩︎
In addition to the Proclamation text, the Church filing included many other legal arguments in the amicus brief. The brief concluded with the following:
Homosexual relationships will not and cannot provide the essential benefits to society that the traditional family has, and therefore should not be accorded the preferential status of marriage. Recognition of homosexual marriage will trivialize the traditional family - the basic building block of society - thereby having deleterious effects upon society as a whole. At a time when the traditional family needs more protection than ever before, Hawaii's prohibition on homosexual marriage is surely narrowly tailored to further a compelling state interest.
- Church includes Proclamation in Amicus brief.
[10]↩︎
For example, in 1891, Wilford Woodruff told a congregation his decision to issue the "manifesto" that ended the practice of polygamy was informed by legal and social pressure.
To Woodruff, the continued practice of plural marriage was opposed by "the laws of the nation . . . the opposition of 60 million people, and at the cost of the confiscation and loss of all the <of our> the Temples."
Woodruff said, "The Lord showed me by revelation and revelation exactly what would take place if we did not stop this practice."
- Wilford Woodruff describes in his speech how government threats catalyzed revelation for the Manifesto.
[11]↩︎
Dallin H. Oaks described the proclamation production process this way:
It was a surprise to some who thought the doctrinal truths about marriage and the family were well understood without restatement. Nevertheless, we felt the confirmation and we went to work. Subjects were identified and discussed by members of the Quorum of the Twelve for nearly a year. Language was proposed, reviewed, and revised. Prayerfully we continually pleaded with the Lord for His inspiration on what we should say and how we should say it. We all learned “line upon line, precept upon precept,” as the Lord has promised (D&C 98:12). During this revelatory process, a proposed text was presented to the First Presidency, who oversee and promulgate Church teachings and doctrine.
- Oaks offers an account of the Proclamation.
[12]↩︎
Packer referred to this in a 2010 general conference talk, though the video and the written version are different. He said (sentence crossed out was in the video, underlined was added to the published version):
Fifteen years ago, with the world in turmoil, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the fifth proclamation in the history of the Church. ~~It qualifies according to the definition as a revelation, and it would do well that the members of the church to read and follow.~~ It is a guide that members of the Church would do well to read and to follow.
- Packer calls the Family Proclamation a "revelation" in the video version of the talk.
- Packer calls the Family Proclamation a "guide" in the written version of the talk.
[13]↩︎
Concepts such as pre-mortality, the definition of marriage, Mother in Heaven, and the equality of the genders have long been preached in the Church.
[14]↩︎
The proclamation on the family has been referenced over 200 times since its introduction in 1995.
For example, the 2003 Eternal Marriage student manual pulls its "guiding principles" from the family proclamation.
- Student manual bases its teaching on the Proclamation.
[15]↩︎
The following members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles signed the family proclamation:
Gordon B. Hinckley Thomas S. Monson James E. Faust Boyd K. Packer L. Tom Perry David B. Haight Neal A. Maxwell Russell M. Nelson Dallin H. Oaks M. Russell Ballard Joseph B. Wirthlin Richard G. Scott Robert D. Hales Jeffrey R. Holland Henry B. Eyring
- Text of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" issued by the Church (September 1995).
[16]↩︎
The Proclamation states:
By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.
- Text of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" issued by the Church (September 1995).
[17]↩︎
Church leaders have regularly celebrated that marriage constitutes a union of equality. The proclamation instructs Latter-day Saints that in family responsibilities "fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."
[18]↩︎
The Proclamation states:
Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
- Text of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" issued by the Church (September 1995).
[19]↩︎
President Hinckley introduced the family proclamation at the October 1995 General Conference, in the General Relief Society session in his talk entitled "Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World."
- Hinckley mentions many societal issues in the introduction to "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."
[20]↩︎
The Proclamation warns:
The disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
- Text of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" issued by the Church (September 1995).
[21]↩︎
In the book of Luke, Jesus prophesied that "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven" (Luke 21:10-11).
In 1833, the Lord warned Joseph Smith that if Zion "observe not to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire" (D&C 97:26).
[22]↩︎
These "calamities" may have been expressed through Biblical types and symbols. In 1927, Orson F. Whitney observed:
Do I err, then, in believing that the universe is built upon symbols, to the end that it may bear record of its all-wise Architect and Builder? God teaches with symbols; it is his favorite method of teaching.
- Whitney comments on importance of symbolism in teaching.
[23]↩︎
For example, Tad R. Callister, an emeritus General Authority Seventy and former Sunday School general president, submitted a piece to Church News claiming various social ills and disasters as symptoms of ignoring family values:
If you were asked, “What is the greatest challenge facing our nation today?” how would you respond? The economy, national security, immigration, gun control, poverty, racism, crime, pandemics, climate change? While each of these is a valid concern and deserves attention, I do not believe that any of them strikes at the heart of our greatest challenge — a return to family and moral values. To put our prime focus on other challenges is to strike at the leaves, not the root, of the problem. It is, as some have noted, to put an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff rather than a fence at the top.
- Callister connects social ills to failure to live Proclamation.