Arnold K. Garr
Encyclopedia
Arnold Kent Garr is the chair of the department of Church history and Doctrine in the Religious Education Division of Brigham Young University
(BYU). He was also the lead editor of the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History.
. As a young man, Garr served a mission
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Finland
. Garr married Cherie Burns in the Salt Lake Temple
on November 20, 1967. They would have five children.
In the LDS Church, Garr has served as a bishop, counselor to a stake president, member of a stake high council and branch president
among other callings. He is currently a member of the Church Correlation Committee.
Late in his life Garr took up running and he has completed five marathons since turning sixty.
, a master's degree in history from Utah State University
, and a Ph.D. in American history, minoring in LDS Church history, from BYU in 1986.
(CES) as a seminary teacher at Roy High School in Roy, Utah
. He later served as director of the Institutes of Religion in Rochester, New York
, Boulder, Colorado
and Tallahassee, Florida
. After 21 years with CES, Garr joined the BYU faculty in 1991. He taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Israel
during 1996–97 and has been chair of the Department of Church History and Doctrine.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU). He was also the lead editor of the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History.
Biography
Garr was born and raised in Ogden, UtahOgden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
. As a young man, Garr served a mission
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Garr married Cherie Burns in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
on November 20, 1967. They would have five children.
In the LDS Church, Garr has served as a bishop, counselor to a stake president, member of a stake high council and branch president
Branch President
A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, the branch president presides over a branch...
among other callings. He is currently a member of the Church Correlation Committee.
Late in his life Garr took up running and he has completed five marathons since turning sixty.
Education
Garr received a bachelors degree in history from Weber State UniversityWeber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
, a master's degree in history from Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
, and a Ph.D. in American history, minoring in LDS Church history, from BYU in 1986.
Career
Garr began his career with the Church Educational SystemChurch Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
(CES) as a seminary teacher at Roy High School in Roy, Utah
Roy, Utah
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 36,884 people, 10,689 households, and 8,604 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,853 people per square mile . There were 11,053 housing units at an average density of 1,455.3 per square mile...
. He later served as director of the Institutes of Religion in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
and Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
. After 21 years with CES, Garr joined the BYU faculty in 1991. He taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
during 1996–97 and has been chair of the Department of Church History and Doctrine.