Robert J. Woodford
Encyclopedia
Robert John Woodford is an expert on Joseph Smith
and the Doctrine and Covenants
. He was a teacher in seminaries and institutes
with the Church Educational System
for many years. He is one of the editors with the Joseph Smith Papers Project and along with Steven C. Harper
and Robin Scott Jensen was a volume editor of The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations, Manuscript Revelations Books, Facsimile Edition that was published in 2009.
Woodford spent much of his career as an institute instructor at the Institute of Religion
adjacent to the University of Utah
campus. He also taught history at LDS Business College
and the Joseph Smith Academy
. In the LDS Church he has served in many callings including as a Sunday School
teacher and high councilor. Woodford has a Ph.D. from Brigham Young University
(BYU) in Bible and modern scripture. His 1974 dissertation was entitled The Historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants and has been considered the definitive and most exhaustive analysis of the textual development of the Doctrine and Covenants
. Woodford also wrote a 1975 BYU Studies
article which was the first to investigate the life of Jesse Gause
, a forgotten member of the First Presidency
.
Woodford also taught at BYU for two years, the BYU Salt Lake Center for over 25 years and for a time at the Joseph Smith Academy
in Nauvoo
.
Woodford and his wife Narda are the parents of eight children.
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was founder of what later became known as the Latter Day Saint movement or Mormons.Joseph Smith may also refer to:-Latter Day Saints:* Joseph Smith, Sr. , father of Joseph Smith...
and the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
. He was a teacher in seminaries and institutes
Institute of Religion
Institutes of Religion provide religious educational classes for young single adult and university students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
with the Church Educational System
Church 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...
for many years. He is one of the editors with the Joseph Smith Papers Project and along with Steven C. Harper
Steven C. Harper
Steven Craig Harper is a professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University .-Biography:Harper is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He earned his B.A. in history from BYU in 1994, an M.A. in American history from Utah State University in 1996, and a...
and Robin Scott Jensen was a volume editor of The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations, Manuscript Revelations Books, Facsimile Edition that was published in 2009.
Woodford spent much of his career as an institute instructor at the Institute of Religion
Institute of Religion
Institutes of Religion provide religious educational classes for young single adult and university students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
adjacent to the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
campus. He also taught history at LDS Business College
LDS Business College
LDS Business College is a two-year college in Salt Lake City, Utah, focused on training students in business and industry. The college is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and operates under the Church Educational System and is associated with the Brigham Young University...
and the Joseph Smith Academy
Joseph Smith Academy
The Joseph Smith Academy was an educational complex in Nauvoo, Illinois, less than from the Nauvoo Temple. Until recently, the Academy was home to a BYU distance study program focusing on church history...
. In the LDS Church he has served in many callings including as a Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
teacher and high councilor. Woodford has a Ph.D. from Brigham Young University
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) in Bible and modern scripture. His 1974 dissertation was entitled The Historical Development of the Doctrine and Covenants and has been considered the definitive and most exhaustive analysis of the textual development of the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
. Woodford also wrote a 1975 BYU Studies
BYU Studies
BYU Studies is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing articles on a broad array of topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
article which was the first to investigate the life of Jesse Gause
Jesse Gause
Jesse Gause was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and served in the First Presidency as a counselor to Church President Joseph Smith, Jr. For decades Gause was generally unknown to LDS historians, and so could be considered Mormonism's lost counselor of the First Presidency...
, a forgotten member of the First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
.
Woodford also taught at BYU for two years, the BYU Salt Lake Center for over 25 years and for a time at the Joseph Smith Academy
Joseph Smith Academy
The Joseph Smith Academy was an educational complex in Nauvoo, Illinois, less than from the Nauvoo Temple. Until recently, the Academy was home to a BYU distance study program focusing on church history...
in Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
.
Woodford and his wife Narda are the parents of eight children.
Sources
- Ensign, author bio notes, Aug 1978, p. 12; Dec. 1984, p. 32; Jan 1985, p. 27; Jan. 1997, p. 42; Jan. 1998, p. 12.
- Joseph Smith papers bio
- Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 22, 2009
- article about Jesse Gause
- Meridian Magazine article about the Revelations and Translations volume