BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Elder Dale G. Renlund Will Preside At Dedication of Kinshasa DR Congo Temple

Hello again, everyone! In a development I did not see coming but one that certainly makes sense, it has been reported that Elder Dale G. Renlund is in Kinshasa this weekend to preside over the dedicatory events for the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple. As I mentioned previously, as of 2016, Elder David A. Bednar had been the most junior apostle to ever preside over a dedication without a more senior leader present. That occurred when he was asked to oversee the dedication of the Star Valley Wyoming Temple.

In Elder Renlund's case, not only is he a member of the Temple and Family History Executive Council, but because he, as a General Authority Seventy, had served in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency for a period of at least a few years prior to his call to the apostleship, the dedication of this particular temple would be significant for him on a personal level as well.

Just one or two other thoughts on this, if I may offer them. In a discussion late last year or in the early part of this year on the Church growth blog, the anticipated increase in temple events, primarily relating to the dedication of new temples, was mentioned. The question was asked whether General Authority Seventies could at some point be called upon to preside over temple dedications. While there may come a day when 3 temples are dedicated on average roughly every two weeks, the Church may not get to that point in the immediate or near future.

That said, while it is true that the seventy are the ones whom the Lord directed the apostles should call upon for assistance in the work of His Church, the keys to bind and seal on earth and in heaven, particularly in relation to the dedication of temples, are inherent in the apostleship, and apostles can only exercise those keys with the authorization of the Church President. Therefore, it would take a major change in the prescribed delegation of those keys for any General Authority Seventy to represent the apostles, and, by extension, the President of the Church in such cases.

Of course, with Elder Renlund being the 10th in seniority among the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and thus being the 13th most senior apostle overall, it is plain to see that opportunities are being given to the more junior apostles to preside over dedications personally without a more senior apostle being in attendance. And that may be the start of a new precedent.

But unless the Lord prompts a change in the keys specifically given to General Authority Seventies, or expands the ways in which the Seventy have authority to assist the Quorum of the Twelve, for the moment, based on my understanding of Church doctrine and policy, I would say that I don't see any General Authority Seventies being asked to preside over the dedication of any temples, at least for the immediate and near future.

I am grateful to have been able to learn of this development and to pass it along to you all here. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of  your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.