The Year in Mormons: Top 7 Stories of 2012

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/6734/the_year_in_mormons__top_7_stories_of_2012/


December 27, 2012 1:27am
Post by JOANNA BROOKS

Congratulations, readers. We’ve all survived the Mormon moment. Let’s take stock of seven top stories on Mormonism before we kiss 2012 goodbye:

1. Mitt Romney becomes first Mormon to secure major party nomination for U.S. President. As in 2008, the Romney campaign carefully avoided discussion of religion—excepting a few hand-picked character testimonials at the August GOP Convention—and campaign-season mainstream media coverage of the faith was neutral to positive. Still, Romney’s reticence to present his Mormonism-steeped human side may have allowed the Obama campaign to define him as a wealthy mogul detached from the everyday worries of everyday Americans. After a post-debate early October surge, Romney loses the November election, 53%–47%. (For RD’s take on how Romney might have addressed religion, see here and here.)

2. LDS Church lowers the minimum age for missionary service for women from 21 to 19. The policy change, announced in October, was hailed as a welcome step towards leveling life expectations and opportunities for religious study and service among young Mormon men and women. And it resulted in a dramatic spike of new missionary applications from young Mormon women. (More here.)

3. Mormon athletes prove more popular than Mormon presidential candidate. That’s a hunch, not a scientific observation: we’re still waiting for the Pew Forum numbers on this one. But can you really talk Mormons in 2012 without saying the names Jimmer Fredette, Manti Te’o, and Jabari Parker? Te’o, a linebacker from Laie, Hawaii, finished his senior season at Notre Dame as the most decorated defensive player in collegiate football history. Shooting guard Fredette finished his senior season at Brigham Young University as the leading scorer in all of Division 1 NCAA basketball; never mind the NBA. And Chicago-native Parker, a high school senior and power forward, made the cover of Sports Illustrated, then announced his intention to play for Duke in 2013–2014. Here at RD, we were too absorbed in the week-by-week of the long election season to cover Fredette, Te’o, and Parker—a pity, really.

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