Explore the Life and Legacy of David O. McKay in Scholars & Saints Season 4 Episode 4

The fourth season of Scholars & Saints continues! Host Nicholas Shrum (PhD Student in American Religions at the University of Virginia), will continue to explore some of the most pressing issues, unique histories, and cutting-edge methods in Mormon Studies.

Season 4 Episode 4 – The Life and Work of David O. McKay (feat. Brian Q. Cannon)

David O. McKay is one of the most famous presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But what about his writing and service make him, in the minds of many, the quintessential prophet? And how did his impact on the Church change its trajectory from previous generations?

BYU History Professor Brian Q. Cannon, author of the most recent biography of David O McKay, Building a Global Zion: The Life and Vision of David O McKay (Signature Press, 2025) discusses these very questions with host Nicholas Shrum on today’s episode of Scholars & Saints. The two examine the various primary sources documenting McKay’s life — including the Clare Middlemiss diaries, his navigation of 20th century politics and anti-Mormon sentiment as a missionary and apostle, and, particularly, McKay’s expansion of the Church to new peoples around the globe and the transition away from an American Zion to an ethnically and regionally plural religion.

Brian Q. Cannon is the Lemuel Hardison Redd, Jr., Chair in Western American History at Brigham Young University, where he focuses on the social history of rural communities in the American West.

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What is Scholars and Saints?

Scholars & Saints is the official podcast of the University of Virginia’s Mormon Studies program, housed in the Department of Religious Studies. Scholars & Saints is a venue of public scholarship that promotes respectful dialogue about Latter-day Saint traditions among laypersons and academics. On this podcast, we dive into the academic study of Mormonism, engage recent and classic scholarship, interview prominent and up-and-coming thinkers in the field and reflect on Mormonism’s relevance to the broader study of religion.

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