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Richard Charles Neitzel Holzapfel [1] (born 1954) [2] is a former professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University (BYU) and an author on topics related to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Western and Utah History, and the New Testament. As of 2018, Holzapfel is working in the LDS Church's Missionary Department as a senior manager. [3]
Holzapfel was born in Blackfoot, Idaho, and moved regularly as a child, due to his father's naval career. In addition to his native state, his family resided in California, Hawaii, and Maine. He attended Castle Park High School (Chula Vista, California) and graduated from York High School (York, Maine) in 1972. Holzapfel served from 1973 to 1975 as a missionary for the LDS Church in Italy and Switzerland.
Holzapfel attended BYU, Hebrew Union College, and the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine), receiving B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees respectively, with an emphases in Middle Eastern Studies, Jewish History, Ancient History, American History, and Nineteenth Century American Religious History.
Holzapfel met Jeni Carol Broberg at BYU, and they were married in 1978. A year later their first child, Nate, was born and the family also moved to California to pursue graduates studies, with Holzapfel completing a doctorate at UC Irvine. While at UC Irvine, he simultaneously worked for the LDS Church's seminary and institute program. His first book, Old Mormon Nauvoo 1839-1846 was released in 1990 and received the citation for Significant Contribution from the John Whitmer Historic Association. He is the author of the state history textbook used in Utah public schools, Utah: A Journey of Discovery.
Holzapfel taught at BYU from 1993 until 2018 when he began working for the LDS Church's Missionary Department overseeing the development of worldwide missionary curriculum. In this position, he was involved in creating the updated missionary handbook in 2019. [4]
Holzapfel and his wife reside in Springville, Utah and are the parents of five children. [3]
In 2007, Holzapfel assisted the More Good Foundation in launching Christ.org, a website intending to bring people closer to Jesus Christ.
In 2013, Holzapfel's oldest son, Nate Holzapfel appeared as a contestant on Shark Tank , signing an ultimately successful business deal worth millions. However, in 2021 Nate was arrested on allegations that he defrauded a woman he had been dating out of nearly $200,000. [5]
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(January 2018) |
Holzapfel earned his Ph.D. in history from UC Irvine in 1993. Following his graduation in 1993, Holzapfel went to BYU as an assistant professor, teaching in the Church History and Doctrine, Ancient Scripture, Honors, and History departments. His courses included World Civilization, Utah History, American Heritage, Doctrine and Covenants, New Testament, and Foundations of the Restoration. He taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center from 1997 to 1998 and directed the BYU Study Abroad program in Italy and Greece in 2009. Holzapfel has lectured around the United States and around the world including in Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, England, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
Holzapfel served as the Publications Director of the Religious Studies Center at BYU from 2006 to 2010, and as editor of the Religious Educator, a quarterly publication from 2000 to 2010.
Throughout his academic career, Holzapfel received several awards including:
In addition to teaching and filling various committee assignments at BYU, Holzapfel continued a research, writing, and publication agenda. He has been published in several national and regional journals including the Utah Historical Quarterly, The History Teacher, Western Historical Quarterly, Christian Century, Journal of Mormon History, Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History, and Utah History Encyclopedia.
Holzapfel has written over 45 books, including biographies and various photographic works. Following is a partial list.
Holzapfel also edited, along with Thomas A. Wayment, a three-volume series The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ. [6]
He has also published several book reviews and over 100 articles or book chapters on a wide variety of subjects including LDS Church leadership and succession, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Life of Christ, New and Old Testament culture and history, Jewish religious practices, and women's perspectives on religion both ancient and modern.
Holzapfel has served in the LDS Church as a bishop, [7] ward Young Men president, high councilor, bishop's counselor, stake mission president, and member of the Gospel Doctrine class manual writing committee. [8]
He served as president of the Alabama Birmingham Mission from 2010 to 2013, [9] and as president of the church's Provo Utah YSA 1st Stake from 2014 to 2018. [10] In 2018, Holzapfel was called as an area seventy. [11]
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Stephen Edward Robinson was a religious scholar and apologist, who was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Jeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University (BYU) and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Currently, he is the fourth most senior apostle in the church.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes no official position on whether or not biological evolution has occurred, nor on the validity of the modern evolutionary synthesis as a scientific theory. In the twentieth century, the First Presidency of the LDS Church published doctrinal statements on the origin of man and creation. In addition, individual leaders of the church have expressed a variety of personal opinions on evolution, many of which have affected the beliefs and perceptions of Latter-day Saints.
Lyndon Whitney Clayton III has been a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2001. He became a member of the church's Presidency of the Seventy in 2008 and was its senior president from 2015 until 2020.
Jay Edwin Jensen has been a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1992. He served as a member of the church's Presidency of the Seventy from 2008 to 2012. Jensen was designated an emeritus general authority in the October 2012 general conference.
Richard Olsen Cowan is a historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former professor in the Church History Department of Brigham Young University (BYU). He was one of the longest-serving BYU faculty and the longest-serving member of the Church History Department ever.
Richard Lloyd Anderson was an American lawyer and theologist of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who was a professor of church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University (BYU). His book Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses is widely considered the definitive work on this subject. Anderson was the brother of Karl Ricks Anderson.
Bookcraft was a major publisher of books and products for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Ellis Theo Rasmussen was an American professor and dean of Religious Instruction at Brigham Young University (BYU). He helped produce the edition of the Bible published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1979.
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