A Controversial New Apostle Joins Latter-day Saint Leadership

Published February 17, 2026 at 12:46 PM MST

LDS President Dallin H. Oaks (left) with newly appointed apostle Clark G. Gilbert

LDS president Dallin H. Oaks has chosen a new apostle. His name is Clark G. Gilbert, and his appointment is raising controversy among the faithful. Scholar Benjamin Park joins us to explain why.

Clark has a reputation as an orthodox, religious conservative. As the Church’s commissioner of education, he oversees Brigham Young University. There, faculty have raised concerns about a “loyalty oath” that affirms Church doctrine and enforces strict behavioral standards, especially concerning women and LGBTQ+ issues. Before that, Gilbert spent time at the Church-owned Deseret News, where he laid off dozens of employees. Now, he’s a lifetime member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. That puts him in a position of immense power within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We’ll talk about what it means.

GUEST –

Benjamin E. Park | He’s an associate professor of history at Sam Houston State University, author of the book “American Zion: A New History of Mormonism,” and president of the Mormon History Association. You can check out his YouTube page here.

Airdate: Feb. 19, 2026, and Feb. 21, 2026