This article states that Gordon Hinckley underwent surgery for colon cancer.
The prophet is in his 90s and now it is clear that he has (had) cancer – this begs the question: Who do you think is next in line for the Big Chair?
Hinckley underwent cancer surgery … predictions?
Well, President Monson is President of the Quorum of the 12 so he would be next. However, Pres Hinckley could recover (I certainly hope he does). My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 86, beat it (yep beat it completely) at the age of 90 and will be 92 this year. She is still doing really well physically and mentally and lives on her own. So even though Pres Hinckley is quite old, given the fact he is a very healthy (ok, in spite of this cancerous growth) and active man, he could very well recover and go on to live many more years. It wouldn’t surprise me.
Um… Monson.
I have a feeling that President Hinckley has a few more years on him though.
You make it sound like a lock, Mary.
Isn’t here some sort of voting and sustaining procedure to go through as well?
…*and* you’re assuming Hinckley won’t outlive Monson… ;)
It is pretty much a lock. If Pres. Monson outlives Pres. Hinkley he will be next, assuming the Apostles receive confirmation that such is the Lord’s will, and they always do. There is no voting process like in the Catholic Church.
Yes, it’s pretty much confirmed. I mean someone else COULD end up being President, but it hasn’t happened yet. There is an order of seniority. And even so, Pres Monson is probably praying pretty hard for Pres Hinckley’s full recovery. :)
We do sustain the leadership and if someone had a serious problem with whoever is called they can express those views and if valid would be taken into consideration (just not liking someone doesn’t count).
Basically, the president of the Quorum of the 12 is next to become president of the Church. And Pres Monson is younger than Pres Hinckley. But at this point, who knows? I am just glad it isn’t me :)
Fortunately for you, for as long as you are a member of the fairer sex, this is not a burden you’ll ever have to worry about.
;)
Then again, everyone thought Harold B. Lee would outlive Spencer W. Kimball.
well President Hinckley isn’t related to my family so there is a great chance he will recover just fine!!
He is diabetic, and that always makes recovery a bit more complicated. That doesn’t mean he can’t recover, though. I, for one, would like to see him go to be with his wife. Not that I don’t love him- I do- but when I think about how much they love each other it I find it selfish to want him to stay.
I don’t have a prediction, but I do have something to nit pick at concerning the original post. Rick said, “The prophet is in his 90s and now it is clear that he has (had) cancer – this begs the question: Who do you think is next in line for the Big Chair?” I just want to point out that it does not “beg the question.” To beg the question is a logical phrase and it means that one assumes what one is claiming to prove. It’s a falacious way of reasoning.
Sorry, I’m not trying to make anyone feel stupid; it’s a mistake that many people make, but is a mistake nonetheless.
When I read the article, I had the same thought as Ariel. I bet he longs to be with Sister Hinkley again.
When I was in the LTM (St. Francis Catholic School), President Monson came walking into my room one P day. He wanted to see if the facility was meeting the needs. A real nice guy. We talked for a little while. The other dozen and half Elders sharing the room with my comp and me had a hard time believing us when they came back from doing their wash.
President Hinckley will be here as long as the Lord plans. When his mission is finished, he will be reunited with his wife again. I am sure he wants to be, soon. But if the Lord has more for him to do, he will be here for that period of time.
has anyone heard anymore news today??
Only that he’s “resting.”
Craig said:
“Sorry, I’m not trying to make anyone feel stupid; it’s a mistake that many people make, but is a mistake nonetheless.”
It’s too late, Craig. You have made me feel very stupid. Very stupid indeed.
And this begs the question: Why would anyone bother to hijack a thread just to make someone feel stupid?
:P
For it to be anyone but the senior (in service) apostle (Monson), that person would have to be obviously unable to perform the duties or resign from the quorum to defer to the next most senior. I can’t fathom any other reason to pass of the most experienced apostle being Pres of the Church.
Rick:
When the President of the Church dies, the Quorum of the First Presidency ceases to exist. That means that the next quorum beneath the First Presidency–the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles–is the presiding quorum of the Church. The senior Apostle is the President of the Quorum of the Twelve. Since he is the President of the presiding quorum of the Church, he really is, already, the President of the Church. No voting required.
The Twelve have the authority (under the direction of their President) to organize a new First Presidency. Since the time of Lorenzo Snow, this has been done rather quickly following the death of the Prophet. But there’s nothing that requires it.
If President Hinckley were to pass away tonight, President Monson, as President of the Quorum of the Twelve, would already be the President of the Church. If he then directed the Twelve to organize a new First Presidency, he would presumably be the President. To me, it’s not inconceivable that the Twelve, under his leadership, could organize a First Presidency with someone else as President. But I doubt very strongly that such a thing will ever happen.
By the way, I don’t think Pres Hinckley’s chair is LITERALLY any bigger than those of his counselors. :)
The ltbugaf Most Sensible Comment of the Thread Award goes to…
ME! For #17.
I’m currently 19 and preparing for a mission. As far as I can recall, and as I believe I’ve been taught, the next President of the Church is most often the man that has served the most time as a member of the quorum of the 12 (including the First Presidency), though that may not always be true. President Hinckley served for 44 years in the 12 before he became the prophet.
When the Prophet dies, the Twelve (i.e. fourteen) go into the temple for inspiration and, once the Spirit gives them a name, they write it down on a piece of paper. If the name is the same on every piece of paper, then that person is considered to have been called by the Lord as the next Prophet.
Ryan, I don’t think your story about pieces of paper is correct. Where did you hear it?
Ryan, your story contains elements of truth. For example, “the man who has served the most time as a member of the quorum of the 12 (including the First Presidency)” is the President of the Quorum of the Twelve.
The College of Cardinals is famous for using slips of paper. There’s just no need for them when the Prophet dies.
For a more complete explanation, see comment 17.
Here’s a little more info. These are two General Conference excerpts that I hope will bring greater understanding:
“The keys of the kingdom of God—the right and power of eternal presidency by which the earthly kingdom is governed—these keys, having first been revealed from heaven, are given by the spirit of revelation to each man who is both ordained an Apostle and set apart as a member of the Council of the Twelve.
“But since keys are the right of presidency, they can only be exercised in their fulness by one man on earth at a time. He is always the senior Apostle, the presiding Apostle, the presiding high priest, the presiding elder. He alone can give direction to all others, direction from which none is exempt.
“Thus, the keys, though vested in all of the Twelve, are used by any one of them to a limited degree only, unless and until one of them attains that seniority which makes him the Lord’s anointed on earth.
“It follows that when Joseph Smith—sent to a martyr’s death by evil and murderous men—gasps his last breath, Brigham Young, being the next senior officer in the earthly kingdom, automatically becomes its presiding officer.
“The next breath drawn by Brother Brigham is the breath of power filling the lungs of the Lord’s previously anointed servant. There is not so long a time as the twinkling of an eye when the Church is without a presiding officer.”
– Bruce R. McConkie, “The Keys of the Kingdom,” General Conference April 1983.
“It is significant to note just what took place at the time of the passing of President Harold B. Lee. President Romney had been called to the hospital and as they talked, President Lee, realizing that he might be incapacitated for some time, said to President Romney: ‘President Tanner is away, and I want you to take over and carry on the affairs of the Church.’ President Kimball, who came in later, offered his services to President Romney. However, immediately upon the announcement of President Lee’s passing, President Romney turned to President Kimball and said: ‘You, as the president of the Quorum of the Twelve, are now in charge. I am at your disposal and prepared to do anything I can to help.’
“This was entirely in keeping with the order of the Church and is a great example of how the Church is never left without a presidency and how smoothly it passes from one to another. Immediately President Kimball, as president of the Twelve, became the presiding authority of the Church.”
* * *
“President Kimball, the president of the Twelve, called the members of the Twelve together in the upper room of the temple for the purpose of discussing the reorganization of the First Presidency and to take whatever action was decided upon. Those who had been counselors to the President—that is, President Romney and myself—took their respective places in the Quorum of the Twelve.
“President Kimball, upon expressing his great sorrow at the passing of President Lee and his feeling of inadequacy, called upon the members of the Twelve in order of seniority to express themselves individually as to how they felt about reorganizing the presidency of the Church.
“As each member of the Twelve spoke, he expressed himself as feeling that now was the time to reorganize the First Presidency and that President Spencer W. Kimball was the one whom the Lord wanted to preside at this time. The sweet Spirit of the Lord was present in rich abundance and there was complete unity and harmony in the minds and spoken words of the Brethren. The only purpose and desire was to do the will of the Lord, and there was no question in anyone’s mind but what the will of the Lord had been expressed.
“Elder Ezra Taft Benson then made the formal motion that the First Presidency of the Church be reorganized and that Spencer W. Kimball be sustained, ordained, and set apart as the president, prophet, seer, revelator, and as trustee-in-trust of the Church. This motion was seconded and unanimously approved.”
– N. Eldon Tanner, “Chosen of the Lord,” General Conference, April 1974.
Looks like he made it two more years from the surgery.
Colon cancer can be avoided if you just keep high fiber foods in your diet.~;:
the former president of the philippines Corazon Aquino died also of colon cancer,”.