RUSSELL, William Dean "Bill"

RUSSELL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/26/2016 at 00:06:51

BIOGRAPHY ~ WILLIAM DEAN "BILL" RUSSELL
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

William Dean "Bill" Russell was born on May 4, 1938, in Wichita, Kansas.

Bill Russell's lengthy list of contributions to the college began during his freshman year when he helped organize Graceland's first cross country program in 1956-57. In 1960, Bill broke the school record for the 880 (1:59.9).

After completing he bachelor's degree in religion from Graceland in 1960, Bill served six years as an editor at Herald House. He then joined Graceland's faculty in 1966 to teach religion but gradually shifted his emphasis to hisytory and political science.

Bill complete his M.Div. from Saint Paul School of Theology in 1967, and his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1976. He also returnerd to his Graceland roots by coaching the cross country team during the 1970's. From 1978 to 1989, Bill chaired the Division of Social Science, initiating Graceland's policy on plagiarism and revising the policy on tenure.

A past president of the Mormon History Association and the John Whitmer Historical Association, Bill has focused much of his RLDS Church work on historical writings. Bill's first book, Treasure in Earthen Vessels: An Introduction to the New Testament (1966) was published by Herald House. He served as editor of Courage: A Journal of History, Thought, and Action throughout the publication's entire run from 1970 to 1973. He also served as editor of the John Whitmer Historical Association Journal from 1984 to 1985. Bill also published Homosexual Saints: The Community of Christ Experience in 2008.

Bill was one of the original three Community of Christ historians to join the Mormon History Association, later serving as president of that organization.

Bill's articles have included:

"A Further Inquiry into the Historicity of the Book of Mormon," Sunstone (September–October 1982): 20.

"History and the Mormon Scriptures," Journal of Mormon History Vol. 10 (1983): 53.

"Beyond Literalism," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Spring 1986): 57.

"The RLDS Church and Biblical Criticism: The Early Response," John Whitmer Historical Association Journal Vol. 7 (1987): 62.

"'It Just Wasn't Working': The Fragmentation of the Reorganized Church" John Whitmer Historical Association Journal Nauvoo Conference Special Edition (2002): 7.

"A Brief History of the John Whitmer Historical Association" John Whitmer Historical Association Journal Nauvoo Conference Special Edition (2002): 147.

“Ordaining Women and the Transformation from Sect to Denomination,” Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought Vol. 36, No. 3 (Fall 2003): 61.

"Grant McMurray and the Succession Crisis in the Community of Christ," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, Vol. 39, No. 4 (Winter 2006): 27.

"Blaming the Victim: The Miscarriage of Justice in the Case of Alice Lundgren," John Whitmer Historical Association Journal Vol. 27 (2007): 139.

"The Word Became Flesh."

"Sermons on New Testament Texts."

"Repent or Be Destroyed."

"The 1989 Cult Muders in Kirkland, Ohio."

"From Sect to Cenomination: The Fundamentalist Schism in the RLDS Church, 1958 - Present."

Students have known Bill for including his experiences in Democratic party politics in classroom lectures. Bill made a runn for the Iowa state legislature in 1972 and was responsible for bringing presidental candidates Gary Hart and Paul Simon to campus during the 1980's

During the 1960's, Bill became active in the civil rights movement and was the co-founder of the Independence, Missouri chapter of the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE). In recent years, Bill has been an advocate for full participation of gay, lesbian, transsexual and transgender members in the Community of Christ. In recognition of his work, Affirmation bestowed its 2011 Affirmits Allies Award to Bill and his wife Lois.

Bill concluded a 41-year teaching career at Graceland upon his retirment as professor of history in 2007.

SOURCES:

Edwards, Paul M. "The Hilltop Where. . . An Informal History of Graceland College." p. 118. Venture Foundation. Lamoni IA. 1972.

Goehner, David. "The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z." Pp. 435-36. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_D._Russell_(historian)

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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