Ron Madsen

RON MADSON {[email protected]} retired lawyer now sailing instructor and guide. BA in English and a JD from BYU, he posts regularly on The Mormon Worker blog. He has also published in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought; Sunstone Magazine; and contributed a chapter entitled “D&C 98: The Immutable Rejected Covenant of Peace” in War and Peace in Our Time: Mormon Perspectives (Kofford Book, 2012). He has presented at Claremont Peace/War Conference (2011); BYU Kennedy Center Decennial (2013); and lectured/paneled at Sunstone and “Thoughtful Faith Podcast” on issues of war/peace, Church finances, and social justice.

The Restoration of Conscientious Objection

Articles/Essays – Volume 51, No. 4

In 298 CE, Marcellus, a Roman centurion, was converted to Christ while serving with his unit in Northern Africa. A respite from conflict was taken to celebrate the pagan Roman emperor’s birthday and pledge allegiance to the empire. Marcellus rose before the banqueters, cast off his military insignia, and cried out: “I serve Jesus Christ the eternal King. I will no longer serve your emperors.”

Grandpa’s Hat

Articles/Essays – Volume 44, No. 2

When my father died in February of 2007, I inherited from him many of my grandfather’s Church books—one published as far back as 1846. I knew my grandfather was a bibliophile—collecting, reading, and leaving his underlining and commentary throughout his books. While surveying these books, I unexpectedly found his missionary journal. I didn’t know he had kept one, and his worn leather journal had entries for every single day of his mission from October of 1906 to October of 1908 in the Northern States Mission.