Bradley R. Wilcox
Bradley Ray Wilcox (born December 25, 1959) is a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University (BYU) and has been the second counselor in the Young Men general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since April 2020. He is the author of several books, most notably "The Continuous Atonement". He often speaks at various events of LDS Church and served on its Sunday School General Board. Early life and career. Wilcox was raised in Provo, Utah and, for a time, lived in Ethiopia. He served as a missionary for  the LDS Church in the Chile Viña del Mar Mission, where he wrote the mission song. He attended BYU, graduating with a bachelor's degree in elementary education in 1985. Wilcox then worked as a sixth-grade teacher in Provo. He later earned a master's degree in teaching and learning, also from BYU. Wilcox received a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wyoming in "curriculum and instruction with a focus in literacy." He then became a professor at BYU, first in the Teacher Education Department, and later in the Department of Ancient Scripture. LDS Church service. He has  served in multiple capacities within the LDS Church, including scout leader, bishop, member of the Sunday School General Board, and as president of the Chile Santiago East Mission from 2003 to 2006. In 2007, he was called as a counselor in the presidency of the BYU 4th Stake. Wilcox has often been a speaker at such Church Educational System programs as Especially for Youth, BYU Education Week, and the BYU Women's Conference. His speech given at BYU, "His Grace is Sufficient", is "the most viewed speech of all time among BYU speeches, and has more than 400,000 views on  YouTube," according to Deseret News. On April 4, 2020, Wilcox was called as second counselor to Steven J. Lund in the LDS Church's Young Men general presidency. Controversial speech. On February 6, 2022, Wilcox delivered a devotional speech for the youth in Alpine, Utah (which was recorded on Zoom and widely shared on social media) and subsequently broadly criticized for its racial implications in his efforts to describe a point on faith in God's timing. He issued an apology the next day. After subsequent discussions with several African-American friends, including Ahmad S. Corbitt, First Counselor in the  Young Men General Presidency, Wilcox issued a second apology during a youth devotional the following Sunday. Reporter Jana Riess stated that Wilcox's speech and scornful tone revealed that he "felt disdainful toward women" and believed that "God is a racist", and that his subsequent "not-quite-apologies" did not go far enough. Videos have surfaced of at least two other instances of Wilcox making similar speeches downplaying the concerns of latter-day saints over the priesthood and temple ban against Black members of the church. Personal life. Wilcox married Deborah G. Gunnell and they are the parents of four  children. She is a registered nurse and served a mission in Guatemala. Works. Books written by Wilcox include "The Continuous Atonement", "The Best Kept Secrets of Parenting", and "Raising Ourselves to the Bar". He has also written articles on how to encourage children to read.