Special Topic
President Dallin H. Oaks Collection
BYU Religious Publications by and about Dallin H. Oaks
BYU Religious Publications by and about Dallin H. Oaks
President Dallin H. Oaks is the eighteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Oaks is a graduate of Brigham Young University (1954) and the University of Chicago Law School (1957). He was a law professor at the University of Chicago from 1957 to 1971, president of BYU from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until 1984, when he was called to the Apostleship.
President Oaks, a native of Provo, Utah (born 12 August 1932), and his late wife, June Dixon Oaks, are the parents of six children. June passed away in 1998, and he later married Kristen M. McMain in 2000.
Agency, Freedom, and Moral Responsibility
President Dallin H. Oaks links individual agency with civic freedom, teaching that true liberty is governed by moral law, respect, and responsibility.
Agency and Freedom
Dallin H. Oaks, in A Book of Mormon Treasury (2003)
He links agency and freedom to moral choice and responsibility, offering ways to resist temptation and societal pressure.
As He Thinketh in His Heart
Dallin H. Oaks, Religious Educator 15 no. 1 (2014)
He explains how gospel principles shape Latter-day Saint views on family, morality, and truth amid changing cultural values.
Ethics, Morality, and Professional Responsibility
Dallin H. Oaks, Religious Educator 16 no. 4 (1976)
He urged students and faculty at BYU’s new law school to serve others with integrity and gospel-centered ethics.
Free Agency and Freedom
Dallin H. Oaks, in The Book of Mormon: Second Nephi, The Doctrinal Structure (1989)
He explores Nephi’s teachings, explaining how agency and freedom operate in mortality and how we can defend them against spiritual threats.
Going Forward with Religious Freedom and Nondiscrimination
Dallin H. Oaks, BYU Studies 61 no. 1 (2022)
He offers a path to balance religious freedom and nondiscrimination through mutual respect and civic harmony.
To Moderate and Unify
Kristine Hansen, BYU Studies 61 no. 1 (2022)
Kristine Hansen discusses President Oaks’s counsel on unity and moderation as a means to strengthen faith and community peace.
Religious Freedom, Civic Life, and Public Morality
Drawing on his experience as a jurist and university president, President Oaks shows the dimensions of leadership and law within a gospel framework.
Truth and Tolerance
Dallin H. Oaks, Religious Educator 13 no. 2 (2012)
He teaches that truth is eternal and must be defended with love and respect in a world of moral confusion.
Going Forward with Religious Freedom and Nondiscrimination
Dallin H. Oaks, BYU Studies 61 no. 1 (2022)
He outlines principles for protecting both faith and fairness in diverse societies.
To Moderate and Unify
Kristine Hansen, BYU Studies 61 no. 1 (2022)
Kristine Hansen discusses President Oaks’s counsel on unity and moderation as a means to strengthen faith and community peace.
Scripture and Testimony
These works explore prophetic revelation as a divine pattern exemplified through the life of Joseph Smith and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
Joseph Smith and Legal Process: In the Wake of the Steamboat Nauvoo
Dallin H. Oaks and Joseph I. Bentley, BYU Studies 19 no. 2 (1979)
He analyzes Joseph Smith’s legal challenges following a failed steamboat venture, showing his integrity and respect for the law.
Joseph Smith in a Personal World
Dallin H. Oaks, BYU Studies 44 no. 4 (2005)
He reflects on how Joseph Smith’s teachings about revelation and faith have shaped his own spiritual life.
Revelation
Dallin H. Oaks, in The Voice of My Servants (2010)
He outlines the purposes of revelation and shares insights into how God guides His children through inspiration and faith.
Writing about the Prophet Joseph Smith
Dallin H. Oaks, in Joseph Smith and His First Vision (2021)
He summarizes decades of research on Joseph Smith, emphasizing his integrity, faith, and prophetic mission.
Life and Legacy
A reflective portrait of how President Dallin H. Oaks’s own life exemplifies the principles he teaches: faith, intellect, and consecrated service.
Book Review: In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks
John W. Welch, BYU Studies 60 no. 3 (2021)
President Dallin H. Oaks's life exemplifies the principles he teaches: faith, intellect, and consecrated service. John W. Welch reviews Richard E. Turley's inspiring biography.
Loyal Opposition: Ernest L. Wilkinson’s Role in Founding the BYU Law School
Galen L. Fletcher, BYU Studies 52 no. 4 (2018)
An exploration of the leadership and collaboration that shaped the founding of BYU’s law school under President Oaks.