most part, none of these activities was explicitly criticized by church leadership.

In January 2016, though, when President Nelson reframed the [edict on same-sex couples] as prophetic revelation, a painful and shocking policy became even harder to bear for LGBTQ Mormons and their loved ones. Even as the prophetic mantle passes to him, President Nelson may remain the symbol of ecclesiastical exclusion for LGBTQ Latter-day Saints far into the future.

It is my hope that, in the next 10 years, the engagement of leadership and the rank-and-file membership will result in forward motion as we work to make a place for everyone at church.

Photo courtesy of the LDS Church Joseph Smith's First Vision.

Era of doubt

Emily Jensen • In the 10 years since 2008, there are so many more members whois to consider that Catholics have become repelled by the traditional image of hell. It is seen as a kind of torture, but exceeding in duration and severity any torture dreamt up by humans. Over many centuries Catholics were told by their priests that if they died with even one mortal sin, they would suffer the flames of hell for all eternity. However, from about 1800 onwards an increasing distaste for cruelty and unfair treatment began to take root in Europe and beyond. In this new climate it became impossible for many people to believe that a loving and merciful God could inflict or allow such dreadful torments on his creatures. As theologian John Maquarrie expressed it:

Needless to say, we utterly reject the idea of a hell where