CLAREMONT, Calif. — Officially launching a drive to endow the Howard W. Hunter Chair in Mormon Studies, Claremont Graduate University and the Howard W. Hunter Foundation signed a landmark agreement on April 28. When endowed, perhaps as early as 2007, this will be the first academic chair for ongoing Mormon studies outside Church-owned institutions.
The ceremony moving forward academic studies under the name of the 14th president of the Church took place at the home of CGU President Robert Klitgaard.
Among the invited guests were Sister Inis Hunter, widow of President Hunter, and other members of the Hunter family.
John Hunter, a son of President Hunter and president of the Hunter Foundation, signed the agreement with President Klitgaard. Other foundation members present were Joseph Bentley, Elayne Allebest (President Hunter's stepdaughter) and Elder John C. Dalton, Area Seventy and chairman of the foundation.
"Religious misunderstanding and conflict," said President Klitgaard, "are (major) problems in the world today." Stressing the event's importance, he said that it exemplified Claremont's commitment to "increasing understanding across religions." In his view, the agreement to establish the Hunter Chair at Claremont was "a momentous occasion."
Karen Torjesen, dean of the CGU School of Religion, agreed. According to her, the agreement reflects the beginning of a "new partnership" between the Church and a secular university, one which would focus on "the doctrine, vision and ideals" of the Latter-day Saints.
The genesis of a chair in Mormon studies, recalled Dean Torjesen, began many years ago with Latter-day Saint students and their Claremont professors. These discussions grew Claremont's two-fold vision of bringing "the world's religions together to be studied alongside one another," while simultaneously drawing students from these diverse traditions to study them. Dean Torjesen said the goals of "the Claremont model" were to dispel misconceptions about other faiths, reduce stereotyping and increase religious tolerance in the world.
In 2002, Dean Torjesen visited Salt Lake City and Brigham Young University to establish relationships with Church and academic leaders. Later, an LDS Council for Mormon Studies was formed at Claremont. In addition to CGU officials, the council included Church members drawn from the business and academic communities in California and beyond.
Elder Dalton noted the importance of the Latter-day Saint teaching that "the glory of God is intelligence" as well as the admonition that we seek after things which are "virtuous, lovely or of good report." Elder Dalton said that the Hunter Chair at Claremont would further those purposes. Winston Churchill, he said, had inspired the British people during World War II by reminding them that at special moments, one is "figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing." In her work at the School of Religion, Dean Torjesen had been "tapped on the shoulder," said Elder Dalton.
President Hunter lived for many years in Southern California where the Claremont Colleges are located. Many of his family still reside in California. The Howard W. Hunter Foundation was recently formed to endow the Hunter Chair at Claremont. "This is a fitting legacy because of President Hunter's strong support of education and his long ties to Southern California," said Brother Bentley, chairman of the LDS Council.
To endow in perpetuity both a chair and a center for Mormon studies will require substantial private donations. The work of the Hunter Foundation and the LDS Council will now focus on raising 6 million dollars. Nearly 1 million dollars has been pledged towards this goal. Friends of President Hunter and his family, as well as others interested in creating the Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont, may contact info@HowardHunterFoundation.org for further information.
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