September Six - Church Measures Against The September Six

Church Measures Against The September Six

Except for Lynne Kanavel Whitesides, all of the September Six were excommunicated; Whitesides was disfellowshipped, a lesser sanction that does not formally expel one from church membership. To date, three of the September Six have retained or regained church membership: Avraham Gileadi and Maxine Hanks, who were rebaptized, and Lynne Whitesides, who is still disfellowshipped.

While the LDS Church sometimes announces when a prominent member has been excommunicated, LDS leaders' policy is to refuse to publicly discuss details about the reasons for any excommunication, even if details of the proceedings are made public by that person. Such disciplinary proceedings are typically undertaken locally, initiated by leaders at the ward or stake level, but at least one of the September Six has suggested his excommunications was orchestrated by higher-ranking LDS Church leaders. Procedures pertaining to the organization of these disciplinary councils is found in the sacred LDS text Doctrine and Covenants, Section 102, as well as in the Church's administrative Handbook of Instructions; when a member is brought into these councils they are notified beforehand by the local leaders of the Church in that area.

Other than the summons sent to each of the six (specifying them as "contrary to the laws and order of the church"), the LDS Church's point of view is missing as to why each of the September Six was excommunicated. Based on their own comments and other sources, the following brief bios offer some perspective regarding the six individuals' discipline and their current relationship to Mormonism.