Richard O. Cowan
Encyclopedia
Richard Olsen Cowan is a historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a professor in the Church History Department of Brigham Young University
(BYU). He is one of the longest-serving BYU faculty and the longest-serving member of the Church History Department ever.
. He is legally blind and has had retinitis pigmentosa
since birth, and by 2000 he had lost nearly all vision.
Between his undergraduate and graduate degrees, Cowan served a mission
for the LDS Church in the Spanish-American mission
, among the Mexican immigrants in Texas
, New Mexico
, Colorado
and Arizona
from 1953 to 1956. On his mission he met Dawn Houghton, and they later married and had six children.
in political science at Occidental College
in 1958. He received an M.A.
in 1959 and a Ph.D.
in 1961 in American History, both from Stanford University
. In 1959 he received an award from President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
, selected as one of four visually handicapped students in the United States.
manual for 1978–80, on the Doctrine and Covenants
and LDS history
.
In 1972 the LDS Church planned a new sixteen-volume sesquicentennial history to be published in 1980, and Cowan was commissioned to write about the 20th century. These contracts were all canceled in 1981 but Cowan still completed and published his volume, as The Church in the Twentieth Century in 1985.
From 1981-1993 Cowan served as the chair of the committee in charge of preparing gospel doctrine lessons for the LDS Church. Among his books are Temples to Dot the Earth (1997), California Saints, A 150-year Legacy in the Golden State; The Church in the Twentieth Century (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft
, 1985); The Latter-day Saint Century which covered about the same topic but was written 15 years later. He also co-wrote a book about the international church with Donald Q. Cannon
. Cowan, along with Cannon and Arnold K. Garr
was one of the editors of the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. He wrote the article on the history of the Church from 1945 until 1990 (or basically as recent as he could at the time) for The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. He also wrote the articles for History of Temples, Missionary Training Centers, Branch, and Branch President.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU). He is one of the longest-serving BYU faculty and the longest-serving member of the Church History Department ever.
Biography
Cowan was raised in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He is legally blind and has had retinitis pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of genetic eye conditions that leads to incurable blindness. In the progression of symptoms for RP, night blindness generally precedes tunnel vision by years or even decades. Many people with RP do not become legally blind until their 40s or 50s and retain some...
since birth, and by 2000 he had lost nearly all vision.
Between his undergraduate and graduate degrees, Cowan served a mission
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the LDS Church in the Spanish-American mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
, among the Mexican immigrants in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
from 1953 to 1956. On his mission he met Dawn Houghton, and they later married and had six children.
Education
Cowan received his bachelor of artsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science at Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
in 1958. He received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1959 and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1961 in American History, both from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. In 1959 he received an award from President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, selected as one of four visually handicapped students in the United States.
Career
Since 1961 Cowan has been a professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU. Cowan received BYU's professor of the year award in 1965. He has taught at the BYU Jerusalem Center and in the spring of 2007 was a visiting professor at BYU-Hawaii.Writings
Cowan helped write the LDS Church's Sunday SchoolSunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
manual for 1978–80, on the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
and LDS history
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is typically divided into three broad time periods: the early history during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, Jr...
.
In 1972 the LDS Church planned a new sixteen-volume sesquicentennial history to be published in 1980, and Cowan was commissioned to write about the 20th century. These contracts were all canceled in 1981 but Cowan still completed and published his volume, as The Church in the Twentieth Century in 1985.
From 1981-1993 Cowan served as the chair of the committee in charge of preparing gospel doctrine lessons for the LDS Church. Among his books are Temples to Dot the Earth (1997), California Saints, A 150-year Legacy in the Golden State; The Church in the Twentieth Century (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft
Bookcraft
Bookcraft was a major publisher of books and products for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-History:In 1940, LDS Church President Heber J. Grant asked the church's Improvement Era magazine to compile his sermons into a book called Gospel Standards. Compiler G...
, 1985); The Latter-day Saint Century which covered about the same topic but was written 15 years later. He also co-wrote a book about the international church with Donald Q. Cannon
Donald Q. Cannon
Donald Quayle Cannon is a retired professor at Brigham Young University who specializes in Mormon history, particularly early Mormon history and international Mormon history....
. Cowan, along with Cannon and Arnold K. Garr
Arnold K. Garr
Arnold Kent Garr is the chair of the department of Church history and Doctrine in the Religious Education Division of Brigham Young University . He was also the lead editor of the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History....
was one of the editors of the Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. He wrote the article on the history of the Church from 1945 until 1990 (or basically as recent as he could at the time) for The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. He also wrote the articles for History of Temples, Missionary Training Centers, Branch, and Branch President.