Literature scholar John S. Tanner named as BYU-Hawaii President

Perhaps in preparation for the 2016 Association for Mormon Letters Conference to be held at BYU-Hawaii, the Church has announced that John S. Tanner has been named the next president of BYU-Hawaii. Okay, just kidding about the reason he was chosen, but hopefully Tanner, a literature scholar who has been involved with AML since 1978, will support and participate in the AML conference. He has given at least three papers at past AML conferences, and has written quite a bit on links between great Western literature and Mormon beliefs, scripture, and hymns.

(This biography is taken from Mormon Scholars Testify)

John Sears Tanner received a BA in English from Brigham Young University in 1974 (magna cum laude and Highest Honors), and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1980. He was an assistant professor at The Florida State University before coming to BYU, where he eventually became Professor of English. He has also been a Senior Fulbright Lecturer in Brazil.

Tanner has served chair of the English Department (1998-2003), Associate Academic Vice President, and Academic Vice President of Brigham Young University (2004 -2011). In these assignments he has drafted foundational documents and policies for the university, such as “The Aims of a BYU Education” and the “Statement on Academic Freedom at BYU.” He served as the president of the Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission from 2011 to 2014, and as the First Councilor of the General Sunday School Presidency since April 2014.

Professor Tanner’s first professional love is teaching. He is the recipient of several teaching awards, along with other academic honors. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in literature, composition, religion, and the history of civilization.

As a scholar, Dr. Tanner specializes in Early Modern English literature, with an emphasis on religious writers of the period, particularly John Milton. His book Anxiety in Eden (Oxford University Press) was named best work of the year by the Milton Society of America in 1992. Dr. Tanner has also published numerous scholarly articles on religion and literature. His literary scholarship ranges from theological reflections on the problem of evil in the Book of Job to philosophical analyses of freedom in the works of Kierkegaard and of C. S. Lewis. In addition, Dr. Tanner has published scholarly articles on LDS topics and has edited an academic journal in Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

Dr. Tanner is also the author of many personal essays on educational and devotional topics. In addition, he has published poetry, including hymn texts. One of his hymns appears in the LDS hymnal. More recently, he has been involved in several media productions, both radio and film.

John Tanner was raised in Southern California, one of a large and happy family of thirteen children. He is married to Susan Winder Tanner, the former Young Women General President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Tanner wrote the words to “Bless Our Fast We Pray”, which is hymn #138 in the 1985 English-language edition of the LDS Church hymnal. It is also anthologized in Harvest: Contemporary Mormon Poems, Signature Books, 1989. Tanner also wrote a “Sacrament Sonnet” that was published in the Ensign in 1981, and the poem “To Clothe a Temple” in the Ensign in 1992.

Tanner was also involved with putting to music “Nephi’s Psalm,” from a chapter in the Book of Mormon. The first one, “I Love the Lord” was written to the tune of “Be Still My Soul” and was sung at the Priesthood Session of the April 2007 General Conference. His other adaption, “Sometimes My Soul,” is based on the American folk tune “Poor Wayfaring Stranger.” Tanner also wrote an article on the power of hymns (“Blessings upon Our Heads” Ensign, February 2004).

A selection of LDS related essays

“The Moral Measure of Literature”. The Association for Mormon Letters Annual 1978-1979.

“Making a Mormon of Milton,” The Association for Mormon Letters Annual 1983. Also BYU Studies 24/2 (Spring 1984).

“Milton and the Early Mormon Defense of Polygamy,” Milton Quarterly 21 (May 1987):

“Why Latter-day Saints Should Read Job,” Sunstone 14/4 (August 1990): 38–47

“Of Hymns, Herbert, and the Aesthetics of Faith” The Association for Mormon Letters Annual 1994, p. 1-7.

“Vardis Fisher and the Mormons,” in Rediscovering Vardis Fisher: Centennial Essays, ed. Joseph M. Flora (Moscow: University of Idaho Press, 2000), 97–113.

“Two Hymns Based on Nephi’s Psalm: Texts and Commentary”. Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 10.2 (2001): 34-41.

“The World and the Word: History, Literature, and Scripture,” in Historicity and the Latter-day Saint Scriptures, ed. Paul Y. Hoskisson. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2001.

“A Kingly Collection: A review of Arthur Henry King’s Conversion: Poems of the Religious Life, 1963-1994.” Irreantum 3.4 (Winter 2001-2002): 62-66.