We discuss 2 important moments in Peggy Fletcher Stack’s career: “We don’t apologize,” and “What about the women? Peggy Fletcher Stack is the senior religion reporter at the Salt Lake Tribune. The focus of the conversation turns to the persistent challenges within religious coverage and the dramatic evolution of the journalistic landscape itself. For Peggy, certain topics consistently emerge as central “pressure points” or “conflicts.” Drawing on Apostle Boyd K. Packer’s 1993 speech, she observes that issues surrounding feminists, gays, and intellectuals have dominated her reporting because, as she puts it, journalists cover “planes that crash,” not “planes that land on time.”

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Gospel Tangents

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She highlights the continued intensity of LGBTQ+ issues, noting they remain “very very hot.” Her archive reveals nearly 700 articles containing the word “gay,” underscoring its consistent prominence. While public protests on issues like ordination might have decreased since events like Kate Kelly’s excommunication, Peggy firmly states that gender issues have “absolutely not died down,” citing ongoing concerns among younger women and pushes on topics like allowing young women to pass the sacrament or women sitting on the stand.

“We Don’t Apologize” Moment

Peggy Fletcher Stack recalls a meeting with Apostles Todd Christofferson and Dallen H. Oaks around the time the church was announcing a “compromise” on LGBTQ+ issues. She asked them, in the context of trying to promote civil discourse, if the church would ever apologize for the rhetoric of some members on this topic as a way to improve civility. Elder Oaks responded directly, “No. We never apologize.” Peggy notes that this response to a specific question was later interpreted by some as being a statement of general church policy, which she clarified was not the case. She also mentions that Elder Oaks repeated a similar sentiment on a video podcast (Trib Talk no longer exists), stating that apology “isn’t in the Bible,” which caused a “huge flap” and led to people blaming her, the messenger. She said this illustrates how something said can come to be seen as policy.

The “What About the Women?” Question

Peggy describes a press conference in January or February 2018 with President Russell M. Nelson and Elder Oaks where reporters were limited to one question each. Peggy had prepared a question asking what would be done to increase diversity in leadership, specifically mentioning “women, people of color, and non-Americans.” President Nelson’s initial response was to focus on his personal connection to Peggy and her family, an “awkward moment” for her. After speaking about non-Americans, and feeling they were finishing their answer without addressing women, Peggy, despite the one-question limit, called out from her seat, “What about women?” President Nelson then spoke about loving women, highlighting his daughters and mothers. Peggy characterized this moment, which occurred on live KSL TV, as a “weird existential moment” balancing the personal and professional. Ironically, she felt it ended up being a “win-win” for her, as critics from different perspectives interpreted the interaction in ways that subtly improved her standing with them.

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Gospel Tangents

All Rights Reserved