Science and Scriptures

The LDS Church Legal Department - An Interview with Tony Goodall

Episode Summary

In this episode, we are honored to have Tony Goodall, an attorney who served a church mission in the LDS Church Legal Department in Germany. Most members know little about our church’s legal department, but in a worldwide church, our attorneys do a lot. Tony sheds some light on the challenges faced by the Church legal teams, both in the US and especially abroad.

Episode Notes

Email - ScottRFrazer@gmail.com :  Website - scottrfrazer.com

Episode Transcription

The LDS Church Legal Department - An Interview with Tony Goodall

This is the podcast Science and Scriptures, Season 2, Episode 6, or “The LDS Church Legal Department - An Interview with Tony Goodall”. 

 

Hello again. This is Scott Frazer of the podcast Science and Scriptures.  Today we are honored to be have Tony Goodall, an attorney who lives in Saratoga Springs on the show.  Tony and his wife Sue returned a few months ago from a church mission in Germany.  Tony worked with the Church Legal Department during his two years there. 

So Tony, welcome. Can you add some more to my short introduction?   

Many years ago, I had to obtain a visa to go on my church mission to Mexico City.  The visa arrived the week before I left the MTC, and I had certainly did nothing to arrange for it.  So, the Church Legal Department has been arranging the paperwork for foreign missionaries for a long time. But only a very few members have any idea what is involved in making such arrangements for foreign missionaries, much less what else the Legal Department does. It’s time we learn, so we can better appreciate all they do. 

So, Tony, I have about ten questions for you today.  If I miss an area, please go ahead and extrapolate into it.  

  1. Does each country have an administrative Church Administration Building somewhere in their capital city?Can church members having problems in the country visit the Church Building for assistance?
  2. How does the church get a building permit to build a chapel in a foreign country?
  3. What instruction is given to foreign missionaries to prevent them from offending foreign citizens or worse, foreign governments?
  4. I have heard verified stories of missionaries who were arrested in Minnesota for proselytizing in a neighborhood that restricted such action.  Missionaries don’t seem to knock doors much anymore, and I have been told that the reasons for that change were both legal and to improve public relations.  Are missionaries encouraged to knock doors in Europe – or the US?
  5. What is the current legal relationship of the church with China? 
  6. How does the church get information about foreign issues and unrest?  Does the church work with the US State Department to get information and make decisions in the face of foreign unrest?
  7. Do foreign countries change their policies towards the church very often?  Who within the church goes to meet with those governments when they do?
  8. Does the church have missionaries or church representatives in Afghanistan?  North Korea?  The Near East?  What is the church’s policy towards war-torn, dangerous, or anti-American countries?
  9. You told me about a proposed law in Germany to allow only fluent, German-speaking people to reside in the country for longer than a couple months.  How would the Church Legal Department respond to such legislation? 

So, that is all I have for our listeners today.  Thanks for listening.  I hope this episode helped you to understand how the Church Legal Department protects the church from attacks by enemies.  They help to remove government blockades that may keep our foreign missionaries from getting into their field of service.  If you can think of a friend or associate who might like this podcast, please share this episode with them.  This is Scott Frazer from the podcast “Science and Scriptures”.  Have a great week and take care.