We had the absolute privilege of speaking with Rich Hanks about the life and legacy of his father, Marion D. Hanks. For those who know his name, you’ll know exactly why this conversation matters so much to us—Marion D. Hanks embodied so many of the values we hold dear. He was a leader of immense integrity, a champion for those on the margins, and a disciple of Christ in the truest sense. Even today, the ripples of his influence continue to shape the Church and the lives of so many.
President David O. McKay once gave him a blessing with a simple but powerful charge: “Let your voice be heard, even if it is in opposition to the stated norms.” And he did. For forty years, he consistently pushed for change—advocating for humanitarian work long before it became a priority, fighting against the priesthood and temple ban, and insisting that sustaining leaders meant honest engagement, not silent agreement.
Rich shared incredible stories about his father—the ways he stood up to cultural and institutional pressures, his deep reverence for the individual, and his unwavering belief that true discipleship is rooted in love, not conformity. He also spoke movingly about his father’s final years, as dementia slowly took hold, and the lessons of grace and devotion that emerged even in that difficult season. More than anything, we were struck by how Marion D. Hanks’ entire life was centered on lifting, healing, and serving—just as Christ did.
We are so grateful to Rich for sharing these stories. We think this conversation will be inspiring to anyone who has ever wrestled with how to live their faith with integrity, courage, and compassion.
You can get a hardcover copy of Rich’s book To Be a Friend of Christ: The Life of Marion D. Hanks here, or get the ebook here. (Affiliate links.)
Has the work of Faith Matters had an impact on your life? Send us a video!
We would love to hear how Faith Matters has impacted you. You can text us a video by texting it to 617-999-8066, emailing it to us at info@faithmatters.org, or by filling out this google form.
Study “Come Follow Me” with Faith Matters
Do we misunderstand Christ’s suffering?
How might we think about repentance, Atonement, and Christ's suffering?
Why Church?
Why do we have a Church? What does it mean that Jesus Christ "restored" the Church? How can I think about and relate to covenants and ordinances like baptism?
To receive Come Follow Me resource roundups from Faith Matters in your inbox, first be sure you are subscribed to the Faith Matters Substack, then go to manage your subscription and turn on notifications for “Come Follow Me”.
Join the Wayfare Book Club reading The Mother Tree
Kathryn Knight Sonntag is leading a community reading of her book, The Mother Tree. Each Saturday, participants receive via email an excerpt from the book and a question to spark conversation within our online chat community. The series will culminate with a live discussion of book’s themes and what the Divine Mother means to all of us, just in time for Mother's Day. To participate, first subscribe to Wayfare (free subscribers are welcome,) then manage your subscription under your account and select The Mother Tree. Once subscribed, participants may also access the chat community through the Substack app. You can purchase a hard copy of the book here. Find our latest installment of this series below:
Coming Up at The Compass:
Please join us for a continuation of The Big Questions, a new Faith Matters series of conversations that seek to expand and deepen our understanding of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Next month, Terryl Givens will be joined by Matthew Bowman to explore questions about prophets such as:
What is the difference between the office and the calling?
How many kinds of prophets does the Bible describe?
Does the prophet prophecy?
Do prophets err?
Why are keys necessary in the church and in our salvation?
In-person attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions of these remarkable scholars. It’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss! Tickets are $25 per person or purchase a package to the series here and save. Friends of Faith Matters and paid Substack subscribers get complimentary access to livestreams and recordings of Faith Matters Compass events—a link will be emailed to you 24 hours before the event. Thank you for your support!
Our Compass events are subsidized and made possible by private rentals of the space for wedding receptions, business retreats, birthday parties, and more. If you or someone you know has an event coming up, consider supporting Faith Matters by recommending The Compass!
Stay up-to-date with future Faith Matters events at The Compass by subscribing to our newsletter.
thoroughly enjoyed this episode!!
This episode was absolutely lovely!