The Church Americans Often Mock Could Teach Us to Heal

October 17, 2025

JOPLIN, MO- JUNE 18: Members of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints, of Independence, Kansas, attempt to lift a toppled wall while clearing the remains of a home on June 18, 2011, in Joplin, Missouri. More than 28,000 volunteers have made their way to Joplin to help clear debris in the weeks following an EF5 tornado that leveled parts of the city. (Photo by Julie Denesha/Getty Images)

(The Chronicle of Philanthropy) – In the aftermath of tragedy, Americans are used to hearing politicians offer words of comfort and promises to find answers.

But Utah Gov. Spencer Cox’s response to Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month felt very different. He called Kirk’s killing a “watershed” in American history, where we can choose to escalate or make the choice to embrace a common life together. “We can always point the finger at the other side, and at some point we have to find an off-ramp or it’s going to get much, much worse. … All of us have an opportunity right now to do something different.”

Cox’s words were important on their own, but understanding where they came from is critical. Cox embodies a deep civic tradition rooted in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a tradition that teaches not just coexistence but cooperation across divides.

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