Keywords

correlation history, organizational development, historical documentation

Abstract

Elder Bruce C. Hafen has stated, “Few superlatives could overstate the historical importance of correlation, both as a doctrinal concept and as an organizational movement.”1 Yet, despite the importance of correlation, little has been published regarding its history. Though included as a topic in biographies about David O. McKay, Harold B. Lee, and Neal A. Maxwell, each account focused more on the individuals’ involvement in correlation than the history of correlation itself. Therefore, each account had large gaps in the history. This article will present the history of correlation from the turn of the twentieth century until 1960. Though access to some primary sources is limited, the information and documentation illuminates not only the basic early history of correlation but also the processes and inspiration that led to its creation.

Original Publication Citation

Correlation: The Early Years. Goodman, M.A. (2010). In A Firm Foundation: Church Organization and Administration, Whittaker, D.J., & Garr, A. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book/Religious Studies Center), 319-338.