Mormon Church Hides Abuse of Wade Christofferson, Enabling More Abuse - Edward Nachel | Ep. 2117
Mormon Stories Podcast
Roles of the Council: Protecting Church vs. Accused
Edward explains vote structure and his role representing the church's good name during the council deliberations.
In today's episode, Edward Nachel shares his firsthand account of serving on the High Council that excommunicated Wade Christofferson –and the guilt, questions, and reckoning that followed. Edward served in the same ward as Wade and knew him for over twenty-years.
We begin with the recent arrest of Wade Christofferson and the allegations that have surfaced, including sexually coded letters and reported searches found on his phone. These are allegations until proven guilty in a court of law. But Edward’s story focuses on something broader: how church disciplinary systems operate, how secrecy functions, and what happens when there are no advocates for victims inside the room.
Edward describes being selected for the Disciplinary Council, drawing lots to see who represented the abuser and who represented the church, being sworn to secrecy, the absence of witnesses and the victims, how the final decision was made by the Stake Presidency, and how ward members were never warned.
At the time, Edward believed he was “on the church’s side.” Years later, he sees the system differently.
This episode is not about attacking faith. It’s about transparency, accountability, and protecting children. Edward openly asks: What could I have done? Why didn’t I do more? And what must change to ensure this never happens again?
If you or someone you know has been affected by abuse in a religious setting, you are not alone.
___________________
At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.
Our overall mission is to:
1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology
2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis
3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions
🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today
One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories
Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories
Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join
Our Platforms:
🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes
🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories
✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1
🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772
🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories
📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast
🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF
Contact us:
📧 MormonStories@gmail.com
📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117
The AI-powered Podcast Player
